New Air Defence Command Start in October

The defence ministry is likely to make an announcement in October on setting up of a new air defence command under the broad principle of convergence among the three services, people familiar with the development said on Thursday. The new air defence command will handle certain air assets like missiles of the Indian Army, they said.

A high-level committee was appointed earlier this year to frame contours of the new air defence command with a focus on ensuring jointness among the three services.

The initiative was part of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat's mandate to redesign all existing military commands to help them effectively deal with all future security challenges.

It is learnt that the air defence command is likely to based in an area under the IAF's Delhi-headquartered Western Command or its Central Command headquartered in Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh.

The Air Defence Command will bring all the air assets of the IAF, the Indian Navy and the Indian Army.

In one of his first decisions, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Rawat in January issued directions to prepare a roadmap by June 30 to create the Air Defence Command to further enhance security of India's skies.

The move was part of efforts to bringing in tri-services jointness and synergy include setting up of common "logistics support pools" in stations where two or more services have their presence.

In the last few months, Gen Rawat has held a series of meetings with the IAF brass in giving shape to the air defence command.

Gen Rawat took charge as the country's first Chief of Defence Staff on January 1 which was seen as a watershed moment for India's military planning to bring in convergence among the three services.

The newly created department of military affairs (DMA) under Gen Rawat is coordinating implementation of all the futuristic projects including redesigning of existing commands.

The DMA is also working on a proposal to have a peninsula command which is likely to be formed by merging the Indian Navy's eastern and western commands.

As per plan, the tri-services command under a naval commander will have air assets as well as support of the Army, and it will take care of entire responsibility of maritime security challenge in the Indian Ocean Region.

India to order 2 more Israeli Phalcon ‘eyes in sky’ AWACS

India is now finally going to seal the long-pending around $1 billion deal to acquire two more “Phalcon” airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft from Israel, which has been derailed at least a couple of times in the past due to the high costs involved.

Sources on Wednesday said the acquisition of the two AWACS, with the Israeli Phalcon early-warning radar system mounted on Russian Ilyushin-76 heavy-lift aircraft, is all set to get the final nod from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) after extensive inter-ministerial consultations.

The two new Phalcon AWACS, which will add to the three such aircraft inducted by the IAF in 2009-2011 under a $1.1 billion contract, will be delivered in three to four years. “They will be more advanced than the first three Phalcon AWACS with the latest upgrades,” said a source.

The need for additional AWACS, which are powerful “eyes in the sky”, was acutely felt during the pre-dawn strikes at Balakot and the subsequent aerial skirmish with Pakistani fighters in February last year. The ongoing military confrontation with China in eastern Ladakh has further reinforced the operational requirement.

AWACS or AEW&C (airborne early-warning and control) aircraft are critical in modern warfare because they can detect and track incoming fighters, cruise missiles and drones much before ground-based radars, direct friendly fighters during air combat with enemy jets, and keep tabs on enemy troop build-ups and movement of warships.

But Pakistan is ahead of India in this crucial arena, which struck home much to IAF’s disquiet during the aerial skirmish last year. Pakistan has 8-10 Chinese Karakoram Eagle ZDK-03 AWACS and Swedish Saab-2000 AEW&C. China, in turn, has well over 30, including Kong Jing-2000 “Mainring”, KJ-200 “Moth” and KJ-500 aircraft.

India currently has just three Phalcon AWACS, with a 400-km range and 360-degree coverage,and two indigenous “Netra” AEW&C aircraft, with indigenous 240-degree coverage radars with a 250-km range fitted on smaller Brazilian Embraer-145 jets.

A much more ambitious indigenous AWACS-India project worth Rs 5,113 crore was approved by the defence ministry in March 2015 for 360-degree coverage with indigenous AESA (active electronically scanned array) radars to be mounted on two Airbus A-330 wide-body jets. But this project will only now head to the CCS for clearance.

The impending contract for the two new AWACS comes after the defence ministry decided earlier this month to also fast-track the Rs 3,500 crore “Project Cheetah” to upgrade its Israeli Heron drones with laser-guided bombs, air-to-ground anti-tank missiles and other precision-guided munitions as well as advanced reconnaissance capabilities, as was reported by TOI.

Israel is one of the top arms suppliers to the Indian armed forces. Indian acquisitions over the years range from Barak surface-to-air missile systems, Spyder quick-reaction anti-aircraft missiles and a wide array of drones and radars to Python and Derby air-to-air missiles, Crystal Maze and Spice-2000 precision-guided munitions.

DRDO & ARDE Indigenous 'Corner Shot Rifle'

Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune developed ” Trikaal ” Corner Shot Weapon System (CSWS) has in the past undergone user trials by  Rashtriya Rifles at the Pashan Range.

The lightweight rifle is made of composite materials and is multi-caliber, capable of firing both 5.56 and 7.62 rounds.

Two different versions of CSWS are being developed—one to mount and fire 9 mm pistol and the other as a platform for 40 mm Under Barrel Grenade Launcher developed by ARDE.

The Rifle is deployed for the special forces like as NSG,SWAT & also deployed in anti-terrorism operations and for security of special occasions.

The corner shot rifle, which enables a soldier to fire at 90 degrees or at an angle from behind a wall without facing a terrorist or a target was first developed in Israel .

Indian troops with shoulder-fired air defence missiles IGLA deployed near LAC China border

Against the backdrop of the activities of the Chinese helicopters close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh, Indian forces have deployed troops equipped with shoulder-fired air defence missiles on the crucial heights there.

"Indian troops armed with the Russian-origin Igla air defence system have been deployed on the crucial heights along the border to take care of any enemy aircraft trying to violate the Indian air space there," sources told here.

The Russian-origin air defence systems are used by both the Indian Army and the Air Force and are supposed to be used when the enemy fighter jets or choppers come close to own locations or deployments during hostilities. The India side has also enhanced its surveillance through the deployment of radars and surface to air missile systems to keep track of the enemy air movement there.

While building up in the Eastern Ladakh sector including areas such as Galwan valley and Patrolling Point 14, the Indian forces had observed that a number of Chinese choppers had tried to come inside Indian territory near the flashpoints.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) had also deployed its Su-30MKI around the first week of May to foil a possible airspace violation by Chinese helicopters in the Eastern Ladakh area. India is keeping a close watch on the Hotan, Gar Gunsa, Kashgar, Hopping, Dkonka Dzong, Linzhi and Pangat airbases of the PLAAF in the Xinjiang and Tibet region and all of them have been highly active in recent times.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has upgraded a number of these bases in recent times including the construction of hardened shelters, the extension of runway lengths and deployment of additional manpower to carry out more operations.The Linzhi airbase opposite the Northeastern states is mainly a helicopter base and the Chinese have also built a network of helipads there to enhance their surveillance activities in those areas.

Military option on table if talks fail: CDS Bipin Rawat on China

India’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat has explicitly stated that a military option to deal with transgressions by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in Ladakh is on the table, but will be exercised only if talks between the two armies and the diplomatic option are unfruitful.

“Transgressions along the LAC occur due to differing perceptions about its alignment. Defence services are tasked to monitor and carry out surveillance and prevent such transgressions turning into intrusions. Whole of government approach is adopted to peacefully resolve any such activity and prevent intrusions. Defence services always remain prepared for military actions should all efforts to restore status quo along the LAC do not succeed,” General Rawat told Hindustan Times.

“Defence minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and all those responsible for national security are reviewing all options with the objective that PLA restores status quo ante in Ladakh,” he said.

The CDS, who was army chief during the 73-day military standoff in Doklam against the PLA in 2017, also dispelled the notion that there is a lack of coordination among the principal intelligence agencies. He said that India has a vast front-line along the northern and western borders along with the Indian Ocean Region, all of which require constant monitoring.

According to him, while India is still working towards acquiring round-the-clock capabilities to monitor its areas of interest, there is regular interaction between all agencies responsible for collection and collation of information. The apex multi-agency centre has been meeting on a daily basis, he pointed out, and constantly keeping everyone informed of the situation on the ground in Ladakh or any other area of interest.

On Saturday, defence minister Rajnath Singh met with the NSA and the three service chiefs to discuss the stand-off along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh. China has built up its presence along the LAC in Ladakh, with India deploying heavily to match its northern neighbour.

A bloody skirmish between the two sides resulted in the death of 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese casualties on June 15, but while Beijing has repeatedly spoken of peace and tranquility, it continues to maintain its presence in the region.

Takes between the two armies and also a diplomatic dialogue are on to first totally disengage and then de-escalate, but the PLA is seen to be dragging its feet as the issue has a domestic political resonance.Gen Rawat refused to comment on the Saturday meeting and also declined to share any operational details.

On India’s infrastructure development programmes in border areas, the CDS said this has been under way for some years now. “Regular meetings to prioritize and resource these projects are held. They (the projects) have been given the desired impetus over the past three to four years. Our infrastructure development like the construction of Darbuk-Shyok-Daulet Beg Oldi (DSDBO) road or developments in other areas of our northern borders have been undertaken to provide connectivity to our people who are otherwise seeking migration. It also simultaneously assists the security forces who are responsible for monitoring and maintaining surveillance along our border areas. The impetus by the way of prioritisation has helped in development of strategic connectivity for the future,” he said.

It is widely believed that the immediate reason for the Chinese transgressions was the construction of the DSDBO road.

The security agencies are constantly updating information collected through human and technical intelligence about the Chinese Army all along the 3,488-kilometre LAC.

The Indian Army is aware of not only the Chinese military capability in the occupied Aksai Chin area but also in the so-called depth areas through tech-intelligence and satellite imagery. The Indian Air Force has taken note of the Chinese posturing by moving J 20 stealth fighters into the Hotan air base and then moving them away to a different location.