Successful Launches of VL-SRSAM Missile System

                                                                                                                                         

Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted two successful launches of Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM). 

The launches were carried out today from a static vertical launcher from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. Indigenously designed and developed by DRDO for Indian Navy, VL-SRSAM is meant for neutralizing various aerial threats at close ranges including sea-skimming targets. The current launches were carried out for demonstration of vertical launch capability as part of its maiden launch campaign. On both occasions, the missiles intercepted the simulated targets with pinpoint accuracy. The missiles were tested for minimum and maximum range. VL-SRSAM with Weapon Control System (WCS) were deployed during the trials. 

The present trials have proved the effectiveness of the weapon system and few more trials will be conducted shortly before deployment on Indian Naval ships. Once deployed, the VL-SRSAM system will prove to be a force multiplier for the Indian Navy.

INS Karanj Submarine

INS Karanj is India’s third of the six Scorpene-class submarines with superior stealth and combat capabilities.

The Mazagaon Dock Limited (MDL) on Monday delivered the third Scorpene-class submarine to the navy after two years of sea trials. The submarine was launched in January 2018. MDL chairman and managing director,Western Naval Command’s chief of staff officer (technical), signed the acceptance document.

                        Specifications

Displacement : 1615 T (Surfaced) , 1775 T (Submerged)

Length : 67.5 m

Beam : 6.2 m

Height : 12.3 m

Draught : 5.8 m

Propulsion : 4 x MTU 12V 396 SE84 Diesel Engines, 360 x Battery Cells

Speed : 11 kn (Surfaced), 20 kn (Submerged)

Range : 12000 km @ 8 kn (Surfaced) , 1020 km @ 4 kn (submerged)

Endurance : 50 days

Test Depth : 350 m

Complement : 8 officers, 35 sailors

                     Armaments

AEG SUT 264 Torpedo

The AEG SUT 264 is a German 21 in. heavyweight torpedo. SUT means surface and underwater target. Atlas Elektronik manufactures this torpedo. INS Karanj has six 533 mm Torpedo launch tubes and it can launch 18 AEG SUT 264 torpedos.

This torpedo is wire guided with active/ passive onboard terminal guidance. It has a range of 28 km @ 23 knots and 12 km @ 35 knots. It is capable of achieveing speeds excess of 35 knots. The warhead is usually 250 kg RDX. Magnetic Field or contact initiates the warhead.

SM39 Exocet

MBDA SM.39 Exocet is an anti-ship missile. It has inertial guidance, active radar homing and GPS guidance.

• Mass : 780 kg
• Length : 6 m
• Diameter : 34.8 cm
• Warhead : 165 kg
• Engine : Solid Propellant Engine turbojet (MM40 Block 3 Version)
• Wingspan : 1.35 m
• Range : 70 – 180 km
• Sea Skimming
• Max Speed : Mach 0.93

INS Karanj can carry 30 mines instead of the torpedoes. As a result, INS Karanj will have the mine warfare capability. 

C303/S ATCM Electronic Warfare and Decoys

The C303/S is an anti-torpedo countermeasure system. This system is designed to counter the attacks of acoustic homing torpedoes which includes both active and passive as well as wire and non-wire guided torpedoes. It is formed by a 12 barrel launching network.

Women Officers in Indian Navy

    (Afnan Sheikh, Kreeshma R, Sub Lt. Riti      Singh, and Sub Lt. Kumudini Tyagi.)

Women officers in the Indian Navy are finally taking the lead. For years now, women officers in the Indian armed forces have been in very small numbers.

According to Indian Navy, four women officers, today, passed the ‘Observe Course” and are set to join their duties.

Indian Navy’s Sub Lt Kumudini and Sub Lt Riti Singh are the first women officers to be deployed on a frontline warship as crew members. Both the naval officers will work as airborne tacticians. Meanwhile, Sub Lt. Afnan Sheikh and Sub Lt. Kreeshma R. will be operating fixed wing aircraft of the Navy.

Sub Lt Kumudini and Sub Lt Riti studied engineering and joined the Indian Navy in 2019. They successfully passed Indian Navy’s ‘ Observe Course’ at Southern Naval Command in Kochi on September 21.

All the four women officers participated in the batch of 21 Navy and Coast Guard personnel.

This comes as a landmark moment for Indian Navy, which got its first woman Navy pilot, Lieutenant Shivani, just nine months ago.

Women officers are rising from across the seas to fly higher in the skies.

Indian Navy & Royal Australian Navy Conduct 2-day Naval Exercise in Indian Ocean from Wednesday

Navies of India and Australia will carry out a two-day mega exercise in the Indian Ocean Region beginning Wednesday that will involve a range of complex naval manoeuvres, anti-aircraft drills and helicopter operations, officials said.

The exercise comes in the midst of India's tense border row with China and in the backdrop of growing activities by the Chinese navy in the Indian Ocean Region.

"The exercise is aimed at enhancing interoperability, improving understanding and imbibing best practices from each other. It would involve advanced surface and anti-air exercises including weapon firings, seamanship exercises, naval manoeuvres and cross deck flying operations," a Navy spokesperson said.

It will be the fourth major military drill by the Indian Navy since June. It has already carried out similar exercises with the navies of the US, Japan and Russia.

HMAS Hobart, the lead ship of the Hobart-class air warfare destroyers, will be among the assets to be deployed in the exercise by the Royal Australian Navy, officials said, adding Indian Navy ships Sahyadri and Karmuk will be part of Indian platforms.

"The exercise, which is in keeping with the strong bond shared by the two navies, would be another step towards strengthening Indo-Australia defence relations and the continued efforts of both governments to work closely to enhance safety and security of the global commons," the Navy spokesperson said.

He said the two navies have built a robust relationship through regular exercises.

Earlier this month, navies of India and Russia carried out an exercise in the Bay of Bengal.

In July, the Indian Navy carried out a military exercise with a US Navy carrier strike group led by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz off the coast of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The USS Nimitz is the world's largest warship.

In the exercise with the US Navy, four frontline warships of the Indian Navy participated. The US carrier strike group was transiting through the Indian Ocean Region on its way from the South China Sea.

The US Navy carrier strike group comprises USS Nimitz, Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Sterett and USS Ralph Johnson.

The Indian Navy carried out a similar exercise with the Japanese navy in June.

India has significantly expanded its deployment in the Indian Ocean Region with a plethora of warships and submarines following the border row to send across a message to Beijing.

The maritime space around the Malacca Strait is very critical for China's supply chain through sea routes.