In a major loss of face for the IAF headquarters, the Manohar Parrikar led Ministry of Defence has ordered Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to produce 68 Basic Trainer Aircraft for the IAF, earlier rejected by the then IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne on the grounds of high cost and feared delay in production schedule. Along with this approval, the Defence Acquisition Council permitted the IAF to acquire 38 Pilatus PC-7 Mk-II subject… Read More »Trainer aircraft

Indian Navy’s declining submarine strength, which has been reduced to 13 in addition to one nuclear powered submarine leased from Russia called INS Chakra, has received a much delayed boost after the Indian Cabinet Committee on Security approval in mid February to build six more nuclear powered submarines in India. There has been deepening concern in Indian naval headquarters and Indian strategic community over Government’s decision paralysis regarding the acquisition of submarines and other advanced… Read More »Submarine acquisition

Over the past two years or so the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard have been receiving two patrol vessels offshore and inshore respectively for surveillance and policing of India’s maritime interests from the coastline of peninsular India to the outer reaches of the Indian Ocean rim. The remarkable feature is that these are indigenously designed and manufactured craft speeds of up to 40 kmph. Nonetheless, what India needs is a fleet of flying… Read More »Naval platforms

Separate ground, sea and air warfare is gone forever. If ever again we should be involved in war, we will fight it in all elements, with all services, as one single concentrated effort. US President Dwight D Eisenhower The statement made by the visionary US President Eisenhower was true then and it remains so today. Joint effectiveness of Air Force and Army forces is critical to achieving national objectives in today’s strategic environment. Constrained procurement… Read More »Joint military operations

With the introduction of revolution in military affairs, militaries around the world are gearing up for a new generation weapon profile that can enhance their strike capability while minimizing collateral damage that can result in a crisis. Today, precision-guided munitions (PGMs) with their high degree of discrimination and accuracy again hold such promise. In modern warfare, both in terms of methods employed and of the greater concern placed is on limiting human suffering during conflict.… Read More »Precision guided munitions

Since countries are focusing on hi tech bombers to evade air defence capabilities of the opponent, now there is a greater need to build various layers of air defence systems to take on the intruding object at a multi dimensional level. It can no longer be restricted to just “air defence” because network centricity, which is the hub of the system shielding ground forces from an enemy attack must be connected to satellites in orbit.… Read More »Air defence capability

Indian manufacturing industry, which has been in a moribund state for nearly a decade now, seems to be looking forward for a bright future with a spirit of hope and optimism in the context of the Government led by Narendra Modi endorsing the “Make in India” initiative in a big way to turn India into a global manufacturing hub. But even with this initiative, India will have difficult times catching up with China where manufacturing… Read More »‘Make in India’

There was a time around the turn of the decade that a scare was created by reports that China has achieved the capability of sinking an aircraft carrier with a hypersonic cruise missile at a distance of nearly 2000 km. The Chinese preferred to call it the “carrier killer” and predicted the removal of the carrier from the order of battle because of its vulnerability, leaving China to push its geo-political ambitions (the assimilation) of… Read More »Torpedo capabilities

The Asia Pacific regional security interests require the navies of this region to have the ability to respond comprehensively to political or military contingencies, which can arise with little or no warning. An amphibious capability provides the militaries with a range of political response options to apply military force, and project national power. Many countries in the region have recognized the need to augment their amphibious capability in the developing geopolitical environment in the Indian… Read More »Amphibious operations

With so much having been written about the creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) for the armed forces; a strong recommendation for it by late K Subrahmanyam in his Kargil War review; and the return to power at the centre of the Bharatiya Janta Party presage the possibility that the CDS will become a reality sooner or later. The confluence of events both internal and external thus appears to be conducive… Read More »Appointment of CDS