I/2014 1410 SPECIAL ISSUE CFM I/2014 I/2014 Challenges : External Army Aviation will play a major warfare”. Examined are various 33 role in various scenarios, its new programmes including the and Internal assets up primarily directed X-47B, nEUROn and Taranis In an interview with General Bikram towards and meant for “ground from the West but also new 1410 Singh, the COAS stresses the key operations by using medium of UAV shapes from China, Russia thrust areas to enhance overall the air.” and India. operational effectiveness of the Indian Army. The contemporary SPECIAL security environment is dynamic ISSUE and poses challenges across the Depiction of IAI Ramta’s new mine and IED entire spectrum of conflict, ranking detection system (courtesy IAI). from “conventional threats, along our borders to sub-conventional threats, including its proxy war Rafale : The Mission manifestations” 106 EDITORIAL PANEL Possible Air Marshal Anil Chopra, one MANAGING EDITOR Maritime Security 68 of the first group of pilots Vikramjit Singh Chopra of India converting on Mirage 2000s in Former CNS, Admiral Arun France and thereafter continuing EDITORIAL ADVISOR Prakash makes a presentation on with his distinguished career, Admiral Arun Prakash future challenges and the crafting writes on the various attributes of a maritime security policy for of the Dassault Rafale which EDITORIAL PANEL India. His emphasis is that while omni-role fighter “would allow Pushpindar Singh to other countries, the Indian the IAF to dominate this skies Air Marshal Brijesh Jayal Ocean is only one of the oceanic and project power through air- Dr. Manoj Joshi areas, to India it is the “vital sea.” sovereignty missions”. Her future is dependent on the Lt. Gen. Kamal Davar freedom of its waters. A strong Lt. Gen. SJS Sehgal and balanced navy is vital for Gp Capt JC Malik India’s march towards major Cdr M Nirmal power status. Monica Arora Deterring the Dragon 44 Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal, Angad Singh former Director CLAWS, looks Richard Gardner (UK) at development of India’s military Reuben Johnson (USA) capabilities as a hedge against the Chinese threat along the Simon Watson (UK) Defexpo 2014 Bertrand de Boisset (France) northern borders. Despite 110 various attempts to improve Dr Nick Evesenkin (Russia) Special Section relationships between the two This is the 8th land, naval and Tamir Eshel (Israel) Asian giants, there are areas of 93 Bang ! on Target internal homeland security concern which could trigger In this part II of Vayu’s visit systems exhibition organised ADVERTISING & MARKETING MANAGER off a future conflict. Raising of to MBDA in Europe, Angad by India’s Ministry of Defence Husnal Kaur the Mountain Strike Corps is a Singh covers munitions more at Pragati Maidan, in the heart pragmatic move which will help relevant to the Army and Air of New Delhi, on 6-9 February BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER India upgrade is military strategy Force, including third generation 2014. An array of unique Premjit Singh and provide genuine deterrence. helicopter-fired precision defence systems missiles being evaluated by the from leading 10 Indian Army. Of immediate companies of relevance is the ASRAAM the world will proposal to equip the IAF’s be on exhibition Jaguar fleet, while the unique and this special Meteor BVRAAM represents section reviews Published by: future capabilities. some of these. THE SOCIETY FOR AEROSPACE STUDIES D-43, Sujan Singh Park, Also : New Delhi 110 003 India INS Vikramaditya in home Tel: +91 11 24617234 waters; LCA receives IOC-II; Army Aviation in Pilatus Aircraft; Afghanistan : a Fax: +91 11 24628615 60 Future Battle Space grave unfolding crisis; Exercise e-mail: [email protected] In an exclusive interview with INDRA-2013; Russian Navy e-mail: [email protected] Lt Gen PR Kumar, Director Rising; Challenge of Offsets; General Army Aviation, Vayu Air Policing Macedonia. Printed at Aegean Offset Printers posed pertinent questions on Year of the UCAV the AAC’s plans for the next 102 As Unmanned Combat Aerial Regular features : The opinions expressed in the articles Commentary, Viewpoint, Aviation & published in the Vayu Aerospace and decades and records the Army’s Vehicle (UCAV) prototypes take Defence Review do not necessarily reflect approach : the future battle to the skies, Tim Robinson asks Defence in India, World Aviation & the views or policies of The Society for space envisages integrated whether this is “the beginning Defence News, Vayu 25 years back, Aerospace Studies. employment of all arms and of the next generation of air Tale Spin. Visit us at: www.vayuaerospace.in C O M M E N T A R Y 2014 rings in a cheer Army chief General Bikram Singh said another 23 contracts, worth around Rs 12,000 crore, were in the pipeline. he dawn of a New Year is a great time to take a fresh look "We are hopeful they will be inked before March 31. It's an Tat the world around us. It is when we look forward to upward trend, a healthy trend," he said. That is certainly the the future, a time of hope, of breaking free from the past. The case. But most of the contracts inked this year are small-ticket nation has got over a year that saw the corrosion of personal ones, ranging from gunnery simulators and helicopter missile- wealth of a majority of the population due to inflation and warning systems to digital control harness and truck-mounted other economic factors; when mistreatment of women became lifting devices. a much-debated issue; when personal and institutional The important ones approved are few and far between. These corruption became so high that there were mass protests against include the over Rs 2,000 crore deal for 15,000 3UBK Invar it. Now, as we look from the vantage point of a new beginning, missiles for T-90S tanks and the Rs 1,200 crore one for two we can take the luxury of looking at the future, unfogged, to additional ‘troops’ of the Israeli Heron spy drones. The really a certain extent by the burden of the past. The time ahead is critical projects are still stuck in the long-winded procurement certain to throw up some interesting new situations that will process. Take the infantry, the largest arm with 355 battalions. Its pose fresh challenges. desperate requirements for bullet-proof jackets, ballistic helmets, The economy of the nation is likely to look up, in spite of a new-generation assault rifles with interchangeable barrels, close- certain degree of uncertainty that comes in a year of the General quarter battle carbines, light machine guns and third-generation Election. People have spoken in the recent Assembly elections, ATGMs have all been hanging fire for several years. and political parties have been served notice that governments The force has not inducted a single modern 155mm howitzer are expected to deliver. They must give action plans of what since the infamous Bofors scandal of the 1980s. Different artillery they want to do in the New Year. It is a shame that still many projects worth Rs 30,000 crore for 145 ultra-light howitzers, 100 in our country go hungry even as grains rot in godowns. We self-propelled tracked guns, 814 mounted gun systems and 1,580 need to take care of the basics. Food security has to be ensured; towed guns, among others, are still to come through. to secure our children’s future, basic education needs major The Army Aviation Corps, which had chalked out big plans investment. The safety of women should be a matter of prime to induct attack helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft in the future, concern not only for the government, but also for each one is yet to get replacements even for its ageing fleet of Cheetah and of us. The nation is free, how come its women citizens do not Chetak helicopters. The long-delayed Rs 3,000 crore project for feel that freedom? acquiring 197 reconnaissance and surveillance helicopters from We in India have the advantage of a multi-cultural and abroad has gone into a tailspin, with the CBI now probing the multi-ethnic heritage. As inheritors of a rich and proud project as a fallout of the VVIP chopper case. Defence PSU civilisation, we must focus on what we can do for others, not Hindustan Aeronautics is also running way behind schedule to on what others can do for us. Each of us can help India make develop 187 similar light utility helicopters. its mark by contributing more as individuals. As we look at the New Year, we must learn to do more for each other. We From The Times of India should recognise the goodness in others, introspect and improve what we do not like. May the New Year bring in good tidings Still thinking small for all of us. he grant of the initial operational clearance (IOC) to the From The Tribune TTejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) marks the ‘release to service’ of the indigenously developed fighter aircraft projected as Not fighting fit the ideal replacement for the MiGs. But it would be premature to he 1.1-million strong Army is still nowhere near fighting celebrate. An IOC does not certify actual combat readiness. The Tfit. The force may have inked contracts worth Rs 11,777 LCA has been three decades in the making and the Tejas requires crore this fiscal but none of its critical modernization projects a lot of work before the final operational clearance (FOC) : its for howitzers, helicopters, anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), weapons systems are nowhere near fully in place, and without assault rifles or even night-vision devices are anywhere near the full integration of the combat suite, the LCA cannot be called closure.