Various Achievements of Ministry of Defence
|
Year End Review - 2015
|
Ensuring
the highest standard of operational preparedness to meet present and emerging
challenges through modernization of Armed Forces and
making up critical deficiency of weapons and equipment by developing requisite
capacities and infrastructure through the Make-in-India initiative were the
buzz words in the Defence Ministry for the year 2015.
The
year also saw progress in Ex-Servicemen Welfare and rapid digitization in the
defence sector to fulfil the Prime Minister’s call of Digital India. During the
year as part of Defence diplomacy, India engaged with its neighbours and far
eastern countries through bilateral talks, ship visits and bilateral as well as
trilateral war exercises. However, the Make-in-India concept clearly dominated
acquisition plans so as to make its defence infrastructure strong and robust.
To expedite capacity building as well as offensive capabilities of the Armed
Forces, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) the apex body of the Ministry of
Defence in matters of acquisitions cleared different critical and high end
defence procurement proposals to the tune of more than Rs. 2 lakh crore in the
year 2015.
ENHANCEMENT
OF FDI LIMIT
·
For speedy indigenisation the Government
has increased the foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit from 26% to 49% through
approval route in August 2014. Above 49%, the proposal may be considered on
case to case basis.
·
Defence products list for the purpose of
industrial licensing has been substantively shortened and notified.
·
Government has notified a Defence
Exports Strategy for faster clearance for export of defence items.
·
Interactions with industry intensified
through DRDO and Department of Defence Production.
INDIAN
ARMY
Modernisation
& Equipment
·
The Army continues to transform and
modernize in order to upgrade into a lethal agile, versatile and networked
force capable of operating across the spectrum of conflict. The aim is to make
the ‘Force’ capable and prepared to meet the complex and uncertain challenges
of the 21st century war fighting. While modernizing the force, the
guiding factor remains the Indian Army Vision – “Ensure capability enhancement
and operational effectiveness of the Army to meet all contemporary and emerging
challenges.”
·
In the quest for Capability
Development, the Army remains cognizant of the fact that no country can realise
its aspirations of becoming a significant power, unless it is able to harness
and source its military capability needs indigenously. Accordingly, in line
with the vision of ‘Make in India’ due endeavor is being made to ensure that
the bulk of the capital procurement is realized through indigenous sources.
·
As part of its Artillery modernization
programme, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Army’s proposal to
buy 145 BAE’s M777 Ultra-Light howitzers
at a cost of Rs 2,900 crore. This deal would be through Foreign Military sales
but the spares, maintenance and ammunition will be procured through Indian
Systems.
·
Akash Weapon System
was inducted into the Indian Army on May 05, 2015. It is an indigenously
developed supersonic short range surface-to-air missile system with the
capability to engage a wide variety of aerial threats like aircraft,
helicopters and UAVs upto a maximum range of 25 kms and upto an altitude of 20
kms. The system is capable of simultaneously engaging multiple targets and is
capable of providing comprehensive short range missile cover to vulnerable
assets in the field force of the Army. With 96 per cent indigenous content, the
state-of-the-art weapon system is a glowing manifestation of the Prime
Minister’s ‘Make-in-India’ initiative.
·
As part of the Indian Army’s
indigenization effort, the Army has issued an EoI for the Futuristic
Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) project to 10
public and private Indian companies under the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the
Prime Minister.
·
An important ‘Make’ projects Tactical
Communication System (TCS) which aims at providing communication to forces
deployed on the battlefield in a network centric environment and the
Battlefield Management System (BMS) which will provide commanders at the
tactical level with updated situational awareness, geo spatial data and
intercommunication at the fighting formation level.
·
The ongoing ‘Buy Indian’ procurement
proposals include Advanced Light Helicopter, Medium Range Surface to Air
missile system, BrahMos missile system, Pinaka multiple barrel rocket system,
Infantry Combat vehicle BMP 2/2K, MBT Arjun, Modular Bridge System, Ballistic
Helmets and Bullet Proof Jackets.
·
The ongoing ‘Buy & Make Indian’
procurement proposal include the Mounted Gun System (MGS) for the Artillery,
Air Defence Guns as successor to the existing L/70 and Zu-23 guns for the Army
Air Defence, Light Armoured Vehicle Multipurpose Vehicle (LAM-V) for the
mechanised forces and mine ploughs for the T-90 tanks.
·
The Government took the decision of
building a National War Memorial
to honour Defence Forces’ personnel who were martyred in wars after
Independence in 1947. Rs 500 crore has been allocated for the memorial which
will be located near India Gate. A war museum will also be constructed. The
entire project would be completed in five years.
·
The construction of Indian National
Defence University (INDU)
at Binola near Gurgaon is progressing very fast. It is expected to be
functional in 2018.
ARMY’S
DIGITISATION INITIATIVES
·
As part of the PM’s ‘Digital India’
initiative digitization of the recruitment process of Army personnel and
Communication Networks have been undertaken in full earnest. A special software
system Army; Record Officers Process Automation (ARPAN) 2.0, was launched
recently. This has enabled more than 12 lakh junior commissioned officer and
jawans to access their service records and employment details online.
·
From July 01, 2015, Army recruitment has
also gone online. A new website www.joinindianarmy.nic.in
of the Directorate General of Recruitment has been launched for selection of
officers, JCOs and Other Ranks. Candidates from all over India can now have
access to information about career options in the Army, make suitable choices
and apply online.
·
The Indian Army’s private cloud was also
inaugurated by the Defence Minister on October 16, 2015. This marks the
commencement of the data centre infrastructure of the Army, which includes a
central data centre and a near line data centre in Delhi and a Disaster
Recovery Site for replication of its critical data. In addition, the
Digi-Locker which provides a secure and exclusive data storage space to all the
units of Army over its dedicated data network has also been launched with all
the advanced features like watermarking and digital signatures. This is a giant
leap towards implementation of Cyber Security
as it precludes carriage of soft copies of data on CDs/DVDs and removable
media.
SITUATION
ON BORDERS
·
By improving and beefing up the
operational preparedness of the Army, incidents of infiltration have seen a
downward trend while the number of infiltration on the Line of Control in 2012
was 264, in 2014 it decreased to 221 and this year, upto 30 September, 92
attempted infiltrations took place and 37 terrorists were killed by the
security forces. Ceasefire violations along the International Border under
operational control of the Indian Army, has also seen a slightly downward trend
in comparison to the year 2014. Similarly, incidences of intrusions on our northern
border has also gone down because of holding of regular border meetings between
India and China.
JOINT
EXERCISES
Operation
‘Hand-in-Hand’
·
A battalion level Joint India-China Army
Exercise called Operation Hand-in-Hand on counter-terrorism and ‘Humanitarian
Assistance and Disaster Relief’ was held at Kunming, China from 12 to 22
October 2015. Participating troops from both sides had trained together and
learned from each other in mixed groups on Basic Individual Skills (combat
boxing, basic mountaineering and shooting), Comprehensive Combat Skills
(obstacle crossing, combat shooting, demolition, high intensity physical
training) and unit/sub unit tactics, especially in a counter terrorism
scenario. A joint field exercise depicting counter-terrorist operations on
India- China border areas was held from 21 to 22 October to validate the
exercise objectives.
Exercise
‘INDRA - 2015’
·
The joint military exercise between
India and Russia, INDRA-2015 was held at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges, which
started from 08 to 18 November 2015. The final stage of the exercise saw
consolidation of group of forces of the two countries, acting under the
auspices of the United Nations, assisting the government of a third country in
combating armed terrorists in a semi-urban terrain.
Exercise
‘Yudh Abhyas - 2015’
·
The India-US Combined Military Training
Exercise YUDH ABHYAS 2015, was held from 09 to 23 Sep 2015 at Joint Base Lewis
McChord, USA. The exercise brought together troops of an Infantry sub unit and
a Formation Headquarter of the Indian Army and similar participation from the
US Army for the joint training. The exercise provided an ideal platform for the
personnel of the two countries to share their experiences on Military
Operations in Urban Terrain, under the UN mandate.
Golden Jubilee
Celebration of 1965 Indo Pak War
·
The Army as part of Joint Service
effort, organised a series of events to mark the Golden Jubilee of the 1965
Indo - Pak War. It was aimed to pay tribute to the collective resolve of the
nation and the valour and sacrifice of The Armed Forces. The commemorative
events commenced from 28 Aug 15. The major attraction of the celebrations was
the exhibition “Shauryanjali” in the India Gate lawns, initially planned from
15 to 20 Sep and extended till 27 Sep due to overwhelming public response. The
exhibition recreated major battle scenes and showcased the role of various arms
and services during the War.
·
On 20 Sep 2015, a Carnival to
commemorate the Golden Jubilee of 1965 Indo-Pak War, ‘Indradhanush’ was
organized at India Gate lawns. It celebrated the triumph of India and shared
the joy of the success with one and all. The carnival showcased events like
martial arts display by regiments of the Army.
·
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi
laid a wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti and interacted with war veterans on 22 Sep
2015. The President also interacted with veterans over tea at Rashtrapati
Bhawan on the same day, marking the culmination of the 1965 Indo Pak
celebrations. The exhibition depicting the war continued till 27 Sep on popular
demand.
Centenary Celebrations
of 1st World War
·
The Indian Army commemorated the centenary
of the First World War from 10 Mar to 14 Mar 2015 in New Delhi in memory of the
1.5 million Indian Soldiers who fought in the war and over 74000 who made the
supreme sacrifice. 10th March 1915 coincides with the Battle of Neuve Chapelle
marking the British Offensive in Artois region of France in which the Garhwal
Brigade & Meerut Division of the Indian Corps participated. The period 2014
to 2018 is being commemorated as the Centenary of World War-I.
INDIAN NAVY
·
To enhance its Blue Water capability,
the Indian Navy opted to strengthen its submarine arm for which Request for
Proposal (RFP) to acquire six more conventional submarines under Project 75(I)
was cleared by the DAC. The project will cost around Rs. 80,000 crore. Under
this programme six conventional submarines are planned to be built in India
with foreign collaboration.
·
To augment the Navy’s offensive
capabilities, government has decided to procure twelve Mine Counter Measures
Vessels (MCMVs) for which Accord of Necessities (AoN) has been issued and
has nominated Goa Shipyard Limited to process the case with TOT from abroad.
·
Government has taken decision to induct
16 Multi-Role Helicopters (MRH) for the Navy, which will go a long way in
mitigating gaps in Air Anti-Submarine Warfare capability. Apart from this
initiative, it has also given a go ahead for the Major Refit/Mid Life
Upgradation (MR/MLU) of Kamov 28 helicopters.
·
The first ship of Project-15B
Guided Missile Destroyer, christened INS Visakhapatnam was
launched on April 20, 2015 at Mazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai.
·
Sardar Patel,
the latest Naval establishment of Indian Navy in the maritime state of Gujarat,
was commissioned at Porbandar by the Chief Minister of Gujarat on May 09, 2015.
·
Under Project-28, INS Kavaratti,
the fourth in the series of Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvette was launched at
GRSE, Kolkata by the Minister of State for Defence on 19 May 2015. These four
ships of Project 28 have been designed indigenously by the Directorate of Naval
design, New Delhi and bear testimony to the acclaimed legacy of naval
designers.
·
To provide a boost to the coastal
defence capability of the Navy three follow-on Water Jet Fast Attack Craft
namely INS Tarmugli, INS Tilanchang and INS Tihayu were launched
by the Vice Chief of Naval Staff at a function at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and
Engineers Ltd, Kolkata on 30 June 2015.
·
There was timely commencement and
completion of Phase-I of Karwar ‘Project Sea Bird’ and THE Indian Naval
Academy, Ezhimala. Under this programme the Defence Minister commissioned INS
‘Vajrakosh’ – the latest establishment of the Indian Navy at Karwar,
Karnataka on 09 September 2015.
·
Three Intermediate Support Vessels
(ISVs) were commissioned into the Indian Navy as T-48, T-49 and
T-50 on September 29, 2015 in consonance with the ‘Make in India’
initiative. 14 of the ISVs were built indigenously by M/s SHM Shipcare, Thane
while four were built by M/s ADSB and five by M/s Rodman Polyships.
·
The indigenously designed and
constructed Project 15A (Kolkata Class) Stealth Guided Missile Destroyer INS
Kochi was commissioned by the Defence Minister on September 30, 2015 at
Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. The ship can be truly classified as a 'Network of
Networks' as it is equipped with sophisticated digital networks, such as
Asynchronous Transfer Mode based Integrated Ship Data Network (AISDN), Combat
Management System (CMS), Automatic Power Management System (APMS) and Auxiliary
Control System (ACS). The AISDN is the information highway on which data from
all the sensors and weapons ride. The CMS is used to integrate information from
other platforms using indigenous data-link system, to provide Maritime Domain
Awareness. The intricate power supply management is done using APMS, and remote
control and monitoring of the machinery is achieved through the ACS.
·
The Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) reached
another milestone, as the first ship of the Scorpene Class submarine, INS
‘Kalvari’ was separated from the pontoon and set afloat at the Naval
Dockyard Mumbai on October 28, 2015. Later INS ‘Kalvari’ was brought back to
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd on October 29, 2015.
·
The Indian Navy received a major fillip
with the induction of eight Boeing P-8I Long Range Maritime
Reconnaissance and Anti-Submarine Warfare aircraft at Naval Air Station Rajali,
Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu (the first aircraft arrived in May 2013 and last in
mid-2015). The squadron was formally dedicated to the nation by the Defence
Minister on 13 Nov 15. The P-8I aircraft, based on the Boeing 737-800(NG)
airframe, is the Indian Naval variant of the P-8A Poseidon of the US Navy. The
aircraft is equipped with both foreign as well as indigenous sensors for
Maritime Reconnaissance, Anti-Submarine operations and for Electronic
Intelligence missions. The aircraft is fully integrated with state of the art
sensors and highly potent Anti-Surface and Anti-Submarine weapons. The
Indian Navy is also in the process of acquiring an additional four P-8I aircraft.
The induction of the P-8I aircraft into the Indian Navy has greatly enhanced
India’s maritime surveillance capability in the Indian Ocean Region.
·
The Combined Commanders’ Conference 2015
was held on-board INS Vikramaditya off Kochi in an operational environment.
This was done on the directives of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The
Conference was followed by an Operational and Naval Air Power Demonstration,
wherein almost 30 ships, 05 submarines and 60 aircraft took part.
THE ROAD AHEAD
·
With the release on 20 July 2015, of the
Indian Naval Indigenisation Plan (INIP): 2015-2030, the Navy has given
unmistakable notice of its firm intent to establish itself as a true Builder’s
Navy, with attendant spinoffs enabling India to be a net provider of security
in her maritime neighbourhood, by building capacity and enhancing capability of
her regional friends and partners. Further, it is aware of the serious
shortfalls in terms of both Indian R & D and Indian manufacturing, as the
five drivers of the INIP, viz. (1) a lack of credible R&D in military
sciences and technologies; (2) inadequate amalgamation between R&D and the
manufacturing sector; (3) the absence of an integrated approach amongst users,
designers and manufacturers; (4) commercial unviability due to a lack of
economies of scale approach; and (5) the effect of technology-denial regimes,
clearly reflect the Navy’s clarity of perception in charting the course ahead.
JOINT
EXERCISES
Indo-French
Naval Exercise Varuna - 2015
·
Fourteenth edition of Indo-French
naval exercise (VARUNA) was conducted off Goa from 23 April to 02 May 2015,
which had both a harbour and sea phase exercise. The French Navy was
represented by Aircraft Carrier Charles de Gaulle, two destroyers Chevalier
Paul and Jean de Vienne, replenishment tanker Meuse and a maritime patrol
aircraft Atlantique 2. The Aircraft Carrier Charles de Gaulle was carrying its
complement of fighter aircraft Rafale M, Strike Aircraft Super Etendard, E2C
Hawkeye AWACS and helicopters Dauphin and Alouette 3. From the Indian
side Aircraft Carrier INS Viraat, destroyer INS Mumbai, stealth frigate INS
Tarkash, guided missile frigate INS Gomati, replenishment tanker INS Deepak,
submarine INS Shankul and a few Fast Attack Craft along with P-8 I Long Range
Maritime Reconnaissance and Seaking 42B and Chetak helicopters, participated.
SIMBEX
- 2015
·
The Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet under the command of Rear Admiral Ajendra Bahadur
Singh, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, was on an operational deployment
to southern Indian Ocean and South China Sea. As a part of this deployment, INS
Satpura, indigenously built guided missile stealth frigate and INS Kamorta, the
latest and indigenous Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvette arrived at Singapore on
18 May 2015. These ships participated in IMDEX-15 and later conducted bilateral
naval exercise SIMBEX-15 with the Singapore Navy from 23-26 May 2015.
Exercise
AUSINDEX - 2015
·
The Inaugural Bilateral Maritime
Exercise between India and Australia AUSINDEX – 15 was conducted off the east
coast of India from 11 to 19 September 2015. The exercise was jointly
inaugurated by Rear Admiral Jonathan Mead, Head Navy Capability of Royal
Australian Navy (RAN) and Rear Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, Flag Officer
Commanding Eastern Fleet on board INS Shivalik at Visakhapatnam. The exercise
started with harbour phase encompassing briefings and practical demonstrations
along with professional interactions. It was followed by a sea phase, which
included fleet manoeuvres, gun firings as well as coordinated anti-submarine
exercises. The exercise further enhanced the ability of both navies to
undertake regional, joint and / or combined operations such as Humanitarian
Assistance and Disaster Relief.
Exercise
Malabar - 2015
·
The 19th edition of MALABAR
exercise was conducted in the Bay of Bengal from 14 to 19 October 2015. Along
with the Indian Navy and the US Naval Forces, the Japan Maritime Self-Defence
Forces (JMSDF) also participated in the exercise. The scope of Malabar – 15
included wide ranging professional interactions and a diverse range of
operational activities during the sea – phase. An indigenous frigate INS Shivalik,
INS Ranvijay, INS Betwa and a Fleet Support Ship INS Shakti and one submarine
INS Sindhudhvaj represented the Indian side. Beside these, LRM Patrol Aircraft
P8I and some integral rotary wing helicopters also participated in the
trilateral exercise. The US Navy was represented by the ships from Carrier Task
Force (CTF) 70 of the US Navy 7th Fleet, based at Yokosuka, Japan.
One Nimitz Class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, Ticonderoga Class cruiser
USS Normandy and Freedom Class Littoral Combat ship USS Fort Worth were part of
the CTF. Besides these nuclear powered submarine USS City of Corpus, Christi,
F18 aircraft and P8A Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft also participated.
JMSDF was represented by JS Fyuzuki a missile destroyer with SH 60K integral
helicopter. This trilateral exercise significantly enhanced naval cooperation
among important navies of the Indo-Pacific region.
Indra-Navy
-2015
·
The eight edition of Indo-Russian
bilateral exercise INDRA NAVY 2015 was conducted in the Bay of Bengal off
Visakhapatnam from 07 to 12 December 2015. The scope of the exercise included
wide-ranging professional interaction during the harbour phase and a diverse
canvas of operational activities at sea across a spectrum of maritime
operations. During the exercise, the Indian Navy was represented by INS
Sahyadri – an indigenous frigate, INS Ranvijay – a guided missile destroyer and
INS Shakti – a fleet support ship in addition a submarine INS Sindhuvir, the
P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Dornier Short Range Patrol Aircraft,
Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer and other integral rotary wing helicopters. The
Russian Federation Navy was represented by four ships drawn from the Pacific
Fleet. The exercise helped to further strengthen mutual confidence and interoperability
and also enabled sharing of best practices between both the navies.
INDIAN
AIR FORCE
·
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been
modernising its inventory as per its long-term perspective plan. The focus is
on “Make in India” to give impetus to indigenous development and manufacturing,
including participation of private sector in defence manufacturing.
Modernisation process involves new inductions, as well as upgradation of the
existing weapon platforms and support systems as a part of the capability build
up.
·
The on-going modernisation plan spans
the entire spectrum of IAF’s capability including fighters, transport aircraft,
helicopters, combat support assets and air defence network. Net centricity,
cyber security and ensuring enhanced visibility of entire battle space for
seamless operations are part of this capability build up. To maximise the
operational potential, IAF is also creating modern and efficient operational
and technical infrastructure.
OPERATIONS
Acquisitions &
Upgrades
·
LCA.
Light combat aircraft Tejas is designed
and developed by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Bangalore. The Initial
Operational Clearance (IOC) of LCA was achieved in December 2013. The first
series production aircraft in IOC configuration was handed over to IAF in
January 2015.
·
Mirage-2000 Upgrade. IAF
contracted for the upgrade of Mirage 2000 aircraft to advance standards of
improved radar, avionics, electronic suite, weapons and a modern generation
glass cockpit. On March 25, 2015, first upgraded aircraft was handed over to
the IAF. The induction of the aircraft has added the much needed teeth to Air
power and keeps the IAF ahead of its adversaries. This multirole fighter aircraft
has achieved enhanced operational life. A Mirage 2000 carried out a landing on
the Yamuna Expressway to showcase its operational capability, characterized by
flexibility and speed of response.
·
MiG-29 Upgrade. The
series upgrade of MiG-29 aircraft is currently underway at Base Repair Depot.
·
Rafale Aircraft.
The Government has decided to procure 36 Rafale aircraft
through Inter Governmental agreement between the Indian and French Governments.
·
C-17 GLOBE MASTER III.
A contract for supply of ten C-17 aircraft was signed with the United States Government
in June 2011 and was inducted into IAF in September 2013. During the year all
the aircraft have been delivered and are operational in IAF.
·
AN-32 Upgrade. AN-32
fleet was inducted into IAF between 1984 and 1991. Total Technical Life
Extension (TTLE)/Re-Equipment (RE) project is concurrently underway at Kyiv,
Ukraine and No.1 Base Repair Depot (BRD) at Kanpur. This project will extend
the aircraft’s life by 15 years besides enhancing its operational potential and
safety.
·
Attack Helicopters. A
contract was signed in September 2015 for procurement of state of the art
AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. Their delivery would commence from July 2019.
The Attack Helicopters are critical combat assets utilised for employment in
Anti-Tank Guided Missile role, Counter Insurgency operations, Suppression of
Enemy Air Defences, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle neutralization operations, Combat
Search and Rescue operations and Low Intensity Conflict Operations. Attack
helicopters offer unique offensive capability including support to Army Strike
Corps and these capabilities are also required at high altitudes in the
mountainous terrain on our Northern borders, not available hitherto.
·
Heavy Lift Helicopters (HLH).
A contract was signed in September 2015
for procurement of Chinook CH-47F (I) Heavy Lift Helicopters (HLH). The
delivery of the helicopters will commence in a phased manner. The HLH are
required to conduct strategic and tactical airlift missions in support of the
armed forces and undertake humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions
during calamities. HLH are critically required to support infrastructure
build-up in mountainous regions. Heavy bridging and road construction equipment
can be airlifted only by this class of helicopters.
·
Pilatus Induction.
Delivery of all Basic Trainer Aircraft (BTA) - PC-7 MK II from M/s Pilatus
Aircraft Limited to IAF has been completed in October 2015 as per BTA
procurement contract signed between Government of India and the Swiss company
on May 24, 2012. Aircraft is currently in use for ab-initio pilot training.
However, utilisation of aircraft is further planned to increase to Stage II
flying training also. This state of art aircraft is helping newly recruited pilots
to prepare for exacting requirement of combat flying.
·
Microlight.
A contract was signed in October 2015
with Pipistrel, Slovenia for supply of microlights. Delivery will commence from
October 2016 onwards and will be completed by October 2020. It will be used in
IAF for enhancement of flight safety by monitoring bird activity in the
vicinity of airfields and directing bird controlling measures.
Air Defence Network
·
Air Defence Radars
To strengthen the existing air defence radar cover over Indian airspace,
variety of new sensors are being inducted in IAF. Recent inductions include the
following:-
·
MPR.
Medium Power Radars from Israel have been inducted. These radars have replaced
legacy radars of 80s’ technology.
·
LLTR.
To fill the low level radar gaps along the border, new Low Level Transportable
Radars (LLTRs) are being inducted in IAF from M/s Thales, France with transfer
of technology. M/s BEL will produce few of these state of the art radars in
India. These radars are mobile and can be deployed anywhere as per operational
requirements.
·
LLLWR.
Low Level Light Weight Radars (LLLWRs) are being inducted to provide electronic
eye to our Mobile Observation Flights (MOF). These radars scan for low level
aerial threats and provide extended early
warning.
Missile Systems
·
Akash Missile System.
IAF is in the process of inducting Akash Missile System (AMS) in its inventory.
A formal induction ceremony of AMS was conducted on July 10, 2015 at Air Force
Station Gwalior.
·
Harpoon.
Letter of Agreement for procurement of Harpoon Anti-ship operational missiles
and associated equipment was signed in August 2010. Training of the aircrew has
been completed for carriage and delivery of these weapons. Integration of these
weapons would enhance the capability of the IAF in neutralizing threats
emanating from the maritime domain and thereby be able to provide greater
support to the
Indian Navy in its operations at sea.
Indian Navy in its operations at sea.
·
MICA Air to Air Missiles.
The delivery of MICA air to air missiles for upgraded Mirage-2000 aircraft has
commenced and these missiles will further increase the capability of the
Mirage-2000 aircraft as a potent platform.
Mirage-2000 aircraft as a potent platform.
·
SPICE-2000 Bombs.
IAF has acquired precision guided bombs with increased accuracy and penetration
for use against fortified and underground command centres. This weapon has been
tested and its capabilities have been validated at an IAF firing range.
·
Indigenous Pechora Combat Simulator
(IPCS)
o
Pechora missile system is one of the
vital elements of Air Defence setup of IAF. The system was procured from Russia
during the period from 1974 to 1989 to provide Air Defence cover to assets of
national importance. It has been provided with simulators for conduct of
training for the missile combat crew. Pechora system has out lived the life
specified by the OEM. However, the system is to be deployed for extended
operational utilisation in view of delay in new inductions. The extended
utilisation of Pechora system is a challenge due to unreliable performance and
lack of product support from the OEM.
o
In order to facilitate extended
utilisation IAF has indigenized the class room version Pechora combat simulator
for training of combat crew. The simulator has been indigenized in-house at a
cost of Rs 2.3 lacs against the cost of Rs 55 lacs quoted by the vendor. A
certificate of excellence has been awarded for indigenisation of simulator on
October 08, 2015 by the Prime Minister of India.
Metereology
·
Award of ‘Certificate of Excellence’ by the
Prime Minister. The importance
& utility of current weather information lies in its currency and
availability in real-time to operators and decision makers. To meet this
requirement the Directorate of Meteorology has conceptualised and implemented
the on line portal - Mausam on Line (MoL). The ultimate aim was to provide real
time weather observation and forecasts to the commanders and operators towards
efficient planning and execution of Air operations. Directorate of Met was
awarded a Certificate for excellence in innovation by the Prime Minister on
October 08, 2015 on the eve of 83rd Air Force Day celebrations.
Joint Planning and Operations
·
Indo-US Joint Exercise “Yudh Abhyas”,
Indo-UK Jt Ex “Ajeya Warrior”, India-China Jt Ex “Hand-in-Hand”, Indo-Thailand
Jt trg “Ex Maitree”, Indo-Maldives combined Trg “Ex Ekuverian” are the joint
exercises which have already been conducted by the Indian Army this year with
friendly Foreign countries along with IAF air assets.
COOPERATION BETWEEN IAF AND CIVIL
AUTHORITIES
Humanitarian Aid and
Disaster Relief (HADR) Operations.
·
Op Rahat. The Government of India assessed a requirement of immediate
evacuation of over 4000 Indian nationals based at various locations in Yemen
due the Civil War there. A combined MEA, IAF, Indian Navy and Air India
evacuation plan was put into place for evacuation of Indian nationals. While
Indian Naval ships evacuated nationals from Yemenese port cities to Djibouti
and Air India ferried back nationals from Saana to Djibouti, IAF deployed three
C-17 aircraft to ferry back Indian nationals from Djibouti to Kochi and Mumbai.
A total of 11 evacuation trips were undertaken by IAF aircraft which
facilitated safe evacuation of 2096 Indian nationals.
·
Op Maitri On
April 25, 2015 Nepal was struck by an earthquake. IAF launched its biggest ever
Disaster Relief Operations in a foreign land to provide relief and support to
the Government of Nepal. Total 1636 sorties, amounting to a total flying effort
of 863 hours were made towards air evacuation of 780 casualties (including 121
foreign nationals) and rescue of 5188 personnel from various forward/earthquake
affected areas.
·
Helicopters.
A total of 24 helicopters were deployed in the operations which involved a
total flying effort of 1572 sorties in 741 hrs, evacuating 5188 victims, 780
casualties, induction of 1488 troops and airlift of 733 tonnes of relief &
rehabilitation load.
·
Flood Relief Operations in Myanmar.
On August 06-07, 2015, IAF C-17 and C-130J aircraft were tasked by MoD to
airlift 104 tons of relief material from Delhi to Kalay and Mandalay in
Myanmar. C-17 and C-130J aircraft airlifted 48 tons and 10 tons load to
Mandalay and Kalay respectively. Meanwhile, another C-17 aircraft was used to
position 46 tons load at Guwahati; which was subsequently airlifted to Kalay by
the C-130J aircraft in three shuttles.
DEFENCE COOPERATION WITH FOREIGN
COUNTRIES
·
As part of International Defence
Cooperation, IAF is engaged with the Air Forces of various friendly foreign
countries through Air Staff Talks, professional exchange visits, sports and
cultural events.
·
INDRADHANUSH-IV. As
part of Indo-UK bi-lateral co-operation, Ex Indradhanush - IV was undertaken
between July 21- 30, 2015 at RAF base Coningsby, Brize Norton and Honington.
IAF contingent comprising of 190 personnel, participated in the exercise. The
IAF assets comprised of Su-30MKI, C-130J, C-17, IL-78 aircraft and Garuds. The
team demonstrated a high degree of
Joint
Military Training (JMT) -15
·
Joint Military Training (JMT-15) with
Republic of Singapore Air Force was conducted at AF Stn Kalaikunda from
November 02-22, 2015. RSAF deployed 06 X F-16 C/D aircraft. Bilateral exercise
with Su-30 MKI was conducted from November 23, 2015 for two weeks.
EMPOWERMENT AND WELFARE OF WOMEN
Major
Policy Decisions.
The
Government has approved induction of women into the fighter stream thereby
making them eligible for induction in all branches and streams of the IAF.
Women are selected as per uniform QRs at par with male counterparts. Further,
uniform QRs are applied to both women and men Short Service Commissioned
Officers for grant of Permanent Commission irrespective of gender. 348 women
officers are holding permanent commission in the IAF as on November 15, 2015.
DRDO
·
In 2015, in the arena of tactical weapon
systems – the DRDO productionisation and inducted Akash Missile, the
medium range air defence system with multi-target, multi directional
capability.
·
The state-of-the-art beyond visual range
air to air missile Astra, capable of engaging targets decisively was
integrated with Su30 combat aircraft. Designed to arm Mig 29, Su30 and India’s
own Tejas aircrafts, Astra has undergone series of successful flight trials.
·
The supersonic cruise missile BrahMos,
designed to be launched from land, air, sea and sub-sea platforms, is a preferred
weapon system. 10 Navy ships are equipped with BrahMos, a deadly weapon, and the
Army has with two regiments. The underwater launched version underwent
successful trial from a submerged pontoon. Recently, BrahMos was successfully
test fired with high precision from Indian Navy’s newest stealth destroyer INS
Kochi.
·
HELINA,
an Anti-tank Guided missile that can be fired in both direct and top attack
mode was integrated on advanced light helicopter ALH. The missile with
capability to defeat futuristic armours is undergoing field trials.
·
India’s first Light
Weight Multi-role Supersonic Combat Aircraft Tejas, a 4th
Generation-Plus contemporary fighter aircraft having recorded over 2500
flawless take offs and landings, demonstrated its might during the “Iron Fist”,
a fire power demonstration exercise of Indian Air Force.
·
Having undergone extensive
weapon trials, extreme weather trials, high altitude and sea level trials, LCA
TEJAS received the Initial Operational Clearance on 29th December 2013 and is
heading towards achieving the final Operational Clearance. Boosted by the
Initial Operational Clearance of LCA TEJAS, the LCA Navy, capable of operating
from aircraft carrier ship, has resumed its flight trials after its maiden
flight in April 2012.
·
DRDO’s technological strength is
exemplified by the development, production and acceptance of Indigenous Weapon
Locating Radar (WLR) Swathi. Swathi is a highly mobile Radar system
designed for automatic first round location of weapons firing projectile type
rounds, it operates with a fence detection mode of operation, ensuring fast
detection and tracking of shells, mortars and rockets.
·
In the direction of establishing a
credible Integrated Electronic Warfare Systems (IEWS), DRDO achieved a major
breakthrough with the development of Himshakti. The Field Evaluation
& Trials for any EW System prior to induction have been conducted for the
first time in the actual area of deployment.
·
In a Significant contribution to boost
Fire power, the development of Pinaka MKII with longer range has been completed
and is undergoing trials.
·
A state-of-the-art hydrodynamic test
Facility Sea keeping and Manoeuvring Basin has been established at NSTL,
Visakhapatnam and dedicated to the Nation by the Defence Minister. The facility
will be used for conducting model testing for prediction of sea keeping and
manoeuvring performance of newly designed ships and submerged bodies under
different environmental conditions and for optimising the motion
characteristics of the hull form and effectiveness of the control devices under
various manoeuvres.
·
MAAREECH
an indigenous Advanced Torpedo Defence System to protect naval platform against
torpedo attack has been inducted in the Indian Navy.
·
A new Torpedo launch and recovery vessel
INS ASTRADHARINI developed by DRDO has been commissioned by Indian Navy
(FO-C-in-C East). The vessel has been designed with a unique catamaran hull
form that significantly reduces its power requirement and can operate at high
sea states and has a large deck area with launchers for deploying and
recovering various kinds of torpedos during the trials.
·
In order to promote ‘Make in India’
programme, DRDO has brought out comprehensive guidelines for Transfer of
Technology (ToT) for private and public industries engaged in Indigenous
production and commercialization of Defence technology spin-off for societal
usage. DRDO has facilitated 75 Licensing agreements for Transfer of Technology
(LATOT) to 57 industries under Make in India program.
INDIAN
COAST GUARD
·
During the year Indian Coast Guard
vessels and crafts seized contraband worth of Rs. 618.370 crore.
·
It had apprehended as of 15 December
2015, two smuggling vessels and 16 poaching boats and arrested 159 crew for
illegal entry into Indian Territorial Waters.
·
During the year, it undertook 179 Search
and Rescue (SAR) missions and saved the lives of 3756 distressed persons on the
high seas.
New
Inductions/Commissioning
·
ICGS ‘Samarth’ the first in the series of six
indigenously-built Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) was commissioned on November
10, 2015 in Goa by the Defence Minister. Fitted with the most advanced
state-of-the-art technology, navigation and communications equipment, sensors
and machinery, the OPV is 105 metres long and has been designed and built
by Goa Shipyard Ltd. Based in Goa, ICGS Samarth has been deployed primarily
for Exclusive Economic Zone surveillance and other duties on the Western
Seaboard to safeguard India's maritime interests.
·
The year also saw commissioning of eight
Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) namely ICGS Ameya, Amogh, Anagh, Ankit, Anmol,
Apoorva, Arinjay & Rani Durgavati.
·
Besides these, 12 Interceptor Boats and
one Pollution Control Vessel (PCV) ICGS ‘Samudra Pavak’ were also inducted in
Coast Guard during the year 2015.
EX-SERVICEMEN
WELFARE
·
The Government announced the much
awaited ‘One Rank One Pension’ scheme for the Armed Forces personnel on 07
November 2015. The OROP which will cost around Rs. 8000 crore extra every year
is expected to remove the Pension anomaly that exists in Defence Service
personnel of the same rank having the same number of years in service. On 14
December 2015 the Government appointed Justice L Narasimha Reddy as the head of
the judicial committee to look into the implementation of the One Rank One
Pension (OROP) scheme.
·
The announcement of the 7th
Central Pay Commission’s recommendations will provide a hefty hike in the pay
and allowances of service personnel. For the first time the commission has
substantially hiked the Military Service Pay (MSP) of all personnel and special
allowances given to Naval and Air Force personnel deployed in high risk duties.
·
The scope of Employees Contributory
Health Scheme (ECHS) has further been widened by opening more polyclinics and
referral hospitals in different parts of the country.
Reaching out to people in Distress
Nepal Earthquake
As part of the Nation’s
overall relief effort for Nepal, the Indian Army launched operation ‘Maitri’
from 25 April 2015. The Engineer Task forces launched the rescue and
rehabilitation opertions from Barpak, Basantpur/Bhaktpur and Jorbati. The
Indian Army aviation pilots evacuated stranded/injured people, provide relief
material and induct Nepal Army troops to reach inaccessible areas to carry out
relief work. Army and Air Force helicopters flew 1650 sorties, rescued 994
people, inducted 1726 troops and dropped 747 tonnes of stores and supplies in
the affected areas.
Indian Army Field hospitals
and the medical teams provided essential care to 4690 people including over 300
surgeries during their deployment in Nepal.
Chennai Floods
Post the unprecedented flood
situation developing out of incessant rains in Chennai, the Indian Army
assistance was sought by the State Government, in afternoon hours of 01
December 2015. Immediately, two Rescue and Relief Columns comprising of troops
from the Garrison Infantry Battalion at Chennai and Army’s Engineer elements
were activated and begun operations in Tambaram, Mudichur, Manipakam,
Guduvancheri and Urapakkam areas of Chennai from evening of 01 December 2015. More
than 20,000 stranded people were rescued. The Army has distributed more than
1,25,000 relief packets provided by the State Government and some NGOs besides
those from within its own.
In this joint operation
‘Madad’ the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy also contributed significantly by
mobilising their assets in evacuating stranded people to safer areas and helped
in distribution of relief materials among the flood affected population.
