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Link India could require six to eight Northrop MQ-4C BAMS
By: Greg Waldron Singapore

To ensure continuous coverage of its oceanic frontiers, the Indian navy would need six to eight Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) unmanned air systems (UAS).

This number would allow India to keep a BAMS airborne all day, every day for 365 days a year, says a Northrop Grumman executive who spoke to Flightglobal at India's Defexpo 2012 in New Delhi.

BAMS would be particularly useful for India because it is optimised to operate in conjunction with the Boeing P-8A Poseidon, of which India has ordered eight examples designated as the P-8I Neptune.

New Delhi is increasingly turning to unmanned systems to patrol its vast ocean frontiers, which include the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal. In January 2011, the Indian navy stood up its second UAS squadron, which will operate Israel Aerospace Industries-supplied Herons and Searcher IIs over the northern Arabian Sea.

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Indian Navy Sailors get modern Barracks

A new five storied building for accommodating 300 trainees of Signal School at Naval Base Kochi was inaugurated today. The building complex named “Sukhthankar Barracks” after Late Lieutenant Commander GS Sukhthankar a recipient of Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) during the Second World War, was inaugurated by AG Sukhthankar, son of the Late Naval Officer.

The inauguration was attended by Vice Admiral (Retd) MP Awati, the octogenarian founder of Maritime History Society of India and former Commander in Chief of Western Naval Command and Vice Admiral KN Sushil, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief Southern Naval Command. Admiral Awati like the Late Lieutenant Commander GS Sukhthankar was a Signal Communication Specialist for whom Signal School Kochi is the Alma Mater.The Sukhthankar Barracks completed at a cost of about Rupees Nine Crores, has all the modern amenities which include cafeteria style dining hall, indoor recreational facilities, washing machines and gymnasium.

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Acquisition of Fleet Tanker

Indian Navy awarded a contract for acquisition of a fleet tanker to foreign shipyard.Steel offered by the shipyard, M/s Fincantieri, in response to Request for Proposal (RFP) for construction of Fleet Tanker, was technically evaluated by a Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC). Based on technical clarifications offered by the shipyard, which were ratified by two classification societies, the steel offered by the shipyard was accepted by the TEC for the stated purpose.

In order to ascertain reasonability of cost, the Contract Negotiation Committee (CNC) undertook costing for the tanker based on two separate costing models. Taking into account both the costing models, the CNC considered the cost quoted by M/s. Fincantieri of Euro 127.26 Million (Rs.747.65 crore) as the basic cost of the ship to be reasonable.

This information was given by Minister of Defence Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Shri Bal Kumar Patel in Lok Sabha today. [hr]
Submarine Fleet of Navy
The existing submarine fleet is being constantly upgraded with modern weapons and sensors which has ensured that the underwater combat capacity of the country remains at the desired levels.

Six Scorpene submarines are being constructed under Project-75 at M/s Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL), Mumbai under Transfer of Technology (ToT) from M/s DCNS, France.

Government approval for construction of the six submarines at M/s MDL under Project-75 was accorded in September, 2005 at a total cost of Rs.18,798crore. The contract was signed in October, 2005. The Government approval for revision in cost of the project to Rs.23,562crore was accorded in February, 2010, along with revision in delivery schedule.

The original delivery schedule of the first submarine was December, 2012 and remaining submarines were to be delivered with a gap of one year each. Consequent to the approval of Government for revision is cost and delivery schedule, the delivery schedule of the first submarine has been revised to June, 2015 and that of the last (6th) submarine to September, 2018. The delay in construction of Scorpene submarines is attributable to initial teething problems in absorption of new technology, delay in augmentation of Industrial Infrastructure at MDL and delay in procurement of MPM items by MDL due to their high cost as compared to the earlier indicated cost. Most of the teething problems have been resolved and various plans have been put in place to minimize delays.

As part of the TOT for the six submarines under construction at MDL, Mumbai, a Technical Data Package has been provided by the Collaborator. This will enable attainment of significant indigenous competence in submarine construction, especially in the field of hull fabrication, outfitting, system integration etc. by the end of the programme

This information was given by Minister of Defence Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Shri Premdas, Shri G.M. Siddeshwara and Shri S.S. Ramasubbuin Lok Sabha today.

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Link
HYDERABAD: The Indian Navy's proposed communication station in the neighbouring Ranga Reddy district hit a roadblock due to hitches. As a result, the Navy has started scouting for land afresh at a new location after the earlier identified reserve forest land near Pudur was found unviable due to transmission lines passing through it and encroachments.

Sources said naval officers are reportedly looking for alternate land near Naskal, also in RR district.

A couple of years ago, the Indian Navy had decided to set up a very low frequency (VLF) communication station near the city, due to its strategic location, and keep tabs on Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean. Also, Hyderabad was chosen as the location as several defence organisations have their institutions in the city and surrounding areas.

Indian Navy Commodore (Signals) Capt Alok Khanojo and joint director of Design Chief Engineer Office of Indian Navy, TV Rao met the then Ranga Reddy district collector and sought land for the station. Initially they sought about 3,000 acres since huge extent of the land was not available in the area, officials identified about 2,700 acres reserve forest land in Pudur area. In the forest land, some assignees have been cultivating for decades. The district administration agreed to give about 1,400 acres land and even gram sabhas were conducted in Pudur and surrounding villages to get support as some assignees might lose land for providing civic infrastructure for the station.

Since the land was being sought for defence purpose, the state government and the forest department readily agreed to give it. The 2,700 acres forest land was surveyed and demarcated for setting up the station. As some trees were to be removed to pave way for the communication station, the Indian Navy agreed to even pay Rs six crore to plant saplings.

Official sources said the defence ministry had sanctioned about Rs 300 crore to set up the station in Pudur. However, when the Navy officials were about to take over possession of the land, they found that there were transmission lines near the land and encroachments had come up.

When contacted, RR district law officer D Venugopal Rao said they sought a report from Pudur tahsildar on encroachments and temple land in the identified land and were waiting for a reply.[hr]
Link Navy planning new air base in Karnataka

Strengthening its capabilities along the western seaboard, the Indian Navy is planning to establish a new naval air base in Karwar in Karnataka for operating both fighter and surveillance aircraft.

"We have plans of establishing a Naval Air Station at Karwar for basing and operation of fixed and rotary-wing military aircraft," Navy officials said on Tuesday.

The naval air base is part of the Navy's Rs 10,000 crore plans under the phase II of the Project Sea Bird.

Aircraft carrier 'Admiral Gorshkov', which India is getting from Russia, six Scorpene submarines and several other warships will be based there in the future.

The Navy already has an air base in Goa and has deployed its MiG 29K and Sea Harrier fighter aircraft there.

It has also placed orders for 29 more MiG 29K carrier- borne fighter planes from Russia along with the indigenous versions of the naval variant of the Light Combat Aircraft 'Tejas'.

Under the Phase-II of the Project, Karwar will get an armament depot, dockyard complex and missile silos, apart from additional jetties, berthing and anchorage facilities.

It is planning to expand the base to the extent where it can provide requisite berthing and operational fleet base facilities for the operation, administration and command and control of over 30 warships and submarines.

The Karwar base would be the third such major base of the Indian Navy and is being strengthened at a time when Pakistan is developing ports with the help of the Chinese and would also providing strategic depth to its maritime force.

It would also help the Navy in decongesting its base in Mumbai which has seen a significant increase in merchant shipping.

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Russia has offered help India build air-independent (closed cycle) propulsion systems for installation in Amur 1650 class submarines and also to equip future possible joint Indian-Russian built vessels, Viktor Komardin, the deputy head of Rosoboronexport's delegation said at the Defexpo Indian defense show on Tuesday.

The Amur 1650 is one of several contenders, including the Scorpene (France), Type 214 (Germany) and S-80 (Spain) in a tender for the Indian Navy for six subamrines with a total value of $11.8 billion.

"Russia is currently completing tests of a new air-indepedent propulsion system, which could be installed not only on the Amur 1650 but on jointly developed boats," Komardin said. "This is a critical factor for the Indians. So our chances here are good," he added.

Rosoboronexport, Russia's defense sales holding, has already offered India its Amur 1650 boat, which started trials with the Russian navy in 2010. The Amur has an armament of multirole torpedos and Klub anti-ship missiles, and can also strike land-targets with advanced cruise missiles, which may include the India-Russian Brahmos. "These missiles which the Indians want can only be supplied by Russia," Komardin said.

The Amur 1650 has a good chance of winning the tender, Komardin claimed, thanks to its ability to remain submerged for over 25 days using its air-independent propulsion, and also its long-range weaponry. Similar foreign boats can only stay submerged for 15-20 days.

Russia is currently evaluating the Lada class air-independent submarine, a derivative of the Amur 1650. In 2010 the Lada class submarine St Petersburg entered service with the Russian Fleet.

The Russian Fleet Commander Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky told RIA Novosti previously that the first Russian air-independent boat, based on a similar design, the Projet 677 class, could enter service in 2014. Two such hulls are currently under construction at the Admiralteiskie Verfi shipyard in St Petersburg, which could be fitted with a closed-cycle propulsion system.

An air-independent propulsion system is currently being rapidly developed by specialists from the Rubin submarine design bureau.

Air-independent submarines, usually using hydrogen-orygen fuel cells, are quieter than conventional diesel-electric boats, and do not have to surface or use snorkel tubes to breathe air, which makes them vulnerable to detection by radar and other sensors.

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Navy could retire INS Viraat, - Indian Express

It has been in service for over 50 years and now INS Viraat, the lone aircraft carrier operated by the Indian Navy, could be on its last legs with the Navy undertaking a detailed survey to determine when to decommission the warship.


Sources said the internal hull of the warship, which was first commissioned in the British Navy in 1959, is giving way from the wear and tear of over half a century of sailing. A detailed project is now being carried out to determine the residual service of the carrier. The Navy, which has already stretched the service life of the warship beyond expectation, is not too keen to keep it going on for much longer.


However, there is reason to cheer as its replacement is now on target with Russia confirming that the Gorshkov, that will be rechristened as the INS Vikramaditya, will be ready for commissioning on December 4.


Vice-Admiral Ganesh Mahadevan, who led the renegotiation committee of the warship and is currently the Chief of Material (COM) of the Navy, confirmed this. “The new date has now been cast in stone,” he said. The senior officer, who is retiring this month after 40 years of service, said the aircraft carrier has been extensively refitted and will now have a service life of four decades, double of what was decided in the first contract signed in 2004.


The officer also said work on the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC), which will be christened as the INS Vikrant, is also progressing and the warship would be able to operate both MiG 29K and the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).

Initial difficulties in producing an arrester wire that would cater for both fighters — which are of different weight categories — have been sorted out with Russian assistance, Mahadevan said. He elaborated that work on the second indigenous carrier has not started as the Navy is still firming up its specifications. He hinted that the Navy would want a greater variety of aircraft to operate from the second ship, including heavier surveillance aircraft.

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Navy to set up new base in Lakshadweep - South India - Kochi - ibnlive

KOCHI: The Indian Navy, which is gradually building up capabilities across the island territories to meet the new world order, is all set to open its full-fledged shore unit at the Lakshadweep islands. The new operations base, INS Dweeprakshak, in Kavaratti island would be launched by the end of this month.


INS Dweeprakshak which would be under the Southern Naval Command (SNC) in Kochi, would be the second operations base of the Indian Navy in an island territory, after the one� based in Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal.


“Indian Navy took the decision to boost its coastal security initiatives after 26/11. Increased incidents of piracy in the Lakshadweep waters is another reason for setting up the base”, said the officials.


The new base is expected to be inaugurated on April 30. Presently the Navy has two detachments at Lakshadweep in Kavaratti and Minicoy islands under a Naval officer-in-charge of islands. The decision to have a full-fledged shore unit on the islands was taken more than a year ago, after increased presence of pirates was reported from this region.


Once fully operational, INS Dweeprakshak will have new aircraft, warships and helicopters operating from there along with other operational capabilities. Last year, Indian forces had thwarted a couple of pirate attacks near the Lakshadweep and Minicoy islands.


“It would be an independent establishment under the SNC. That will help in taking decisions on financial matters and administrative decisions,” sources said.


It’s pointed out that the new operations base would be effective in preventing intrusions to India’s Exclusive Economic Zone(EEZ) and secure country’s territorial waters. The island chain’s proximity with neighbouring nations like Maldives adds to the need for better sprucing up of security.


As part of its efforts to spruce up coastal security initiatives, the Indian Coast Guard had set up a new District Headquarters at Laksahdweep islands. It was only a week back that the Coast Guard had established one more station at Androth island.


Two days back the Southern Naval Command in association with Coast Guard District Headquarters No 12 at Kavarathi, organised the coastal security exercise ‘Neptune-05’ for the islands.


The Defence Minister had recently pointed out the need for securing the country’s island territories. The Centre has made special allocation for improving island security. The Ministry of Defence(MoD) is also setting up a chain of radar stations across the coastal boundaries of India for better surveillance. Lakshadweep islands will have four radar stations.

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Aiming to establish itself as a blue water force in real terms, the Indian Navy will be inducting more than 90 fighting platforms in another ten years, including aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, which is likely to be commissioned later this year.


"Under the Maritime Perspective Plan (MPP), around 50 of these vessels are in various stages of construction at different shipyards in the country, while the contract for 45 more ships is being processed", Navy's Chief of Material, Vice Admiral G Mahadeven told reporters.


The 45 ships are either in the Request for Proposal stage or discussions are going on for their prices with the vendors, he added.


Out of the 50 ships which are in various stages of construction, four are being built by foreign shipyards. It includes INS Vikramaditya which is being constructed at Shevmash shipyard in Russia.


Meanwhile, officials said that INS Vikramaditya is in the last stage of its refitment and will be ready for sea-trials in another one month's time.


Among the three Teg-class frigates which are being constructed, one will be commissioned into the Navy on April 27.


Navy is also procuring around 80 Fast Interceptor Craft (FIC) under the MPP.


For construction of four Landing Platform Decks (LPDs) worth Rs. 16,000 crore request for proposal has been issued to five Indian shipyards including a private one.


To increase its strategic depth, a number of Counter Mine Ship, Floating Dry Dock, Submarine Attack Crafts, Deep Submersible Vessels are also in the process of negotiations with the vendors and shipyards.

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Hi-tech Navy plans to have only BTech officers - The Times of India

Slowly but surely emerging as a powerful three-dimensional "blue-water'' force to protect India's geo-strategic interests stretching from Hormuz Strait to Malacca Strait, the Navy is now also focusing on creating high-tech "sea warriors''.


The force, in fact, is steaming ahead with plans to ensure all its new officers have BTech degrees because of the unprecedented expansion in warship technology. "The advanced platforms we are inducting, with their state-of-art weapons and other systems, will require all officers to have cutting-edge technical knowledge,'' said Navy's assistant chief of personnel (HRD) Rear Admiral P Ajit Kumar.


"We already have a large number of MTechs, including in areas like nuclear technology. Moreover, we are also looking to send eight officers abroad every year for MTechs in niche areas. Our training pattern is in line with where the First World navies are headed,'' he added.


Navy's ongoing warship, submarine and maritime aircraft acquisition programmes as well as proposed projects in the pipeline will together cost well over Rs 3,00,000 crore over the next 15 years, as was first reported by TOI earlier.


With the "maritime capability perspective plan for 2012-2027'' pegging the number of major warships required at about 150, there are already 44 warships and six submarines on order. Moreover, contracts for another 45 warships, including six new submarines and seven stealth frigates, are in the pipeline.


All this will require a strong sea-warrior cadre. "The government has given us lot of manpower sanctions. We have to step up inductions as well as ensure quality manpower comes in,'' said Rear Admiral Kumar.


In tune with this, the first direct-entry batch of 70 BTech officers will pass out of the Indian Naval Academy (INA) at Ezhimala (Kerala) in June 2013. Plans are also afoot to get the existing BSc degree curriculum converted to a BTech one for naval cadets at the tri-Service National Defence Academy (NDA) in Kadakwasla (Pune).


"Naval cadets, who come to INA for their 7th and 8th semesters after passing out from NDA, get MSc (Tech) degrees as of now. But they will also get BTech degrees in the near future,'' he added.


Concurrently, INA is also set for a major expansion at a cost of around Rs 340 crore. From an existing annual capacity of 750 trainees, INA will begin training 1,200 cadets from 2015 onwards. Similarly, the "annual training load'' at INS Chilka will be enhanced to well over 4,500 sailors.


Overall, Navy plans to take the strength of its officer cadre from the existing 8,200 to over 11,000. Similarly, the number of sailors will be enhanced from the current 48,000 to over 60,000 by 2015 or so.


To cater for this, the Navy is also upgrading its selection infrastructure. There are plans for a new selection center at Vizag, with three SSBs (services selection boards), to add to the ones at Bhopal, Bangalore and Coimbatore. There will also be an additional SSB at Diamond Harbour at Kolkata by mid-2013.

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On a five-day visit to India, U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert will discuss a range of issues with his counterparts to strengthen joint training and mutual cooperation between the two navies and meet the top brass of the Defence Ministry here.


“Admiral Greenert will be visiting some of the important Naval offices in the country and will interact with the top officials of the Indian Navy. Today he will call on Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma,” Navy officials said here. He will also meet the three Service chiefs.


The visit by the top United States officer is taking place a week after the navies of India and the U.S. concluded their 10-day long Malabar-series exercise in the Bay of Bengal.


After interacting with the top brass here, Admiral Greenert will visit the Western Naval Command at Mumbai and meet its Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Vice Admiral D.K. Joshi and Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Girish Luthra.


“In Mumbai, he will also go to the Mazagon Dockyard Limited (MDL) and from there he will proceed to Goa where he will visit INS Hansa Naval base and will meet Flag Officer Naval Aviation (FONA) Rear Admiral Sudhir Pillai,” they said.


From Goa, Admiral Greenert will go to Karvar, which is a major hub of the navy’s training activities and will meet the Flag Officer Karvar Area Rear Admiral Atul Jain.


The visit will culminate at Cochin where the Admiral will interact with Southern Naval Commander Vice Admiral K.N. Sushil.


“During the visit, Admiral Greenert will discuss a range of issues such as ways to strengthen joint training and mutual cooperation between the navies of U.S. and India,” the officials said.

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Indian Naval Hospital Ship (INHS) Sanjivani has been declared the best hospital for 2011 by Cochin Clinical Society (CCS) a professional body of senior medical professionals in the city. CCS has all the major hospitals in the city as its members. INHS Sanjivani commissioned in March 1958, caters to the naval community and ex service men in the region.

The hospital has 333 beds for inpatients and 16 departments including sub specialties. The hospital also has in its premises the Ex Servicemen contributory health scheme (ECHS) poly clinic which was started in 2004. Medical teams from Sanjivani has participated in disaster relief efforts across the country and abroad. Sanjivani medical team was the first foreign medical team to set foot in Sri Lanka after the Tsunami of 2004. INHS Sanjivani is commanded by Surgeon Commodore Girish Gupta, a renowned pediatrician.

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Link Navy chief says ADA let it down on LCA front

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma on Saturday lambasted the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) for frequent time overruns in the development of the Naval version of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).

â??They [ADA] focused largely on the Air Force programme and the LCA [Navy] did fall behindâ?¦. There have been many promises made by the ADA but they failed us,â?� he told The Hindu on Saturday on the sidelines of the ongoing multi-naval Milan initiative hosted by the Navy.

Terming the carrier-borne aircraft development programme â??crucial' for the Navy, he said the naval version of the aircraft was considerably different from the Air Force version, given the type of forces it would undergo while making arrested landings on a carrier deck. This called for a reinforced undercarriage. â??It is often said that there is only 15 per cent difference between both versions. The Navy has always maintained that it may be 15 per cent in terms of material and systems, but it is a substantial part. And they [ADA] underestimated it.â?�

Asked about the geo-strategic interests of the Navy in the Indian Ocean region, he said India was a â??benign friend' of the Indian Ocean littorals. Affirming that forums such as the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and Milan went a long way in addressing mutual concerns and forging working-level partnerships, he said the Navy would continue to do what it had been doing. However, major western powers would like to see a far greater engagement of India in global affairs, he said in response to a query on the country's interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

On India providing Exclusive Economic Zone surveillance assistance to neighbouring countries, he said the help being sought was â??extensive' and India would be able to do it in a â??much better way' in the next few years when there would be a substantial infusion of platforms such as offshore patrol vessels â??which are particularly made for the type of requirements that the smaller nations have.â?�

The Admiral said China had extensive trade interests, which resulted in its â??commercial presence' in the region. â??But, for a nation of our size, stature, growth rate and the role that is expected of us in global affairs, we must have certain capabilities and we are building them. So you must have a sense of confidence that our maritime interests would be fully metâ?¦ If you look at defence allocations in terms of percentage of the GDP, ours is a modest figure, but when a nation is growing, that modest figure allows you to build certain capabilities,â?� he said.

The Admiral said that though the Navy preferred indigenous acquisition of assets, it was also procuring ships from abroad to plug certain gaps. â??After the lost decade [the cash-strapped 1990s], we are now able to place orders, and acquisitions are happening; only that our yards are unable to deliver at globally competitive rates. But notwithstanding that, in the next five years, we would be commissioning on an average five ships or submarines in a year.â?�

He said that while Indian shipyards saw substantial improvements in capability, their speed of construction of platforms left a lot to be desired. â??Their infrastructure has been modernised. We need to now concentrate on the modernisation of processes.â?�

The Admiral said India, as a matter of policy, would not have forward operating bases. But that was not a constraint as the two fleet tankers acquired last year allowed the Navy to operate two task groups far and wide for individual functions. As for the controversial logistic support agreement, which would have provided it berthing and refuelling on the co-signatory's shores, he said it was felt the Navy did not need it at this stage.

â??Carrier-building is very expensive, but it is certainly there in our long-term plans,â?� the Admiral said about the Navy's wish to have a third carrier besides the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (which is under construction at Cochin Shipyard) and the Vikramaditya (slated for induction by this year-end). â??It will help you ensure two carriers are operational at the same time. However, it all depends on how the Navy is supported by funding because along with the carrier, we want to do other things, too.â?�

INS Viraat would not outlive the commissioning of the IAC as the Sea Harrier aircraft would be unserviceable by then, he remarked.

The Navy was firming up a concept on the future carrier, taking into consideration the future of aviation and the potential of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). â??There would be far more capable aircraft and far more expected of an aircraft carrier in the late 2020s. So it [the future carrier] got to be different. Already, there is so much of research going on on UAVs because their capabilities have been demonstrated in ample measure in land battles.â?� The Admiral also hinted at deploying UAVs on platforms such as the Vikramaditya at a later date.

The Admiral said the Coast Guard-steered project to set up a coastal radar chain would fructify by the middle of next year.

Initially, the Navy had some reservations about the quality of certain equipment such as infrared devices and cameras, which would come with the radar, but Bharat Electronics had been proactive and had placed orders for subsystems, he said.

Admiral Verma said coastal security exercises, now held at the State-level, would soon have a larger envelope, expanding across States along the entire coastline. He added the Navy was doing all it could to encourage States to do more on coastal security and emulate Tamil Nadu in carving out a dedicated cadre for coastal police.

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Russia Completes Final Trials of Indian Frigate 19:56 07/02/2012 KALININGRAD, February 7 (RIA Novosti)

The Yantar shipyard in Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad has completed the final tests of a missile frigate for the Indian navy, the companyâ??s spokesman Sergei Mikhailov said o Tuesday.

Russia and India signed a $1.6 billion contract on construction of three modified Krivak III class (also known as Talwar class) guided missile frigates for India in 2006. The first frigate, the Teg, was scheduled for delivery in April 2011, but funding shortfalls have delayed the work.

Two other Talwar class frigates, the Tarkash and the Trikand, are at various stages of construction and testing at the Yantar shipyard, and their delivery dates are unknown.

The new frigates are each armed with eight BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.

They are also equipped with a 100-mm gun, a Shtil surface-to-air missile system, two Kashtan air-defense gun/missile systems, two twin 533-mm torpedo launchers, and an antisubmarine warfare (ASW) helicopter.

Russia has previously built three Talwar class frigates for India - INS Talwar (Sword), INS Trishul (Trident), and INS Tabar (Axe).

[GaxyGroordrep]

Brahmos Launch, Sam Interceptions and Network Centric Warfare on Display During Tropex 12

â??26/11 Mumbai Incident Changed Security Matrixâ?� : Antony

The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony spent two days with the Indian Navy on Feb 07-08,2012. The Defence Minister was given a glimpse of the expansive scope and scale of the Indian Navyâ??s annual Theatre Level Readiness and Operational Exercise (TROPEX) over the two day visit with the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral NirmalVerma and the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command Vice Admiral AK Chopra in company.

In the backdrop, were two completely networked fleets, widely dispersed across seas in the Indian Ocean, operating in a dense electronic environment to match their professional and technical proficiency. New platforms, weapons sensors, communication systems and tactics were being tested and tried to optimize the net combat power of the fleets. Over forty surface combatants of various classes, submarines and a large number of aircraft including UAVs are participating in the exercise. As would be the case in any operation of the twenty first century, the exercise had a jointmanship element as IAF aircraft such as AWACS, Sukhois, Mirages and Jaguars also participated.

â??No Limitsâ??, the motto of INS Shivalik where the Defence Minister first landed, best described the scale of the Indian Naval operational exercise. The Defence Minister witnessed INS Shivalik execute, various evolutions including a 'surface gun shoot' and Jackstay with INS Shakti in copy book fashion. Incidentally, it maybe recalled that the Defence Minister had commissioned INS Shivalik on Apr 29, 2010 and Admiral Verma had commissioned INS Shakti on October 01, 2011. The integration of INS Shivalik and INS Shakti as fully operational components of the Eastern Fleet in such a short span of time reflected the efficiency and professionalism of Indian Navyâ??s training and operational methodology.

Whereas the quick integration of new ships was a reflection of the Indian Navyâ??s high standards of professionalism in operations and training, the sustenance of potency and combat efficiency of a couple of surface combatants over a few decades old, reflected the Indian Navyâ??s sound maintenance practices and technical prowess.

The transformation of the Indian Navy to a future ready network enabled force was epitomised in INS Shivalik but the Defence Minister also saw a reflection of the same on his visit to INS Viraat. INS Viraat, the Flag ship of the Western Fleet, demonstrated the power of a networked force as operational plots and pictures from remote sensors were transferred and collated in a flash to present a comprehensive picture of the Battlespace and effect optimal use of the weapons on board the various potent ships. The recently upgraded Sea Harriers proved their lethality with ranges extended by Air to Air refueling and BVR missiles. Su 30MKI aircraft, Mirages and Jaguars, being directed by an IAF AWACS, operating over sea for the first time tested the Air Defence capability of the INS Viraat even as the ships were operating in a Multi- threat scenario. During this battle the Defence Minister witnessed, first hand, the potency of the upgraded Sea Harriers particularly in the networked environment.

A critical part of Anti Missile Defence being Surface to Air Missiles (SAM), the Defence Minister witnessed the successful interception of a fast, low flying, Surface to Surface missile by a SAM. A clear night with a full moon laid an idyllic setting for this demonstration of power and professionalism.

The Defence Minister witnessed a successful and impressive launch of the Brahmos, supersonic long range anti shipping missile, from a recently up-graded Ranvir class destroyer. This was particularly satisfying as the launch of the missile was an affirmation of our indigenous weapon capabilities.

The Defence Minister also witnessed a full scale air power demonstration from INS Viraat with Seakings, Sea Harriers and Chetaks participating. Whilst on board INS Viraat, Shri Antony was also shown the reputed professionalism of the MARCOS as they carried out a precision landing on the flight deck in the middle of the sea using Combat Free Fall technique.

Addressing the 'Viraatees' he said he was â??very very happy to be on India's most prestigious INS Viraatâ?� the Minister added that by early next year the Indian Navy is likely to operate one more aircraft carrier Vikramaditya and the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier some years later. Stating that 26/11 changed the security matrix he said that the entire nation now acknowledges the critical requirement of maritime security and the important role of the Indian Navy. Complementing the men on their professionalism, the Minister added â??...wherever we go (abroad), Indian Navy is the most sought after service...numerous countries want more cooperation with the Indian Navy. Acknowledging the difficult working conditions afloat, the Defence Minister said â??I know how more ships alone is not important, your welfare is also very important. I assure you one by one we are improving your service conditions and living conditionsâ?�. The Minister assured the men that he would do â??whatever is humanly possibleâ?� to improve the conditions of service. On completion of his two day visit, very happy with what he saw, Shri Antony said â??The Indian Navy is increasing its capability to meet their ever increasing challenges and responsibility successfully. The country is proud of the capabilities and dedication of the Indian Navyâ?�. He expressed his confidence in the IN by saying â??We can be confident that maritime security including coastal security of our country is in the safe hands of the Indian Navyâ?�.

TROPEX 2012 will continue over the next few days and the successful missile launches and interceptions, uninterrupted seamless operations in a networked condition with BVR interceptions herald the emergence of a capable and potent 'future ready' Indian Navy.

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Link

The Indian Navy is all set to commission its first Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) squadron on the East Coast at Uchipuli near here soon.

It is considered a significant step towards strengthening maritime surveillance and reconnaissance in Palk Strait, Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay off the Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh coast. The commissioning of the UAV squadron near Rameswaram assumes significance not only due to its close proximity to Sri Lanka but also due to the strategic importance of the region.

It has been christened INAS 344 and it will be operated from INS Parundu, a naval air station. It will be the third UAV squadron of the Navy. Established in 2006, the Indian Navy's first UAV squadron, INAS 342 in Kochi, already performs operational missions as well as training. The 2 squadron was commissioned at Porbandar in Guajarat in 2011.

Speaking to The Hindu on Saturday Captain A..B. Bellary, Commanding Officer, INS Parundu said the squadron would comprise four units of two Israeli-built Searcher and Heron UAVs. It would effectively strengthen maritime security and surveillance along the strategic region of the East Coast.

It would have 50 sailors and 12 officers. Two of the 4 aircraft, which were tested and operated at Kochi squadron, had already been brought to INS Parundu. The remaining two aircraft would reach soon.

“It is an important milestone as far as maritime surveillance of the region is concerned. It will be handy for surveillance, mapping, data collection, tracking, analysis and other operations,” says Mr. Bellary.

Commander Vinit Anand, Commanding Officer, INAS 344, said that the UAVs could remain airborne for 8 to 10 hours comfortably. Searcher aircraft could reach higher altitude of over 15000 feet. Heron was medium range and long endurance aircraft and it was a highly sophisticated UAV for high altitude operation fitted with radar, camera and others.

“Right now our focus is on training and improving the operational proficiency of our personnel in operating UAVs. It will be immensely useful for intensive training, coastal mapping, collection of data and others,” he added.

Mr. Bellary said all necessary infrastructure such as hangar, control room, maintenance facilities, building and others had already been established. The sanctioned personnel for UAV squadron had undergone intensive training for operating UAVs and receiving data.

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The IONS Symposium 2012 was inaugurated at Cape Town, South Africa by the Honorable Lindiwe Sisulu, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Government of South Africa on 11 Apr 2012. The Indian Navy is being represented at this event by Admiral Nirmal Verma, Chief of the Naval Staff. On the first day of the conference, he chaired the first panel discussion, the theme for which was ‘Indian Ocean – Center Stage for the 21st Century’. Admiral Verma, during his summing up remarks, highlighted the contributions being made by the Indian Navy in addressing issues of collective maritime security such as anti-piracy operations. In this context, with the aim of reducing the probability of a repetition of the incident related to the shooting of innocent fisherman of Kochi, he mentioned the necessity for a clear demarcation of piracy affected waters based on ground realities. He also stressed upon the necessity for IONS to formulate a set of deliverables such as Standard Operating Procedures on issues related to Maritime Security that would make it easier for member nations to come together in times of a crisis. The remarks of Admiral Verma were well received and will be taken up for further discussion during the ‘Conclave of Chiefs’ in the next few days.

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Shipbuilding Tribune - Russia: INS Teg Ready for Final Stage of Acceptance Trials

Experts of Yantar Shipyard on Apr 7th have finished sea phase of acceptance trials of Project 11356 frigate INS Teg built for Indian Navy. The frigate’s acceptance trials started on March 5th, in the Baltic Sea. All shipboard systems including armaments were tested in the presence of the customer’s state commission.


INS Teg proved herself to be fully ready for final stage of acceptance trials which started on Apr 9 in the Yantar Shipyard’s basin.


According to the acceptance trials program, all what remained is to finish interior premises and present operational documents to the crew. That will be done till Apr 27, when the frigate is to be delivered to Indian Navy.


The solemn handover ceremony of INS Teg to Indian Navy will be held on Apr 27 at Yantar Shipyard. The ceremony will start at 9.15 am on the frigate moored at outfitting quay. The press conference with foreign guests will take place on the ship’s heliport at 11 am. Top-ranking Indian diplomats and military officials, directors of United Shipbuilding Corporation, Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation, and FSUE Rosoboronexport will participate in the ceremony.

[Elitiachirl]

India’s Navy Good U.S. Option | Flashpoints

Even as U.S. and Indian diplomats squabble over Iran, cooperation between their counterparts in the military continues apace.


The Indian and U.S. navies began their 16th annual “Malabar” exercise last Saturday in Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu that borders on the Bay of Bengal. The 10-day joint exercise, which will conclude on April 16, consists of both ashore and at-sea training.


The harbor phase took place April 7 to 9 in Chennai, and was supposed to feature seminars on everything from air defense and integrated anti-submarine warfare operations, to carrier aviation operations and counter-piracy operations. The U.S. 7th Fleet released a statement saying that Malabar’s at-sea phase will include, “liaison officer exchanges and embarks, communications exercises, surface action group operations, helicopter cross-deck evolutions and gunnery exercises.”


Indo-U.S. naval cooperation has become increasingly important amid China’s growing naval capabilities. Washington’s ability to rely on local naval forces like India will be especially vital now that budget cuts have forced the U.S. Navy to scale back estimates on the future size of its fleet.


From 2006 to late 2011, naval officers had regularly said a 315-ship fleet was the minimum needed to meet future contingencies. Last month, however, the U.S. Navy released the annual update of its 30-year shipbuilding plan, which forecast the current 285-ship fleet continuing to shrink before bottoming out at 276 warships in 2015. Although the report said the naval fleet would begin to increase after that, it projected a peak of 307 ships in the late 2030’s.


But despite recent unsettling reports, India’s Navy remains an attractive partner for Washington. Both already operate carrier-centric blue water fleets. Furthermore, in February India’s Navy and Air Force conducted a network-centric joint exercise that complements the U.S. AirSea Battle concept. Last week, India inaugurated two Russian-built nuclear submarines and plans to purchase to 75 Naval Multirole Helicopters (NMRH) from Lockheed Martin to strengthen its anti-submarine capabilities.


The Navies are also sending large fleets to this year’s Malabar exercise. The U.S. Navy is represented by the Carrier Strike Group-1, part of Task Force 70, which is the 7th Fleet’s battle force. Among the U.S. ships and vessels taking part in the exercise are the USS Carl Vinson, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier; Carrier Air Wing 17; the USS Bunker Hill, a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser; and the USS Halsey, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer.


India naval forces participating in the exercise include Guided Missile Frigate INS Satpura, Guided Missile Destroyers INS Ranvijay, and INS Ranvir, Missile Corvette INS Kulish, and Fleet Tanker INS Shakti, according to a report in The Hindu.


Zachary Keck is an editorial assistant with The Diplomat.

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Man attempts to steal INS Chakra documents - The Times of India

Exactly a week after the 8,140-tonne nuclear-powered attack submarine INS Chakra was inducted into the Indian Navy on a 10-year lease from Russia, a brazen attempt was made to steal key documents pertaining to the submarine from a star hotel here on Wednesday.


Police are trying to trace the unidentified assailant with the help of the video footage. Speculation is rife that the accused fled The spot by taking away some important documents on security matters. The attempt to steal the secret documents was made in Novotel Hotel room (No. 534) of a high- ranked Russian officer T Alexander when he was away. Alexander, who is a vice admiral rank officer, was shocked to see his room lock broken when he returned around 2.30 pm. He immediately called the police.


He had kept 80,000 worth Russian currency, a laptop, some electronic gadgets and Rs 2,000 Indian currency in the room which were intact.


A senior police official said the accused had tried in vain to break open the secret locker in the room. But unconfirmed reports said he walked away with some documents from the locker. It remains a mystery as to how the accused could easily make his way to the top ranking official's room in a high-profile star hotel where security is fool-proof. A Clues team and fingerprint experts were rushed to the hotel soon after the Russian's complaint.


Sources said Alexander had come to Vizag on March 30 to train the sailors of INS Chakra. "He would be camping here for nearly a month. Several Russian officers are also staying in star hotels like Park, Taj Gateway and Novotel," sources said.


When contacted, city police commissioner Purnachandra Rao said that an attempt was made to burgle the room. "We would track the accused with the help of the video footage and arrest him. No document has been stolen," he said. He refused to divulge any further details. Naval authorities refused to comment on the matter.

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Indo-US Naval Exercise Begins >> Naval Today

The 2012 edition of the annual Indo-US Naval Exercise code-named Malabar being held in the Bay of Bengal commenced on Saturday, 07 Apr 12 at Chennai.


The ten days exercise that will continue till 16 Apr 12 will see the participation of frontline units from both navies. The Harbour phase scheduled from 07-09 Apr is being held at Chennai wherein both Navies will participate in professional seminars. The Sea phase will extend from Chennai to the Andaman Islands and will encompass a wide spectrum of exercise ranging from conventional War Fight Missions to Asymmetric Warfare. The focus areas of the exercise will be Boarding Operations, Air Defence Exercise, Helicopter cross deck Operations and co-ordinated Anti Submarine warfare.


The US Navy will be represented by ships from Carrier Task Force 70 of the US 7th Fleet which is based at Yokosuka, Japan. The CTF will include the Aircraft Carrier USS Carl Vison, Guided Missile Cruiser USS Bunkerhill, Guided Missile Destroyer USS Halsey and logistics ship USNS Bridge. In addition, one Los Angeles Class submarine, USS Louisville and one P3C Orion Aircraft are scheduled to participate in the Exercise.


The Indian Navy will be represented by the indigenously built Guided Missile Frigate INS Satpura, Guided Missile Destroyers INS Ranvijay and INS Ranvir, Missile Corvette INS Kulish, and Fleet Tanker INS Shakti. In addition, Maritime Patrol Aircraft TU 142M and other Rotary Wing Aircraft are also scheduled to participate in the bilateral exercise.


The naval cooperation between India and the USA reflects the long term strategic relationship between two countries. Their navies have, over the years, collaborated over a wide spectrum of activities and exercises to advance the maritime partnership. Malabar 12
will be the sixteenth in the series of structured bilateral exercises since 1992 that have steadily grown in scope and complexity. The interoperability achieved over the years as a result of such exercise has proved to be operationally beneficial during the ongoing Anti Piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden as also during humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations.