SP's Land Forces 01-08.Indd

Issue 1 • 2008 Vol 5 No 1 A SP GUIDE PUBLICATION To order your 2007 SP’s copy mail us at: �� [email protected] 2008 OR call (+91 11) 24644763 24644693 24620130 �� In This Issue LandLaT h e ONLYn journald in ForcesAsia dedicated to Land Forces Procuring Ultra Light Finance Minister Left-wing extremism, Howitzer heralds P. Chidambaram’s alternatively termed the beginning of assurance that as Maoist insurgency artillery modernisation needs of the Indian or Naxalite violence, plans for the Indian armed forces would has emerged as a Army. But efforts be provided for has grave threat to India’s at indigenous come under a cloud as internal security, manufacture remain defence allocation for undermining the shrouded in doubt. 2008-09 dipped below process of nation 2 per cent of the GDP. building. 4 LT GENERAL (RETD) 8 LT GENERAL (RETD) 7 RANJIT ?NAGRA V.K. KAPOOR? AMIT? KUMAR SINGH EditorialEditorial PerspectiveProject Report Potentially destabilising Main Battle Tank developments in India’s immediate neighbourhood demand a close scrutiny. Photographs: Sharad Saxena Assassination on December 27, 2007 of prime minis- terial candidate Benazir Bhutto, who had promised Hard Lessons to neutralise extremist elements in Pakistan, followed by large scale violence and postpone- ment of elections to February 18 convulsed the nation. Inconclusive election results, thereafter, have failed to win public confidence as it threw up a coalition of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s party PML-N. The only ostensible reason for the unlikely camaraderie between the duo would be to oust President Pervez Musharraf. They might even restore the judiciary, thereby reinstating the functions of the Supreme Court. Among the priorities of the new government would be the onerous tasks of improving upon the economy, restora- tion of media’s freedom and negotiating peace with tribal leaders to restore a semblance of a stable democracy in a feudal nation. It would be pertinent to keep in mind that Islamabad has in the past encouraged growth of the radical variety of Islam and the terrorist groups holed up in the western provinces bor- dering Afghanistan and in the east in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Evidently, the strategy of T-90s out in full force at the Republic Day parade a calibrated proxy war against Afghanistan and India through sponsored non-state actors will not work any longer as the State stands Lack of coordination and understanding between the Army, the DRDO exposed internationally. India’s larger neighbour in the Northeast is and other agencies concerned continues to beset the Indian Army leading faced with an ironical situation over the violent to inefficient resource management uprising in Tibet Autonomous Region. Latest reports indicate the fighting has now spilled over from Tibet into neighbouring provinces, RAHUL BEDI with the Dalai Lama issuing a warning that the region is facing a cultural genocide and appeal- he Indian Army’s (IA) ambitious are questioning the army’s flawed equipment urgency that our armoured regiments, some ing to the world for help. The satire shines main battle tank (MBT) programme policies, which they claim are not only uneco- of which still operate retrofitted T 55’s and the through when viewed in the light of Beijing’s is in a state of flux. Military planners nomical and inefficient, but largely neglected older vintage T-72s are promptly replaced with oft repeated claims on the neighbouring Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. For China, the tim- believe this present state-of-affairs as well. T90S’s and upgraded T72M1’s. Besides, they Tto be impinging adversely on the country’s “Given the army’s emphasis on low intensity must also be equipped with full and partial ing couldn’t have been worse. Violence erupt- ed even as the nation has been gearing up for operational preparedness. All components of conflict, its long term armour induction policy solution fire control systems (FCS’) that would the start of Olympic celebrations due in two the MBT programme—be it the overall MBT and related modernisation programmes have give them the night fighting capability they weeks with the commencement of the torch acquisition, development and modernisation to been neglected at the highest levels and have sorely need. relay which is to pass through Tibet. China’s equip 59 armoured regiments—continues to be slipped badly” says Brigadier Arun Sahgal, a Currently, the army operates two types of communist government has been harbouring riven by indecision, insensitivity, bureaucratic former armoured corps officer who is pres- Russian-origin MBTs-the ‘Ajeya T72M1 built hopes of boosting its popularity at home and delays and inefficiencies. All it reveals is inferior ently Deputy Director, Research, in the United locally under licence by the Heavy Vehicles abroad by hosting the Olympics from August 8 strategic planning, poor coordination between Service Institutions Centre for Strategic Studies Factory (HVF) at Avadi near Chennai and the to 24. The turmoil in Tibet, however, has put a the Army, Defence Research Development in Delhi. India, he declared, had the ‘rare dis- ‘Bhishma’ T90S series of which 310 were cloud on its aspirations. Organisation (DRDO) and the Director General tinction’ of concurrently running three sepa- imported in 2001 for around $700 million (Rs Ordnance Factories (DGOF), apart from inef- rate MBT production lines but that an honest 2,830 crore). Of these, 124 T 90S ficient resource assessment of their efficacy augured ill for the MBTs-of which the Indian army was the management. fighting capability of the army’s armoured first overseas customer-were acquired in units. completed form and the remaining 186 were Flawed Policies Fact is, our army at present lacks the night assembled by the Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) LT GENERALLt General(RETD) (Retd)PRAN V.K.PAHWA Kapoor Not surprisingly retired senior army officers fighting capability and so it’s a matter of great at Avadi, Chennai. EDITOR 1/2008 SP’S LAND FORCES 1 Army personnel conducting a drill with T-90s in the Rajasthan desert Additional induction of T-90s M1 MBT fleet- that forms the backbone of the the MBTs 125 mm smoothbore guns have yet been fitted. But army sources maintain that Last year, the Army gave contract for 347 addi- army’s armoured might. The army’s require- to be configured to fire locally manufactured even these equipment were reportedly malfunc- tional T 90S to Rosonboronexport for around ment is for 950 full solution thermal imag- AMK 340 rounds, in effect leaving them virtu- tioning because of overheating in the desert. $1.2 billion (Rs 4,853 crore). The delivery of ing FCS-250 of them as replacements for the ally ammunition-less. Production of 9M119 Efforts at replacing the T72M1’s 780hp V this contract is to be in completed and in kit Drawa-T FCS from PCO-Cenzin of Poland, the Refleks (NATO designation AT-11 ‘Sniper’) mis- 12 air cooled multi-fuel injection engine with form. This has been done to especially ensure contract for which was cancelled three years siles by the state-owned Bharat Dynamics at the T90S’s 1000hp V92S2 four-stroke V 12 that the contract suffers from none of the tech- ago-and 750-800 third generation partial Hyderabad scheduled to begin in early 2006 is diesel power pack fitted with a turbo-super- nical problems that initially plagued the efforts solution thermal imaging stand alone systems also behind schedule as several test firings have charger have not succeeded thereby contribut- made by Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) to (TISAS). In line to be TISAS-equipped are sev- been unsuccessful. Russian technicians are ing to the upgrade setbacks. build 1000 of these tanks locally at Avadi. Our eral hundred BMP-2 as well. being consulted to resolve the problem. inability to manufacture locally has been due Armoured corps officers also noted that the Faulty AMK 340 T-72 to the lack of the transfer of technology which Faulty Catherine thermal initial batch of T90S’s need major overhauling ammunition was a part of the initial deal. In fact, Russia imaging cameras as they had been ‘over exposed’ in exercises. The T 72M1 fleet also faces a depletion of 125 has refused to transfer technology related to Thales officials have denied allegations made by Each tank has a maximum life of 650 revs mm AMK 340 shells produced by the govern- metallurgy for T 90S gun barrels and armour the Indian army that around 80-90 Catherine on the onboard rev-counter (static running ment-run Ordnance Factory Board with not plates to the HVF. This had led the Army Chief, thermal imaging cameras of the 310 T 90S’s, equal’s one rev per hour whilst traversing a enough rounds for the army to even carry out General Deepak Kapoor to declare, “Transfer of whose regimental induction began in late distance of 17.5 km is one rev). However, in mandatory, bi-annual basic firing exercises technology is a complex process due to differ- 2003, had been rendered inoperable due to less than four years after the tanks entered regi- over the past three years. Army sources said ent perceptions on either side on what exactly recurring technical problems caused by exces- mental service most had completed 600 revs some 150,000-200,000 AMK 340 rounds this involves. There have been delays but, in the sive summer heat in the Rajasthan desert. and would be requiring major overhauls soon. worth around Rs 700 crore had since 2003 long run, the transfer will take place and indig- Temperatures in this region, where the MBTs Tank gun barrels-capable of firing 220 effective been destroyed due to a combination of defec- enous production of the tank will commence”.

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