Arms-2010-1

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C O N T E N T S COOPERATIONS

MILITARY AVIATION

2 Russian arms exports on the rise

4 Sukhoi PAK FA: first flight

NAVY Director General Evgeny Osipov Deputy Director General Vyacheslav Schesnovich

6 OPK and new directions in MTC

Executive Director Oleg Perevoschikov Marketing Director Alexander Kiryanov Commercial Director Mikhail Baydak Executive Editor Alexey Makurin Production Editor Eduard Voytenko

AIR DEFENCE

Editors Alexander Velovich Alexander Gudko Svetlana Komagorova Yaroslav Parkhomenko

8 Missiles over Hindustan

Marketing Manager Dmitry Kuprin Yana Zhvirbo Art Director Alvina Kirillova Designers Alexander Cheredayko Alexander Strelyaev Elena Shishova IT Manager Pavel Chernyak Photos and graphics in this issue: Vladimir Scherbakov, Marina Lystseva, Alexey Mikheev, Vitaly Kuzmin, NTV channel, "Sukhoi", JSC Ship-building Yard "Severnaya Verf", KBP Instrument Design Bureau Circulation: 8000

LAND FORCES 24 KBP-designed modernized fighting compartment of the BMP-2 — an efficient way of upgrading armoured vehicles

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Any material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. The editorial staff’s opinion does not necessarily coincide with that of the authors. Advertisers bear responsibility for the content of provided materials.

ARMS, 2010 ADDRESS P.O. Box 77, Moscow, 125057, Russia Tel.: + 7 495 626-52-11 Fax.: + 7 499 151-61-50 E-mail: af@airfleet.ru Office 1V, 2/6, Moskovsky prospect, Saint Petersburg, 190031, Russia Tel./fax: +7 812 310-61-46 E-mail: arsenal@msk2.da.ru

MARKETS 28 India’s Armed Forces’ weapons modernisation programmes in 2009

COOPERATIONS

RUSSIAN ARMS EXPORTS ON THE RISE In 2009, Russia sold abroad $7.4 billion worth of military equipment and technology, a figure 10% higher compared to that in 2008. The growth trend is expected to persist in 2010 as well, as the contract portfolio for the next few years currently exceeds $34 billion. In 2009 alone, Russia signed $15 billion worth of arms contracts, Anatoly Isaikin, head of Russia’s exclusive arms trader Rosoboronexport, said at a news conference on January 28. that Russia will begin foreign sales AIRCRAFT TOP THE LIST Military aircraft have been best of S-400s only after it supplies its sellers in the recent years, account- own forces with the required numing for 50% of all exports in 2009. ber of such systems. Nevertheless, According to Rosoboronexport, Rosoboronexport head says that Army, Air Defense and Navy weap- “preparatory negotiations are unonry made up 19%, 13% and 13.7% der way”, which has already resultof the sales, respectively. All the oth- ed in setting of preliminary terms er weaponry types accounted for for potential deliveries. “Such dethe remaining 4% of the total figure. liveries, however, are not going Rosoboronexport spokes- to take place neither in the commen have repeatedly stated that ing months nor the next year”, Mr the Russian-made Air Defense sys- Isaikin highlighted. tems, especially the S-300 and The S-400 air defense missile systhe new S-400 Triumf, are in high tem was designed to engage aerdemand. Anatoly Isaikin stated ial targets including aircraft, UAVs 2

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and cruise missiles both in the air and in the outer space as well as to carry out non-strategic missile defense missions. The new Triumf system, meant to replace the S-200 and S-300, has an improved capability to destroy new types of aerial targets, including Stealth aircraft, small-sized cruise missiles and ballistic missiles with a range within 3,500 km and a speed of up to 4.8 km per second.

THE UNIQUE FIGHTING VEHICLE Rosoboronexport sees the Tank Support Fighting Vehicle (BMPT) as

COOPERATIONS a promising item for the interna- the rest of the fighters to be lintional arms market, among other ad- cense-produced by HAL enterprisvanced programs. Mr Isaikin called es in India.

According to Indian sourcthe vehicle unique, saying “I know of no other country operating a sim- es, the deal will total Rs 420 billion ilar piece of equipment”. The ve- (over $10 billion). The Russian MiGhicle has high firepower and of- 35 is rivaled by the Rafale offered by fers excellent protection against an- France’s Dassault Aviation, Gripen titank weapons, Rosoboronexport by Sweden’s SAAB, U.S. Boeing F/A18 and Lockheed Martin F-16, and CEO added.

Despite its incredible perfor- the Eurofighter Typhoon made mance, the BMPT hasn’t been ad- by EADS. Rosoboronexport CEO also menopted by the Russian Armed Forces so far. The vehicle, built on the T-90 tioned that an additional agreement MBT chassis, is fitted with a dual will be signed soon to upgrade 30mm automatic cannon, four AT the Admiral Gorshkov heavy aircraft guided missile launchers, a heavy carrying cruiser for India. The conmachine gun and two automatic tract needs a little more time to be grenade launchers. The BMPT is ca- finalized and stipulates the amount pable of engaging targets at a dis- of work and the price. Anatoly tance of up to 5 km as well as wiping Isaikin said the deal is a complex the enemy off the surrounding area task for the Russian shipbuilding with a radius of up to 3 km by firing industry which is new to producing air carrying ships. In the past, its guns and grenade launchers.

The vehicle can simultaneously all vessels of this class were built track and engage 5 ground targets, in Nikolayev, Ukraine. “We are abwhile featuring an improved armor solutely new to such work. Only the hull will remain the same. We compared to a tank. are going to make a totally new air carrier out of it following the cusINDIA: A MAJOR PARTNER The main buyers of Russian arms tomer’s preferences”, he concluded.

The over $1.5 billion contract and equipment are India. Algeria, China, Venezuela, Malaysia and Syria. to modernize the cruiser which had In the near future, India is going been sold to India, was signed back to remain Russia’s top military-tech- in 2004. Initially, the Indian Navy exnical partner thanks to both the cur- pected to receive the ship in 2008, rently effective and future deals in- but delivery was later shifted to 2010 cluding a tender for 126 fighter air- after the required amount of work had grown. craft for the Indian Air Force.

As for China, Rosoboronexport Rosoboronexport CEO is sure that the Russian-offered Mikoyan MiG-35 expects lower sales to this country is destined to win the Indian tender. in the future. “That is quite natural.

“By now, the competition is in its mid- China’s defense industry is developterm, but no contender has quit so ing rapidly”, Anatoly Isaikin noticed, far. Let the best aircraft win the race. adding that China’s share in Russian We are sure our MiG will make it, as defense exports had gone down it meets all the requirements set to 18% in 2009 and could drop furforward by the Indian Air Force”, ther to as low as 15%.

Anatoly Isaikin said.

ARMS FOR NATO AND ARAB The MiG-35 belongs to a new uniNATIONS fied combat aircraft family alongside with the MiG-29K/MiG-29KUB Russia is negotiating possible sea-borne fighters and MiG-29M/ supplies of a variety of wepons M2 multirole tactical fighters. to NATO countries, Anatoly Isaikin The Medium Multi-Role Combat said, omitting the countries’ names Aircraft (MMRCA) tender for 126 and delivery terms, though. He fighters was announced in August mentioned, however, that Russian2007 and obliges the winner com- made arms are still sold to Greece, pany to supply the Indian Air Force Turkey and East European counwith 18 ready-built aircraft, with tries. The latter, however, account

for upgrade and repair deals for USSR-supplied equipment rather than sales.

According to Mr Isaikin, Rosoboronexport is prepared to supply weaponry to Iraq and Afghanistan provided that the U.S. gives its consent. Military-technical cooperation with Arab nations, including Lybia and Bahrain, also offers Russia favorable prospects.

WAY IS FREE FOR PARTNERSHIP WITH IRAN Iran-related issues, which keep topping the global political news, weren’t left out by Anatoly Isaikin during his news conference, as the Middle Eastern country is known to be willing to buy S-300 air defense systems from Russia. Although the deal to supply Iran with S-300s was signed in December 2005, no formal announcements have yet been made on the execution of the contract.

The Rosoboronexport CEO pointed out that Iran is not subject to the UN arms embargo. “Nothing is standing in the way of further military-technical cooperation between Russia and Iran”, Mr Isaikin said, adding that Iran had never violated its commitments.

Anatoly Isaikin also gave a separate comment on the incident involving the Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter which failed to arrive in time at an air show in Bahrain last January, as it hadn’t been permitted to fly over Iran. “There was a bureaucratic glitch. The Iranian ground control didn’t receive a timely permit from the authorities to allow the flight”, Mr Isaikin explained.

The Russian Su-27 was due to arrive in Bahrain for an international airshow scheduled for January 19.

The fighter was initially supposed to fly through the Iranian airspace, but the country’s authorities refused to grant a pass. Intermediation of the two countries’ foreign ministries, however, had helped resolve the situation, allowing the aircraft to finally make its way to Bahrain on January 20. According to Anatoly Isaikin, the Iranian government apologized for the incident after the controversy had been settled.

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MILITARY AVIATION

SUKHOI PAK FA: FIRST FLIGHT

Photo by "Sukhoi"

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advances Russia's aircraft and cooperating industries to the new level of technological quality. These aircraft, alongside with modernised aviation systems of the forth generation will determine the capabilities of the Russian Air Force in the coming decades. Sukhoi company plans further development of the PAK FA programme together with Indian partners. I am confident that our joint project will outperform western competitors by efficiency-tocost criteria, and not only will allow to strengthen the defence might of Russia and India, but will take a decent place on the world market".

The first flight of the new fighter lasted for 47 minutes with Sukhoi

test pilot Sergey Bogdan at the controls and was declared a complete success. Bogdan shared his impressions of the first flight: "We have made initial evaluation of the aircraft's controllability, engine operations and functioning of the main systems. The standard procedure of landing gear retraction/extension was performed. The aircraft showed itself favourably at all phases of the planned flight programme.

It is easy and comfortable to control".

The flight test are anticipated to take about five-six years.

Photo by NTV channel

n 29 January Sukhoi PAK FA (Advanced Aviation System of Tactical Avaition), also know as the T-50, performed its maiden flight from the airfield of Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Plant (KnAAPO) in the Russian Far East.

Sukhoi director general Mikhail Pogosyan commented: "Today we have started the flight test programme of the 5th generation [fighter] aircraft. This is a big success of Russia's science and designer's thought. This achievement was made possible by industrial co-operation of more than a hundred enterprises. The PAK FA programme

NAVY

Andrey Fomichev

Corvette p-1234Е before repairing

OPK AND NEW DIRECTIONS IN MTC nited Industrial Corporation (ОPK) comprises JSC Ship-building Yard “Severnaya Verf”, the largest Russian enterprise on the construction of surface ships. For the period of almost 100-year service in the RF Navy, “Severnaya Verf” has constructed more than 200 combat ships, with total draught exceeding 500’000 tons. In the present day the yard performs the major delivery scope of surface ships (corvette and frigate class) upon the State Defence Order for the RF Navy, it is a usual participant of Military-Technical Cooperation (MTC). For the last years, OPK yards have exported ships in China (pr.956E, 956EM) and India (pr.1135.6).

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Generally, the yard performs the repair operations of ships being previously constructed at it. Among them the special place is taken by yacht “Rossia” of Administrative Department of the President of the Russian Federation (2002).

At the present moment, the yard is completing the repair operations of frigate “Vice Admiral Kulakov” being a part of the Northern Fleet.

The yard has experienced in repair of ships being constructed at the other yards, among which is a famous cruiser “Avrora” (1984-87). It allows the yard to take a new MTC production sphere in naval engineering — repair and modernization.

For many years patrol ships of pr. 1159Т (frigate “Koni 2” — as per NATO classification) are flagman

ships and small-size missile boats pr.1234Ye (corvette “Nanucka 2” — per NATO classification) are major impact of three groups (Fleets) of Democratic People's Republic of Algeria (DPRA), located along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. With its draught, ships are provided with high levels of propulsion and seakeeping characteristics, balanced systems of multipurpose weapon.

Taking into account high military characteristics and modernization capabilities of ships, DPRA Naval Command favours to perform expensive repair and modernization instead of purchasing of new ships.

To implement the Contract with DPRA, JSC SBY “Severnaya Verf” was the first yard in ship-building industry, that has performed a complex of

NAVY operations upon the creation of system of organization and design-engineering support based on CALStechnology (Continuous Acquisition and Life cycle Support). Electronic models of ships, being constructed almost thirty years ago, and subjected to repair, allow to perform the following: – perform fair Damage Survey and describe the ship state per compartments; – enter the repair process in Common Electronic Informational Space of Yard; – create 3D-model of hull, which provides possibility to develop separate hull sections, subjected to replacement assembled; – optimize processes of costs and components purchase management; – organize the integrations of all participants (Client — Designer — Yard — Components Suppliers — Operation and Disposition) of Life Cycle of Article having passed modernization-recovery repair, and having been not accompanied with electronic documentation yet, in Information Space ONline. This let shift the ships operation to the state-of art and satisfy Client’s perspective requirements.

For the first time in the shipinspect the thickness of hull metal 1234Ye are on sea trials, repair building industry, at the absence without painting removing that al- of another two ships is proceedof mould loft data (in particular per lows to increase the damage survey ed. Together with FSI Ros obostabilizers bays and propeller shaft quality and respectively, the repair ronexport the yard is now reviewboss), “re-engineering” operations process itself due to the increasing ing the possibility to negotiate have been performed with appliof measuring points number with- new contracts. cation of laser scanners and followout mechanical grinding; ing 3D-modelling. Basing on the re- – pipes cleaning process has been ceived data, tasks of cutting of plates greatly changed; to be replaced have been integrated – decision has been taken upin the Yard Management Common on the repair of coupling points System as well as plates bending of steel hull and light-alloy sumeans have been developed. perstructure under the conditions The above mentioned became of significant corrosion and wearpossible due to the long-term scheding of metal. uled integration of digital intellectuProviding the repair quality level, al technologies into the production which corresponds to the world one, process. increasing of labour efficiency and Formation of the modern repair correspondingly, competitive price, system has required taking the de- JSC SBY “Severnaya Verf” for sure cisions upon the complex of process takes a new sphere in surface shipand metallurgical tasks: building: repair and modernization – for the first time in native ship-build- of previously exported naval engiing industry, progressive gauges neering of any production. have been purchased, implementAt the present moment, first ed and utilized. They are used to two ships of projects 1159Т and

P-901 before repairing

P-901 after repairing

Cruiser Aurora

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AIR DEFENCE

MISSILES

OVER HINDUSTAN The international community has always marvelled at the energy with which Indian scientists, software and hardware experts in weapons systems have been moving on, overtaking and sometimes even surpassing achievements of the leading world powers.

This is well illustrated by the indigenously developed nuclear weapons and rather modern rocket industry. The majority of missilerelated projects for the Ministry of Defence of India are run under the so called Integrated Guided Missile Development Program focused on the development and series production of several missile weapon types including various-range ballistic missiles.

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AIR DEFENCE

Vladimir Sherbakov

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Indian carrier rockets

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INTEGRATED GUIDED MISSILE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM The Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) is believed to have commenced officially in 1983. The then military and political leadership of India set as its main objective the development of the national rocket industry to a level where the principle of self-reliance would be realisable.

Moreover, experience to be gained during implementation of that programme could be utilised when developing other types of missile weapon systems.

At the present time the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program encompasses five proj- sile system is also included into this been lately complemented with ects: — strategic missile systems Program, which is incorrect since the Astra air-to-air guided missile dearmed with the Agni-family inter- its development has been started velopment project as well.

It should be noted here that mediate-range ballistic missiles and much later within the framework of a their modifications; — tactical/the- joint Indo-Russian programme ex- Delhi was virtually forced into the reatre missile systems armed with ecuted by the BrahMos Aerospace alisation of the above Program the Prithvi-family short-range bal- Limited co-founded by the Russian by the then policy of a number listic missiles and their modifica- Military Industrial Corporation of Western countries attempting tions; — air defence missile systems “NPO Mashinostroyenia” based to restrict weapons upgrading by armed with the Akash and Trishul near Moscow and Indian Ministry armies in most advanced so-called surface-to-air guided missiles; — of Defence’s DRDO (Defence “third-world” countries by introducand Development ing the Missile Technology Control antitank guided weapon system Re search armed with the Nag guided mis- Organisation). The Integrated Guided Regime (MTCR). In addition, after sile. Sometimes the BrahMos mis- Missile Development Program has testing its nuclear charge on 18 May 1974 India was submitted to a number of sanctions which further hampered the development of combat missile systems.

The IGMDP main provisions were prepared by Dr. Abdul Kalam, the then head of the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad, later elected President of India, commonly named ever since “the father of India’s missile programme. It took six months for Dr. Abdul Kalam and his DRDL colleagues to sort out all those issues with the assistance of the scientific advisor to the Minister of Defence and DRDO head Dr. V.S. Arunchalam. On completing their work they reported its results to the Minister of Defence and Prime Minister of India.

It is interesting enough that in the beginning there was no mentioning of a single programme: development of missile systems armed with the Nag antitank guided missile, Akash and Trishul surface-toair missiles as well as Prithvi and

ARMS Defence Technologies Review

AIR DEFENCE Agni ballistic missiles was planned as a row of unrelated projects implemented consecutively one after another. However, Minister of Defence R. Venkataraman insisted that Dr. Kalam and Dr. Arunchalam combined all those projects into the unique Integrated Program.

The Program officially started on 27 July 1983.

A special board headed by Dr. Abdul Kalam was set up to manage practical implementation of the Integrated Program. Dr. Kalam also delegated sufficient authority to five project directors for executive and financial activities, leaving to himself only the most important issues such as contacts with more than two dozens of subcontractors. Dr. Kalam’s popularity grew with the emergence of new missiles, which finally culminated in his victory at the elections of the President of India.

This article treats only those missile systems that are based on the various-purpose Agni/Prithvifamily ballistic missiles.

PRITHVI MISSILE SYSTEM The Prithvi (Sanskrit for “Earth”) missile is a single-stage short-range ground-to-ground ballistic missile. Indian missile experts derived their designs from the second-stage engine of the surface-to-air missile for the Soviet S-75 Dvina air defence missile system, as well as rocket engines designed earlier by India under the Devil and Valiant projects (the Devil project was intended to develop an indigenous liquidpropellant rocket engine drawing on the analysis of similar Soviet guided missiles, whereas the Valiant project was dedicated to the development of a multi-stage strategic ballistic missile). At the present time there are two variants of the Prithvi missile: one with a shorter-range but heavier payload, and the other with a greater-range but lower-weight warhead.

In all other respects the two variants are virtually identical. The modifications are designated “Prithvi I” and “Prithvi II” correspondingly.

The Prithvi ballistic missile is a single-stage liquid-propellant monoblock with a single warhead and an inertial navigation and terminal guid-

Prithvi II ballistic missile mobile launcher

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Dhanush sealaunched ballistic missile

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ance system. Structurally the missile has a cylindrical body with a coneshaped head, a cruciform wing in the middle part and four smaller control/correction surfaces in the tail end of the missile. The missile body is made of aluminium alloys, and is covered with radio-absorbing materials. The missile propulsion unit is composed of two liquid-propellant engines, and its fuel tank is made of aluminium alloys as well. The engine uses a mixture of the inhibited red fuming nitric acid as an oxidiser, and a compound fuel made of xylidene (50%) and triethylamine (50%).

Nnormally Tthe missile is fuelled immediately before the launch, since fuelled missile can be stored for a few months only. Thanks to the large-area wing, the Prithvi missile is capable of performing manoeuvres at the terminal flight leg to correct its trajectory and penetrate enemy antiballistic missile defence.

Basic specifications of the Prithvifamily missiles are as follows: missile length — 8.55 m (Prithvi I) or 9.0 (Prithvi II), wing span — 2.6 m, launch weight — about 4,000 kg, minimum launch range — 40 km, maximum launch range — 150 km (Prithvi I with a 1,000-kg warhead) and 250 km (Prithvi II). Some Indian media have reported that the Prithvi I missile carrying a 250-kg warhead might be launched at a range as great as 500 km — yet it seems hardly probable.

ARMS Defence Technologies Review

The missile’s circular error probability (CEP) does not exceed 0.1% of the launch range, that is the CEP at the maximum range would make 250 m (even though some Indian sources suggest that the CEP could be as little as 0.01% of the launch range, in our opinion it does not seem realistic). The missile is equipped with an inertial guidance system. The Prithvi developers declare that during the pre-flight preparation up to six waypoints at the terminal trajectory leg can be uploaded into the onboard mission computer. It is believed that this procedure must increase probability of penetration by the missile of enemy antiballistic missile defence, which is further improved by applying a special radio-absorbing coating on the mis-

sile body surface (the missile’s capability for en route manoeuvring is equally dubious). It is further affirmed that the onboard guidance system can correct the missile flight trajectory within 15 degrees. The latest missile modifications are also equipped with satellite navigation system receivers: some experts believe this to be the reason why India has agreed on a broader cooperation with Russia within the GLONASS programme. The missile onboard computer is based on a dual-processor principle.

The missile warhead weighs 1,000 kg (Prithvi I) or 500 kg (Prithvi II).

It can be either conventional explosive or tactical nuclear Plutoniumbased charge with a 12–15-kilotonne equivalent. The Prithvi ballistic missile can be armed with different types of conventional warheads including a high explosive fragmentation warhead with preformed striking elements (it provides kill radius of 250 m against soft-skinned targets, such as positions of missile launchers and radars, as well as concentrations of manpower or war materiel), an incendiary warhead (with kill radius of up to 500 m), a cluster warhead loaded with bomblets or mines, a fuel-air explosive (volumetric) warhead, and a runway/airfield facilities buster warhead (this warhead can damage a runway made of the LNC60 grade concrete on an area of up to 40–60-sq.m.). After completion of the nuclear tests in May 1998 Dr. Kalam, then DRDO head and scientific advisor to the Minister of Defence, made public the fea-

Dhanush ballistic missile in the assembly shop

AIR DEFENCE sibility of arming the missile with a nuclear charge. It is thought that since 1997 up to 20 nuclear charges for the Prithvi I ballistic missile have been produced, and starting from 1999 up to 10 nuclear charges for the Prithvi II ballistic missile.

The missile launcher is mounted on the Tatra ‘Kolos’ 4x4 all-terrain truck. Immediately prior to launch the launcher with the loaded missile is separated from the truck and is stabilised on the launch pad.

The Kolos transporter-launcher vehicle has the following specifications: empty weight — 13,800 kg, length — 8.8 m, width — 2.5 m, height (at cabin) — 2.69 m, road clearance — 425 mm, engine — 250-hp 12-cylinder Tatra T-930-3 diesel, maximum speed — 80 km/h, fuel tank capacity — 520 l, negotiated obstacles — vertical wall up to 0.6 m high, water crossing up to 1.4 m deep, slope — up to 30°, cabin — equipped with the NBC protection system.

The Prithvi ballistic missile development project was the first one to start in 1983 under the Integrated Program umbrella. The Prithvi I ground trials began in 1987 and the first test flight took place at Sriharikota on 25 February 1988.

The Prithvi II missile was first launched at the Interim Test Range in Balasore on 27 January 1996. The Prithvi ballistic missile was the first guided missile successfully developed and produced in series by India’s own effort.

As a matter of fact, liquid-fuel modifications of the missile have a typical drawback: they must be loaded with fuel immediately prior to launch. This routine can pose certain problems in field conditions, and seriously degrades the system’s combat potential.

The Prithvi ballistic missile system was demonstrated for the first time at the military parade in commemoration of the Republic Day of India on 26 January 1994 It was initially planned that the Prithvi I ballistic missile system

would enter service with the Indian Army by 1990. However, owing to delays in the missile development and a number of test launch failures it was only in the middle of 1994 that the series production started, and the missile system was then inducted for trial operation. Seven test launches had been made by that time, and in 1994 a few more missiles were test fired by Indian Army combat crews (that June the Prithvi ballistic missile was launched from Chandipur missile range against the firing ground on Wheeler Island at a range of some 80 km). After a number of successful test launches the developer/manufacturer was awarded the Indian Army’s contract for the delivery of six missile systems with the follow-up for 75 more missiles. The first-batch 20 missiles were delivered to the customer by October 1995 and were used to arm the 333rd Missile Group permanently established in the city of Secunderabad.

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre In April 1948 Atomic Energy Bhabha Atomic Research Center is situated in the city of Trombay, Act was adopted, and in August major center of atomic, oil-refining, 1948 Atomic Energy Commission petrochemical and chemical indus- was set up. On 3 January 1954 tries, 50 km to the south-east from the Commission endorsed setMumbai (former Bombay). It is ting up of the Atomic Energy India’s principal research centre in Establishment in Trombay under the nuclear power engineering field, its supervision. Since that time all engaged both in fundamental and projects related to nuclear energy (construction of nuclear reactors, applied studies.

Indian atomic industry’s his- design and development of nuclear tory dates back to 1945 when weapons, processing of radioacthe Institute of Fundamental tive materials, development of relResearch was established. Dr. Homi evant electronic, machine-building Jehangir Bhabha, first director of and other technologies and equipthe Institute, was the initiator and ment) were transferred from the developer of the Indian Nuclear Institute of Fundamental Research Programme officially announced in to the Atomic Energy Establishment March 1944. He considered forma- in Trombay (even though it was offition of national specialists in the cially opened by Jawaharlal Nehru field of nuclear power generation only on 20 January 1957). as one of the major goals of the Another important milestone Institute. “When nuclear energy in the history of the Indian atomic is successfully applied to human industry was laid on 3 April 1954 activities, and this may happen in a when the Department of Atomic couple of decades from now, India Energy was created within the Indian will not have to look abroad for Government, and Dr. H. Bhabha was nuclear experts for they will be appointed its Secretary. The Atomic formed in this country”.

Energy Establishment was brought

under the control of the new Department.

Organisationally, the Atomic Energy Commission used to be a part of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Scientific Research.

Since then, however, the new Department came under direct control of India’s Prime Minister (at that time — Jawaharlal Nehru).

On 22 January 1967 Prime Minister Indira Gandhi renamed the Atomic Energy Establishment as Bhabha Atomic Research Center to commemorate its founder Dr. Homi Bhabha who died in an air crash on 24 January 1966.

At present BARC researchers conduct works in the following directions: – elementary particles physics; – atomic energy engineering support; – isotopes analyses; – radiation medicine; – nuclear energy applications to agriculture, – computers; – robotics; – information technologies.

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A mockup of the Sukanya class patrol ship with the Dhanush ballistic missile The Indian Armed Forces commissioned in due time two modifications of the Prithvi missile: Prithvi I (SS-150) for the Indian Army, and Prithvi II (SS-250) for the Indian Air Force (25 missiles) and later for the Indian Army. It is most probable that the “airborne” modification of the Prithvi missile was first publicly demonstrated at the military parade on the occasion of India’s Republic Day on 26 January 1995, but its inception into service by the Indian Air Force was officially announced only on 18 April 2001 by the then Minister of Defence Jaswant Singh in his speech to the Parliament. He stated then that it was only a trial operation and further acquisition of this ballistic missile for the Air Force was not planned. At present a subsidiary enterprise of the Bharat Dynamics Limited company in Hyderabad is

Dhanush ballistic missile

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producing only the Prithvi II missiles.

There were also reports that the Prithvi II ballistic missile underwent upgrading in the second half of the 1990s. As a result, new highenergy fuel for the missile allowed its developers to increase the warhead weight from 500 kg to 1,000 kg while retaining the given flight range. Some Indian media report that the upgraded version of the missile is powered by a solid-propellant engine. The first test launch of this modification took place on 31 March 2001, and the missile flight range then was 250 km. However, there is every likelihood that it concerns an entirely new ballistic missile, designated as “Prithvi III” (see below), rather than the Prithvi II modification.

In 2001 a series of tests were conducted to evaluate combat effectiveness of a multipurpose combat mod-

ule armed with a row of various-type warheads: incendiary, cluster with bomblets, and runway buster warhead. In the early 2001 the Prithvi ballistic missile systems were incepted into active service and put on combat duty. The decision about it was based on the analysis of the Indian armed forces’ potential during the confrontation with Pakistan in 2001.

According to unclassified publications the Indian Army has by now formed as a minimum three missile groups numbered 333, 444, and 555. Terminology-wise, an Indian Army’s missile group corresponds to a Russian missile brigade: that is, one Prithvi missile group includes three missile battalions with 12 missile launchers in each, and three supplementary transporter-launcher units in the reserve of the missile group commander. Thus it turns out that the total number of the Prithvi missile system transporter-launcher vehicles of various modifications in the Indian Army can amount to 45 units. Analysts assume though that their quantity is much less in reality.

The third missile group to be formed in 2003, as was then announced, actually existed only on paper for some years. Indian sources still insist that the national defence industry is capable, in case of necessity, of producing three to four such missiles per month.

It is worth mentioning that after successful completion of the Agni

AIR DEFENCE intermediate-range ballistic missile test Mr K. Shantanam, the DRDO technical and scientific advisor, made a statement that the Prithvi ballistic missile had never been planned to be the principal nuclear capable delivery vehicle: such role was considered for it only in contingency cases. The Indian nuclear scientist said in particular: “Now we can state that the Agni solid-fuel missile has completely assumed the role of delivering the nuclear charge, taking it off from the Prithvi liquid-fuel missile”.

Developer of the Prithvi missile system — Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India.

Prime contractor — Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) company, Hyderabad.

Subcontractors for the Program: – Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) company, Bangalore — liquid-fuel engine and missile body components; – Bharat Aluminum (Balco) company — components made of aluminium alloys, and missile body components; – Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML) company — transporter-launchers and other vehicles based on the Kolos truck; – Khirkee Explosives and Combustibles Plant, Pune — liquid fuel components.

An estimated cost of one serially-produced missile is about 0.74– 1.4 mln USD.

the Prithvi II single-stage ballistic missile. Two variants of the missile are said to have been developed: an anti-ship missile with the launch range of around 250 km, and a shipto-surface missile with the launch range of around 500 km. Indian missile experts are also said to be developing a submarine-launched version of the Dhanush ballistic missile — if so, this one should be powered by a solid-propellant engine.

The Dhanush ballistic missile specifications are as follows: missle launch weight — 4,400 kg, warhead type and weight — conventional high explosive, 500 kg (there are reports that the warhead weight can be increased up to 1,000 kg), missile length — 8.56 m. misile body diameter — 1.1 m, number of stages —

one, flight range — 250–350 km, CEP — about 250 m, guidance system type — inertial. The shipbased management system allows launching the missile at a pitch angle of up to 5 degrees and roll angle of up to 10 degrees. The missile pointing accuracy is within one degree. The maximum range flight duration is 300 seconds. The missile launch system is said to be able to also manage the Sagarika tactical missile. This eventuality makes some experts speculate that the Sagarika and Dhanush missiles are nothing other than different modifications of the same prototype derived from the Prithvi ballistic missile.

The Sukanya class ‘Subhadra’ patrol ship (INS Subhadra, P51) was employed as a carrier ship for the mis-

Sagarika sealaunched missile test

DHANUSH SEA-LAUNCHED BALLISTIC MISSILE SYSTEM The Dhanush (Sanskrit for “Bow”) sea-launched ballistic missile has been designed within the framework of the Prithvi ballistic missile development programme. Indian specialists describe colourfully the system composition: ‘Dhanush’ is the launching unit equipped with the hydraulic stabilisation system, which is a ‘bow’, whereas the missile is an ‘arrow’ shot by means of the above mentioned bow. Indian sources sometimes designate the Dhanush otherwise, as Prithvi III (SS-350).

The Dhanush missile is structurally similar to its prototype, 1(51).2010

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A hypothetical view of the Sagirika missile outside its transportlaunch canister

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sile tests and trial operation. The first missile flight test was conducted onboard this ship, and ended up as a failure when the ballistic missile prototype broke in two in the air, fell down and sank at the 4th second of the flight. The second test launch was performed in December 2000 and the third one — on 21 September 2001. The latter one was considered a complete success as the missile carrying a 500-kg payload was launched from the ship off the coast of Orissa state, covered the preplanned distance (150 km), and splashed down in the defined water area of the Bay of Bengal. A representative of the Indian Ministry of Defence even declared in the interview for “The Hindustan Times” newspaper that India’s military and political leaders would soon begin “to practically employ the system”.

But in the same year an official representative of the Indian Navy who preferred to remain unnamed pointed out that “Indian Navy no longer considers the Dhanush ballistic missile as a platform for nuclear charge delivery”. Finally, in September 2002 Dr. Abdul Kalam, the then scientific advisor to the Minister of Defence, announced that the Dhanush ballistic missile was prepared to enter service with the Indian Navy.

The missile was planned to be inducted by the Indian Navy for tri-

ARMS Defence Technologies Review

Shaurya tactical/theatre ballsistic missile

al operation not later that 2003, yet no credible information about this issue has been released so far.

Even though after the fourth successful test onboard the Subdhara patrol ship some Indian media reported that the Ministry of Defence had allegedly placed an order for 30 missiles at the manufacturing plant.

The serial production missile was tested during the fifth trial launch conducted in the Bay of Bengal on 28 December 2005.

The sea-launched ballistic missile development is apparently going to be stay on hold, at least for some time in the near future, since the tension in relations between India and Pakistan has somewhat eased down, whereas this shipborne missile system had been made as a deterrent for Pakistan: it was planned that Indian surface ships armed with such systems would sail to safe positions off main ports and naval stations of Pakistan and deliver massive missile strikes against them (some experts even consider the Dhanush missile to be nothing else than technology demonstrator). A model of such carrier ship with the Dhanush ballistic missile launcher onboard was shown at the Defexpo 2002 International defence exhibition (it is now showcased at the Indian Minister of Defence representation area on the territory of the Pragati Maidan exhibition centre in Delhi).

Developer — Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India Prime contractor — Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) company, Hyderabad.

Subcontractor for the programme — Hindustan Aeronautics LTD (HAL) company, Bangalore — engine and missile body components;

AIR DEFENCE marine-launched version (designat- AGNI FAMILY STRATEGIC BALLISTIC SAGARIKA (SHAURYA) TACTICAL/ MISSILE SYSTEM ed in some Indian media as Project THEATRE MISSILE SYSTEM First attempts to develop an inThe Sagarika (Sanskrit K-15) for arming an indigenously defor “Oceanic”) sea-launched missile veloped advanced nuclear-powered digenous long-range strategic missystem and its land-based version submarine. The missile is planned sile were undertaken in the early “Shaurya” (Sanskrit for “Valour”) are to carry a warhead weighing from 1970s. Thus, Project Valiant was starta follow-on development of the 180 kg to 550 kg with either conven- ed in 1972 with the purpose to dePrithvi ballistic missile incorpo- tional or nuclear (17–150 kT yield) sign and manufacture a three-stage liquid-propellant intercontinenrating new technologies drawn charge.

Information about the Sagarika tal ballistic missile. The first boostby Indian experts from the joint Russian-Indian BrahMos project. missile system programme is rather er stage was supposed to accommoThe new missile has been devel- contradictory, but some media had date three liquid-propellant rocket oped since 1991. It is a two-stage reports that the Sagarika ballistic engines with a 30-tonne thrust each, missile in which both stages are missile was launched from a special and the second stage should have powered by solid-propellant mo- underwater test facility at Chandipur had one such engine. At the same tors. In contrast to the preceding test range on 27 October 2004, and time civil-purpose rocket specialmodels of the Prithvi family ballistic on 12 November 2008 sixth test ists from the Indian Space Research missiles, the Sagarika and Shaurya launch of this kind was made, but Organisation (ISRO) were developtactical/theatre missiles do not there are no more data about further ing a family of space launch vehicles: have an X-form wing in the mid- testing since then. The missile silos in 1980 they made first successful portion of the missile body, and onboard the advanced submarine launch of a four-stage space launch their specifications are much clos- are supposed to accommodate both vehicle SLV-3. er to those of the BrahMos mis- one Agni III ballistic missile special The technical heritage accumusile than the Prithvi ballistic mis- modification (one Agni IIISL per silo) lated in Project Valiant (cancelled sile. The missile flight tests start- and Sagarika missiles (three missiles for some reason in 1974) as well as ed in 2004: two successful launches per silo). The Sagarika missiles can be in the Space Launch Vehicle projwere performed on 23 January and launched from submerged position ect laid perfect ground for deat the depth of 50 m (precise launch sign works over the Agni (Sanskrit 19 March 2004.

The missile bode is made of a steel depth range is unknown). for “Fire”) family ballistic missiles, ofalloy. The Sagarika missile specifications are as follows: length — 10.0 m, Launch of the maximum body diameter — 0.74 m, Agni I mediumlaunch weight — about 6,200 kg, range ballistic maximum CEP — not more than missile.

25 m. With the new engine and highBy expert estienergy fuel the Sagarika missile can mates at least be fired at a range of 350 to 600 km, 10 nuclear and deliver a payload weighing charges from 500 kg to 1,000 kg. A number for these misof Indian sources have intimated that siles have been the missile developer is taking meaproduced until sures to increase the missile launch now. range up to 1,300 to 2,500 km and has requested technical assistance of Russia and Israel. The Sagarika/ Shaurya missile system powered by solid-propellant engines has a substantially greater combat potential since there is no need any more to keep a crowd of technical support vehicles within the missile battalions as was the case with the Prithvi I and Prithvi II liquid-propellant missiles.

The missile is stored in a 2.4-m diameter composite transport-launch canister.

It is also most interesting that besides ground-to-ground modification of the Sagarika missile, Indian specialists are developing its sub1(51).2010

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Agni II ballistic missile mobile launcher at the military parade in Delhi

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ficially started in 1983, although individual case studies had been going on since 1979.

The first member in this ballistic missile family was the AgniTD/TTB missile (where TD means “Technology Demonstrator”, and TTB — “Technology Test Bed”).

Generally speaking, the missile was used as a technology demonstrator and test prototype helping to elaborate a number of tasks and components, including, first of all, the following ones: – missile design optimisation, determination of stages number and composition; – study of missile control methods in various flight trajectory phases, especially during reentry of its warhead (reentry vehicle) into dense layers of the Earth’s atmosphere at hypersonic speeds; – possibility to introduce into the reentry vehicle structure a multi-directionally reinforced carbon-fiber preform technology (MRCP) material, as well as: – testing of a new inertial navigation system.

Indian developers of the new missile confessed that the first Agni family offspring was kind of a hybrid of the Prithvi ballistic missile with the S-1 booster stage of the SLV-3 launch vehicle. The booster was a little modified and employed solid propellant. To reduce design time,

ARMS Defence Technologies Review

A mockup of the Agni ballistic missile railway-based launcher a shortened version of the Prithvi possible range was announced to be missile’s liquid-propellant engine 1,500 km).

The Agni-TD/TTB missile nevwas used in the second stage of the new missile instead of a solid-propel- er entered service with the Indian armed forces, although in 1999 durlant engine (yet to be designed).

The first successful test of the new ing Kargil armed conflict at least missile took place on 22 May 1989 one such missile was prepared toat Chandipur test range. For the sec- gether with four Prithvi missiles ond test the missile’s second stage for combat employment in the nuwas slightly modified to take great- clear capable configuration in case er fuel load. The last Agni-TD/TTB if Pakistan had begun a large-scale ballistic missile was test launched aggression against India or had first on 19 February 1994. According employed nuclear weapons. In his to Indian sources, during that flight book “Weapons of Peace: The Secret an upgraded reentry vehicle ca- Story of India’s Quest To Be a Nuclear pable of performing self-correc- Power” published in India in 2000 tion and terminal evasive manoeu- Raj Chengappa writes that the above vres (after entering into dense layers mentioned five missiles were of the Earth’s atmosphere) was test- brought into Combat Readiness No. ed for the first time. The maximum 3 status which stipulates that nuclemissile flight range registered dur- ar warheads should be completely ing tests was 1,450 km (maximum prepared for employment and ready for installation on the carrier missiles. All the missiles were moved and deployed near India’s western regions in close vicinity to the IndoPakistan border. Some Indian highranking officials and retired generals have even avowed that the nuclear charge was indeed mounted on the Agni missile, and the missile itself was brought to the launch position, fully loaded with fuel, and ready for immediate launch.

As of today, the Agni ballistic missile family has four fully completed missile modifications with two more under development: – Agni-TD/TTB — a medium-range two-stage technology demonstrator missile (its first stage is a solid propellant booster, and the second stage — a liquid-pro-

AIR DEFENCE

Agni IIITD intercontinental ballistic missile prototype pellant motor). The missile has successfully passed tests, and its production is terminated; – Agni I (or A-1) — a single-stage solid-propellant medium-range ballistic missile having the launch range of 850 km with a 1,000-kg warhead. The missile is in service with the Indian Army, its production is continued; – Agni II (or A-2) — a two-stage solid-propellant medium/intermediate-range ballistic missile having the launch range of 2,800– 3,000 km with a 1,000-kg warhead. The missile is in service with the Indian Army, its production is continued; – Agni IIAT (or A-2AT) — an upgraded version of the Agni II ballistic missile having the launch range increased up to 4,000 km with a 1,500-kg warhead. The missile is made of the state-of-the-art more durable and light materials.

The missile is under development; – Agni III — a three-stage solid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile having the launch range of not less than 5,500 km with a 1,500-kg warhead, or 12,000 km for a 500-kg warhead; – Agni IV (or Agni III++) — a threestage solid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile having the launch range of more than 10,000 km with a 1,000-kg warhead. The missile is under development.

Indian media sources report that the Agni family missiles will be further upgraded by equipping them with satellite navigation sys-

tem receivers of either Russianmade GLONASS (GLObal NAvigation Satellite System), for which Russia and India have reached a fundamental agreement to operate it jointly, or Indian-made IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System) which should cover up to 35% of the Globe according to its Indian developers.

AGNI I MEDIUM-RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILE The Agni I is a single-stage solid-propellant medium-range ballistic missile fitted with a separable warhead and an inertial navigation system.

The development works over the Agni I missile project were started in 1994 immediately after successful tests of the Agni-TD/TTB ballistic missiles. However, after some time they were suspended and re-

sumed after successfully tests of the Agni II ballistic missile. It was revived on the initiative of the Indian Armed Forces who demanded urgent induction into service of a ballistic missile with greater flight range than that of the Prithvi missile but less than the Agni II’s. The range should be within 300–2,000 km. As a result of the design studies it was decided to re-engineer the Agni II mediumrange ballistic missile instead of developing a new one. Actually one stage was cut off from the missile, and the new missile became thus single-stage.

The Agni I missile specifications are as follows: length — about 15 m, maximum missile body diametre — 1.0 m, launching weight — about 12 tonnes, reentry vehicle weight with the nuclear charge — up to 1,000 kg.

Its reentry vehicle is identical to that mounted on the Agni II mediumrange ballistic missile. The Agni I missile with the standard-weight reentry vehicle (1,000 kg) has launch range of about 850 km. According to its developers, if fitted with a lowerweight reentry vehicle (e.g. 500 kg) the missile can have its flight range increased up to 1,200 km. The missile has the same booster and electronics as those installed in the Agni II ICBM. The first test flight of the ballistic missile topped with a 1,000-kg reentry vehicle took place on 25 January 2002. The missile was launched from a mobile wheeled launcher (so

Developers of the Agni III ICBM at their product

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AIR DEFENCE Agni IIITD intercontinental ballistic missile

Agni IIITD intercontinental ballistic missile

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called road-mobile launch). The missile flew at a range of about 700 km.

On 9 January 2003 the second missile was test launched at a range of 700 km. The Agni I missile launcher can be mounted on a railway carriage base.

The Agni I medium-range ballistic missile has sufficient flight range and combat power. Therefore the missile can engage any vital installations on the territory of Pakistan without having to deploy its launchers in close vicinity to the border.

Besides, the missile can engage targets on the territory of Afghanistan, Iran, and China as well.

By expert estimates, up to ten 200kT nuclear warheads for the Agni I medium-range ballistic missile have been produced and delivered to the Indian armed forces in the period since 1998 until now. Indian

ARMS Defence Technologies Review

sources report that the Agni I ballistic missiles are in service with 334th and 444th Missile Groups of the Indian Army.

The missile cost amounts to 3.5 mln USD. AGNI II MEDIUM-RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILE The Agni II is a two-stage solid-propellant medium-range (in Western terminology -intermediate-range) ballistic missile fitted with one separable warhead of about 200-kilotonne yield and an inertial navigation system based on Indiandesigned/Indian-produced laser gyroscopes. The missile development started in 1979 and was included into the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program in 1983.

The Agni II specifications are as follows: missile length — 19.6 m,

maximum body diameter — 1.0 m, missile launch weight — about 16 tonnes, reentry vehicle weight with the nuclear charge — up to 1,000 kg, launch range — not less than 2,000 km. The onboard missile equipment is integrated via MIL-STD-1553B standard data bus.

The developers succeeded in reducing length of cables and wires by 8 times compared with a 24-km long wiring on the Agni-TD/TTB ballistic missile. The Mk.2 reentry vehicle houses one 200–300 kT warhead (from the total weight of 1,000 kg, the warhead and antiballistic missile defence penetration means account for 750 kg, and the rest goes to the reentry vehicle structure).

The missile CEP is 100–200 m, but as some media have reported, the developers have been able to reduce it to 40 m by introducing new equipment (e.g. satellite navigation system receivers). Besides, the reentry vehicle of the missile can be powered by a high altitude-correction liquid-propellant motor. To avoid overheating, the reentry vehicle enters the atmosphere at a high incidence angle.

The A210 type powerplant makes use of solid-propellant engines in the first and second stages. The first stage booster engine is practically identical to that used in the AgniTD/TTB missile which, in its turn, was derived from the SLV-3 launch vehicle engine. The booster uses more advanced fuel with improved characteristics. Both stages are made of the 15CDV6 grade high-strength steel. The missile launch preparation now takes only 15 minutes thanks to the employment of the solid-propellant engines which allow for drastic reduction of the pre-flight procedures.

The new missile was first test launched on 11 April 1999 at 09:47 Indian Standard Time from the IC-4 launch pad of then new test range situated in the inner part of Wheeler Island off the coast of Orissa State at the range of 150 km from its capital, the city of Bhubaneshwar.

The ballistic missile was launched from a mobile launching unit made from a modified railway carriage resembling structurally a railway car-

AIR DEFENCE Agni IIITD ICBM test launch

riage/launcher in the Russian railway-mobile Molodets ICBM system.

The combat crew was accommodated in the adjacent re-equipped railway carriage.

The missile was reported to be equipped with a GPS receiver. The missile with a 700-kg warhead flew at a range of 2,100 km for 11 minutes and splashed down in a given water area of the Bay of Bengal. The missile development team confirmed that test characteristics and CEP attained were close to design estimates. They also validated estimated maximum flight range of up to 2,800 — 3,000 km for a “special configuration”.

It must be noted that on 14 April Pakistan responded with another testing of its Ghauri-2 medium-range ballistic missile. It was launched from Tilla-Jogian test range, 40 km from Jhelum city, Punjab, to SouthEast of Islamabad, almost at the very border with India. The missile flew for 11 minutes at a range of 1,400 km and fell down in a defined area of the test range near Jiwani city on the coast of Beluchistan state.

Pakistani specialists affirm that this nuclear-capable missile has maximum launch range of not less than 2,300 km.

The Agni II missile production started in small batches after its second test had been successfully completed on 17 January 2001 at Chandipur test range, Orissa (liftoff at 10:01 Indian Standard Time) The launch was performed from a mobile launching unit mounted on the wheeled chassis (tractortrailer). The range was always about 2,100 km. The main test task was to verify the ballistic missile accuracy at long range. Upon completion of the test Professor P. N. Aggarwal, head of the Agni programme, said that the results of the flight tests

confirmed that the objectives set before his team were fully achieved”.

India’s Minister of Defence George Fernandes in his letter of 7 March 2001 to Members of Parliament announced that the Indian Government took decision to start series production of the Agni II ballistic missile. According to Indian sources, Bharat Dynamics Limited can produce up to 12-18 missiles per month.

Speaking to the Parliament on 15 May 2002 George Fernandes intimated that the Government took the fundamental decision to form the second Agni ballistic missile group.

BASIC SPECIFICATIONS OF THE AGNI FAMILY BALLISTIC MISSILES Characteristics

Agni-TD/TTB

Agni I

Agni II

Agni IIAT

Agni III

First stage mass

10,800

10,800

10,800

20,000

30,500

Second stage mass

7,000

-

4,200

6,000

12,000

—

—

—

—

Agni IV more than 30,000 more than 12,000 2,300

up to 1,000

up to 1,000

up to 1,500

1,500 or 500

up to 1,000

Third stage mass — Reentry vehicle mass with up to 1,000 combat payload Missile launch mass, kg: around 19,000

around 12,000

around 16,000 more than 27,000 more than 43,000

up to 50,000

First stage length, m

10.3

10.3

10.3

12.0

6.6

6.8

Second stage length, m

6.0

—

4.8

4.8

4.2

4.2

Third stage length

—

—

—

—

—

1,0

Reentry vehicle length, m

4.0

4.5

4.5

2.6

3.3

2.0

Missile length, m

20.3

14.8

19.6

19.4

14.1

14.0

First stage diameter, m

1.3

1.0

1.0

1.2

2.0

2.0

Second stage diameter, m

0.8

—

1.0

1.2

1.8

1.8

Third stage diameter, m Maximum reentry vehicle diameter, m

—

—

—

—

—

n/a

0.8

0.81

0.8

1.0

1.8

1.8

1,500

850

2,800–3,000

4,000

n/a

1x200

1x200

1x200 or 1x300

Launch range, km Nuclear warhead yield, kT

5,500 (1,500 kg) 10,000 or 12,000 (500 kg) 1x200 or 1x300 3x200 or 3x300

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AIR DEFENCE In 2003 India’s National Security Committee endorsed the request of the Indian Armed Forces to form two additional missile groups: 334th Agni I Missile Group and 335th Agni II Missile Group. On 29 August 2004 the Agni II medium-range ballistic missile was again successfully test launched (third time in succession) from the test range on Wheeler Island. The launch was attended by the Indian Minister of Defence Pranab Mukherjee.

Experts estimate that in the period since 2000 until now up to ten 200-kT nuclear charges for the Agni II medium-range ballistic missile have been produced and delivered to the Indian armed forces.

The missile cost amounts to 4.7 mln USD.

GSLV Mk III launch vehicle

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AGNI III INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE The Agni III is the first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) developed and produced by the Indian defence industrial complex. It is a twostage missile powered by solid-propellant engines.

The Agni III ICBM specifications are as follows: missile length — 14.1 m, maximum diameter — 2.0 m, missile launch weight — more than 43 tonnes, reentry vehicle weight

ARMS Defence Technologies Review

with the warhead and antiballistic missile defence penetration means — from 500 to 1,500 kg, reentry vehicle type — monoblock Mk3 of 200 to 300 kT yield, maximum missile launch range — 5,500 km (with the 1,500-kg reentry vehicle mass) or 12,000 km (with the 500-kg reentry vehicle mass). Some media have published reports that the Agni III ICBM can be employed in the conventional, non-nuclear configuration with a 2,490–3,490-kg high explosive warhead. In this case the missile launch weight can be increased up to 48 tonnes. The missile reentry vehicle is provided with a fairing to protect the warhead from overheating when it passes through dense layers of the atmosphere. The fairing is entirely made of composites capable of withstanding high temperatures of up to 5,000 degrees Centigrade.

On 7 February 2001, when visiting the AeroIndia 2001 International Air Show, Dr. B. K. Athre, chief of the DRDO and scientific advisor to the Minister of Defence, said that the Agni III missile was planned for induction into operational service, and it would have greater flight range and improved combat effectiveness. However, it was only on 17 May 2006 that the DRDO leaders officially acknowledged the very fact of the existence of the intercontinental ballistic missile development programme: on that day the existence of the missile was revealed, and a short video footage about one of its tests was released for public.

The announcement of the new missile flight tests starting date was postponed at least three times on both political and technical reasons. Finally, on 9 July 2006 the first test launch of the Agni ICBM was made at the test range on Wheeler Island which turned out to be a failure. Since the first stage did not separate from the second one (there were also reports that the second stage separation had failed), the Agni III missile fell down on the ground short of the target area.

It is noteworthy that initially the developers planned to conduct only three flight tests of the new missile, considering the major-

ity of its components already certified on other Agni family missiles and having no need for re-certification. It could have allowed induction of this strategic missile system into operational service even in 2008. Since the abortive flight test has compromised prospects for successful implementation of the charted plans, neither military-political leaders nor the developing company hasten to fix the date of the missile induction into service. At the same time Indian experts have already expressed their opinions about the possibility to derive several new modifications from the Agni III ICBM, including: — Agni IIISL shortened submarine-launched version (approximately 12 m long, equipped with three independently targeted reentry vehicles); — a missile equipped with multiple independently targeted reentry vehicles (MIRV); — as well as a three-stage version with substantially longer flight range.

The Agni III missile has sufficient power capacity to reach and engage any vital installations on the territory of Pakistan as well as important targets on the territory of China, including Shanghai and Beijing.

AGNI IIAT MEDIUM-RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILE The Agni IIAT medium-range ballistic missile is a further development of the Agni II missile conducted under the Continuous Improvement Program for this missile family (“AT” stands for Advanced Technology).

The new medium-range ballistic missile modification features: – warhead with lower-weight nuclear charge (but with greater yield); – upgraded engine promising to provide increased launch range of up to 4,000 km; – first stage greater diameter booster made of higher-strength steel (250-M) enabling the fuelto-booster mass ratio to be raised to 0.88; – substitution of steel in the second stage body structure with new composite materials enabling the fuel-to-second-stage mass ratio to be raised to 0.92;

AIR DEFENCE – lower-mass reentry vehicle body fully made of composite materials (an option to mount the Mk4 type reentry vehicle, developed for the Agni III ICBM, is also considered).

AGNI IV INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE The Agni IV intercontinental ballistic missile is a follow-on development of the Agni III ICBM, featuring an additional third stage powered by a solid-propellant engine weighing about 2.3 tonnes. Its estimated launch range is supposed to extend to 10,000 km. The missile will also be fitted with a new independently targeted reentry vehicle 2.0 m long (instead of 3.3 m) comprising three independently targeted warheads and a set of antiballistic missile defence penetration means. There are plans to load the reentry vehicle with a lower-mass nuclear charge (retaining the same yield) developed during nuclear tests conducted by India in 1998 (under Projects Shakti-I and Pokhyran-II) The Agni IV ICBM specifications are as follows: missile length — 14.0 m, launch weight — up to 50 tonnes, reentry vehicle weight with the charge and antiballistic missile defence penetration means — up to 1,000 kg, reentry vehicle type — multiple independently targeted reentry vehicles; maximum flight range with full (1000 kg) combat payload — about 10,000 km.

SURYA-I/SURYA-II INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILES The Surya (Sanskrit for “Sun”) family intercontinental missiles are seen as advanced ballistic missile technology items. Data on these missiles are rather contradictory. Some sources intimate that the Surya II is another designation for the Agni IV ICBM. Other sources publish data according to which the new ICBM is derived from the Indian Polar Space Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

The Surya missile is supposed to comprise three stages: first and second stages powered by solid-propellant engines (modified versions of the corresponding PSLV engines),

third stage with a liquid-propellant engine derived from the corresponding Vikas engine of the PSLV launch vehicle (French design) or a cryogenic engine of the GSLV launch vehicle (Russian design). The missile will be deployed at fixed launch positions.

Flight tests were planned to start in 2009, induction in service is expected in 2015. No reports have been published so far about the beginning of this missile flight tests.

The Surya I/II ICBM specifications are as follows: missile length — 40.0 m, missile diameter — 2.8 m, launch weight — about 80 tonnes, multiple independently targeted reentry vehicles — two or three warheads of 15-20 kT yield each (or 200300 kT each, according to other data sources). The Surya I missile has maximum launch range of 5,000 — 8,000 km, whereas the Surya II ICBM from 12,000 km to 20,000 km.

A special emphasis should be made on the fact that Indian military and political leaders always officially denied that the country conducted works on the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles. For example, India’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaswant Singh said at the press-conference in January 2002: “ICBM is not our priority, nor our goal”.

Development ac tivities for the Agni and Surya ICBM families are implemented by the following parties: 1. Developer — Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India; 2. Ballistic missile manufacturer — Bharat Dynamics Limited, Hyderabad; 3. Developer of mobile launcher and transport-loader vehicle (excepting the Agni IV and Surya family missiles) — Research & Development Engineers (R&DE), Pune.

4. Manufacturer of mobile launcher and transport-loader vehicle (excepting the Agni IV and Surya family missiles) — Vehicle Research & Development Establishment (VRDE), DRDO division, Ahmednagar.

5. Manufacturer of the nuclear charge — Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).

PSLV C3 launch vehicle

GSLV Mk I launch vehicle

PSLV C3-1 launch vehicle

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LAND FORCES

Igor Stepanichev Lev Shvec

Weapon system for armoured vehicles (with kornet-e atgm)

KBP-DESIGNED MODERNIZED FIGHTING COMPARTMENT OF THE BMP-2 — AN EFFICIENT WAY OF UPGRADING ARMOURED VEHICLES t present, the development level of armoured vehicles signifies to a large extent the military potential of the country’s land forces. Infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) are the most widely-used type of the land forces’ hardware. Constant upgrade of the combat vehicles fleet is performed by means of developing novel combat assets and modernization of existing armoured vehicles.

The service life of the armoured vehicles is rather lengthy, amounting to 30–40 years. Many countries of the world are retrofitting the majority of their combat vehicles. The US is currently refurbishing its Bradley M2A2 IFV up to the M2A3 configuration.

The Russian-made BMP-2 IFV being the main CV of the land forces in many countries was put into service in 1980 and appeared to be superior to the majority of its foreign counterparts in terms of combat characteristics. Currently, the BMP-2 still complies with the modern requirements as regards its armour protection and riding performance.

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Analysis of current status and developmental tendencies of armament and fire control systems suggests BMP-2’s weapon system lagging behind the modern state of the art as regards several combat characteristics: • Guided weapon firing on the move and when afloat is not possible because of the wire guidance of the Konkurs missile.

• The Konkurs weapon system features low rate of fire due to launcher reloading. There is considerable loss of time during the reloading procedure, and the operator can get injured by fragments and small arms fire.

• Night firing can be conducted only by means of the automatic gun and the PKT machine-gun to the range of not more than 800 m.

• Non-automated FCS of the BMP-2 (the absence of the on-board computer, modern sights and target autotracker) makes it impossible to perform accurate firing and constrains the effective range of fire by the 30mm gun to 1100–

1400 meters. Considerable errors while firing on the move are caused by insufficient stabilization accuracy of the line of sight implemented by the BPK-2-42 sight rigidly connected with the weapon.

• Firing from the automated gun with 30mm rounds with flat trajectory does not allow engagement of hidden and entrenched manpower.

• Firing at air threats conducted by means of the 1PZ-3 target aspect sight basically has only psychological effect because the kill probability against a typical aerial target does not exceed several hundredths.

The lethality of the combat vehicle is determined by the weapon system, and it is improvement of the weapon system that enables to achieve the highest enhancement of combat effectiveness. The BMP-2 has large potential of evolution of the weapon system. KBP Instrument Design Bureau has solved the problem of enhancing the fire power of

LAND FORCES current BMPs that ensures their superiority over all existing IFVs. The retrofitting is performed on the basis of the standard BMP-2 turret with the 2A42 automatic gun (while retaining the hull and internal layout of the turret) within a short period of time. In terms of design it includes the following: • installation of two armoured launchers of the Kornet-E antitank guided missiles on the sides of the turret. Each launcher is for two ready-to-fire missiles and is fitted with stand-alone electromechanical elevation laying drives; • installation of the gunner’s combined sight (instead of the BPK-2-42 sight) with an independent LOS stabilization system. The sight includes optical, thermal imaging and laser range finding channels, as well as the missile guidance channel; • installation of the digital onboard computer with a system of sensors; • installation of the TV/thermal automatic target tracker; • installation of the 30mm grenade-launcher with an autonomous drive from the gun and a magazine of up to 300 grenades; • installation of the commander’s panoramic sight with an independent LOS stabilization system, which includes TV and laser range finding channels.

The weight of additionally mounted weapons and hardware does not exseed 500 kg, 260 kg out of these being the weight of additional ammunition: ATGM and 30mm grenades.

It’s worth to mention the realized principle of modular arrangement of the proposed fighting compartment.

The customer according to his own requirements under the limited financing can select the upgrade package variant: full or partial package. The sighting equipment and armament (panoramic commander’s sight, second ATGW launcher, grenade launcher) are installed additionally in the relevant locations of the armoured cupola and are connected with FCS by the cable joint to the connectors in the armour of the armoured cupola.

The upgraded BMP-2 with the advanced Б05Я01 (B05Ya01) fighting

compartment has the following advantages as compared to the standard BMP-2: • Thanks to the day-and-night FCS it provides the precise firing by all types of ammunition including newly developed, guided and unguided rounds against moving and stationary targets, engagement of all targets nomenclature in stationary position, on the move and afloat by day/at night including automatic gun firing at ranges up to 4000 m, Kornet-E ATGW — up to 5500 m and automatic grenade launcher — up to 2100 m.

• Kornet-E ATGW armour penetration increase up to 1000-1200mm provides the reliable engagement of advanced ERA-protected tanks (Leclerc, Abrams, Leopard).

Besides the HEF warhead of the missile destroys concrete fortifications and pillboxes. Targets engagement beyond the enemy’s effective response fire guarantees the upgraded BMP-2 victory in the fighting with tanks and IFVs. • Four (4) ready-to-fire guided missiles positioned in two (2) stabilized launchers of the upgraded BMP-2 significantly increase the ATGM fire rate. Here it is not necessary to reload the ATGM launcher during the battle that increases the survivability of the loading soldier and CV in whole because it doesn’t stop for ATGM reloading becoming the easy target on the battlefield.

• The use of TV/TI target autotracker makes it possible to increase by 3–6 times the tracking accuracy as compared to the manual mode. The man is excluded from the aiming contour, the firing results do not depend upon the gun-

•

•

•

•

ner’s psychophysical condition that is especially important under the stress conditions of the battle. The precise target tracking becomes the guaranteed performance which reduces the gunners training requirements and training period itself. The target autotracker gives the totally new quality to the FCS realizing the “fire-and-forget” principle when guided missile firing. In this case the missile cost is greatly reduced as compared to the missile with the homing head acting as target autotracker.

Kornet ATGW firing with elevation above LOS practically excludes the missile detection by the enemy.

ATGM laser guidance system with missile TV-lining in the beam guarantees high immunity to all types of jamming because the jam source cannot be in the IFV rear and can not have the same codes.

Salvo firing by two Kornet-E ATGMs in one beam is provided to penetrate the targets active protection and to have gurantee engagement of some highly important targets.

The automatic gun and grenade launcher fire accuracy (by all types of ammunition) is highly increased thanks to consideration of the most important firing factors: range to the target (to be measured by the laser rangefinder or introduced manually), CV and the target velocity and direction, wind speed, temperature and air pressure, charge temperature, round muzzle velocity deviation from nominal value, target elevation angle, roll and pitch angle, round ejection angle. Thanks to the digital onboard computer the fire set-

Weapon system for armoured vehicles (with kornet-e atgm).

Side view.

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LAND FORCES tings are produced automatically.

The effective firing range of 30mm rounds of the automatic gun is increased from 1100– 1400 m to 1800–2000 m.

• The BMP-2 AD fire effectiveness is also greatly increased: the kill probability when firing from automatic gun against usual air targets like “helicopter”, “assault aircraft” is increased by several times and is close to kill probability of specialized AD missile-gun closein systems, with less ammunition expenditure. Therefore the BMP universalization principle is successfully realized by giving the AD capabilities without additional costs.

• The manpower is effectively engaged at ranges up to 2100 m including behind terrain slopes and in trenches thanks to low ballistic weapons (AG-30M automatic grenade launcher with new GPD-30 grenades).

• Potential of combat operation of the IFV’s commander extends owing to installation of the panoramic TV sight with technical vision. Such a sight is installed in the BMP for the first time. The commander has panoramic fieldof-view in azimuth. The field-ofview in elevation is extended to 60°. The LOS maximal angular velocity increases from 5–6 to 20 degrees per second. This allows to increase the number of targets detected by CV in 2.5 times and

Weapon system for armoured vehicles (with kornet-e atgm).

Front view.

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also to raise the accuracy of target designation for the gunner in 10 times and completely duplicate the commander’s operation as well as to fire against aerial targets in the automatic mode.

Modernization of the BMP-2 answers the purposes of advanced IFVs in the next 20–30 years, and the modernized BMP-2 can be successfully used till 30–40-ties of the 21st century.

Modernization of the BMP-2 is comprehensive and results not only in ordinary improvement of some characteristics of the weapon system but makes it possible to create a CV with fundamentally new performance, which successfully competes with other CVs in the military market.

Calculations of the effectiveness of the improved and organic BMP-2 in combat conditions both as independent unit and while supported by tanks showed that the required number of vehicles can be reduced by a factor of 3.8 while keeping the same level of probability of successful mission fulfilment.

In terms of lethality the upgraded BMP-2 reaches the level superior to the possibly best IFVs like Bradley (USA) and Marder (Germany). The technical solutions used in the design of the Б05Я01 (B05Ya01) fighting compartment allow the BMP2 to outperform in terms of combat potential the American M2A2 Bradley IFV by a factor of 2.4 and its latest upgraded version M2A3 by a

factor of 1.87, and the cost of the BMP-2 retrofitting is much less.

The new weapon system is a part of the Б05Я01 fighting compartment, which, being a part of the BMP-2, passed all kids of trials with positive results according to programs coordinated by the Russian MoD. At present KBP performs serial production of the BMP-2 modernized fighting compartment.

The main part of the light weight CVs park of the land forces in some foreign countries is constituted by BMP-2 IFVs which are manufactured at local plants.

The proposed version of BMP-2 modernization was successfully demonstrated outside Russia. In 2004 a foreign crew trained within a day and a half conducted firing trials and showed the results comparable to those of the Russian crew. The trials were held with the BMP-2K commander’s vehicle, which was reequipped by joint efforts of Russian and foreign specialists within 15 days at a local plant without preliminary production preparation.

The Russian party delivered the FCS, Kornet-E anti-tank guided missile launchers, grenade launcher unit and cable set. Foreign specialists together with the Russian specialists dismounted the standard fighting compartment, upgraded the armoured cupola, and prepared mounting seats for installation of the weapons, FCS units including sights.

The fighting compartment was assembled, adjusted, the acceptance trials were held and the fighting compartment was mounted on the standard chassis of the local-made BMP-2. After firing at a shootingrange the upgraded BMP-2 was accepted. In 2003, 2004 and 2005 the upgraded BMP-2 successfully passed demonstration trials in various countries of the world.

Thus the advantage of the BMP-2 IFVs equipped with the Б05Я01 (B05Ya01) fighting compartment is high fire power and proven technology of the BMP-2 modernization.

Moreover, retrofitting of combat vehicles can be performed not only at serial-production plants, but also at plants, which repair armoured vehicles.

LAND FORCES

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Igor Ilyin

INDIA’S ARMED FORCES’ WEAPONS MODERNISATION PROGRAMMES IN 2009 In early 2009 India was estimated to be world’s major arms importer if judged by the confirmed orders logbook. The terrorist attack occurred in Mumbai on 26 November 2008 provoked even greater surge in India’s spending on purchases of both indigenous and foreign-origin weapons.

INDIA’S ARMS PROCUREMENT POLICY IN 2009 The terrorist attack in Mumbai made Indian Government reemphasize vital significance of the state security, enhance proficiency and equipment level of law enforcement agencies. Analysis of the terrorist act roots helped to expose loopholes in state security structure and propose a set of organisational and practical measures to plug them. The Indian Government approved overall allocation of 60 billion Indian rupees — INR (1.25 bn USD) for urgent procurement of arms, military and auxiliary equipment.

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In December 2008 the Indian Ministry of Defence proposed the Indian Navy, Coast Guard and Army to submit their requests for urgent equipment acquisitions under the defence capabilities improvement programme. The Indian Interior Ministry sent similar request to subordinate paramilitary and police units.

At the initial phase a high priority is attributed to the procurement of intelligence, surveillance and data collection systems, special anti-terrorist equipment designed for special-purpose forces, as well as high precision weapons.

High cost systems are procured by Indian Coast Guard and Navy (both

agencies were sharply criticised after the terrorist attack in Mumbai).

In late December 2008 India’s Minister of Defence A. K. Antony endorsed the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) programme for urgent procurement/lease of 80 high-speed interception boats available then in the market to carry out efficient patrolling of the national territorial waters, as well as establishment of six additional ICG coastal stations.

In January 2009 the Indian Ministry of Defence issued a request for proposals on delivering to the Indian Navy six new medium-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft to replace 10 obsolete BN-

MARKETS 2 Islander maritime patrol aircraft, and another one on setting up an efficient three-tier surveillance network in the Indian Ocean Region.

The Indian Coast Guard also plans to procure six additional maritime patrol aircraft.

The Indian Navy urgently procure the first batch of two Israeli-origin aerostat-based radar systems to improve the Indian Coast Guard’s capability for low-altitude aircraft detection/tracking within the range of up to 500 km. One such system costs approximately 20–30 million USD. This is the first contract for the procurement of such systems for Navy's purposes. The Navy has been applying for the procurement of these radar systems for a long time, but the approval is granted just now.

The Indian Air Force also intends to deploy similar aerostat-based radar surveillance system to protect the capital against low-altitude aircraft intrusion threat. The radars will transfer the acquired data to air defence missile systems positioned near New Delhi.

In 2004–2005 India purchased two aerostat-based radar reconnaissance systems made by Israeli IAI company, equipped with the EL/M-2083 phased array radar providing up to 500-km target detection range.

In the nearest future India intends to sign a contract for procurement of four additional Israeli-made aerostat-based reconnaissance systems capable of detecting enemy low-flying aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, and missiles.

The Indian Air Force plans to procure up to 13 such systems altogether.

On 17 March 2009 the Indian Ministry of Defence approved the programme for urgent procurement of Army weapons and military equipment, greater part of which was intended for the Ghatak commando units. Considering urgency of the supply order, the Ministry intends to purchase the required weapons and military equipment through the mechanism of the US Foreign Military Sales programme.

At the top of a high-priority items list one can find general-purpose machine guns (fitted with night vision sights), underbarrel grenade launch-

ers, 2,724 night vision sights, 6,908 mirror sights, 612 radio-controlled detonators, 372 remotely-controlled fuses (including receivers and transmitters), and 93 special-purpose parachutes.

Additional acquisition of the Heckler und Koch MP5 submachine guns is planned for commando units.

Besides, the Indian Ministry of Defence plans to procure new reconnaissance systems at the cost of about 3.1 billion USD. Worsening of relations between New Delhi and Islamabad frequently provoked India’s new rearmament planning. In the decade after the Indo-Pakistani armed conflict in 1999 in Kargil area, Jammu and Kashmir, for instance, India procured abroad an arsenal of weapons and military equipment worth 25 billion USD. Besides urgent arms procurements, the near-term purchases also will be substantially increased com-

pared with previously approved figures. As a matter of fact, in the coming 2–3 years India is going to procure weapons and military equipment worth 10 billion USD. India’s total expenditures in the coming 5 years for purchasing weapons and military equipment abroad are estimated at 30 billion USD (excepting urgent procurements).

INDIA’S MILITARY EXPENDITURES India earmarked defence expenditures for the 2009–2010 fiscal year (FY) that started on 1 April 2009, at the amount of 1,417.03 INR (about 28 billion USD). This figure is 34% greater than appropriations for military needs in FY 2008–2009. The defence budget growth is directly coordinated both with the Indian armed forces’ long-term modernisation programme and a number of urgent measures deemed necessary for implementation after the Mumbai terrorist attack.

Indian Minister of Defence A. K. Antoni and the US Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, February 2008

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9mm MP5-A4 submachine gun The augmentation makes up 361.03 billion INR relative to FY 2008–2009 defence budget figure of 1056 billion INR approved by the Parliament. However, in real terms the budget growth is 23.6% compared with FY 2008–2009, since during that period additional sums were allocated for defence purposes, and the defence expenditures went up to 1,146 billion INR. Such a significant budget increase is explained by the requirement for strengthening the national defence in connection with growing terrorist threats and tensions in the region.

As in previous years it was the Indian Army that received the main part of fund allocations (41% or 586.48 billion INR). The Indian Navy received 83.22 billion INR, and the Air Force 143.18 billion INR. The capital expenditures amount to 548.24 billion INR (one can compare it with 410.07 billion INR in the revised budget for FY 2008–2009).

The Indian Air Force has received the maximum amount of 200 billion INR, while Army and Navy have their share of 177.6795 and 118.7373 billion INR respectively.

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The India’s arms procurement funds for FY 2009–2010 have amounted to 11.42 billion USD showing a 14.2% increment from similar figures in FY 2008–2009 (10 billion USD).

The Army has received the greatest part of supplementary arms procurement funding among other military services. Funds allocated for this purpose have been increased by 32.5% — from 2.73 to 3.7 billion USD. The Indian Army particularly intends to procure 155-mm howit-

zers with the 52-calibre barrel, unmanned aerial vehicles through mechanisms of already opened tenders, mobile artillery regiment command and control posts, additional quantities of the T-90S main battle tanks, equipment for special-operations forces, antitank guided missile systems, helicopters, cruise missiles, and combat management systems, as well as to upgrade the T-72 tanks.

The Indian Air Force receives 4.16 billion USD for arms procurement which represents a 4.3% increase compared with 3.98 billion USD in FY 2008–2009. The Air Force plans to start initial financing of the 126 medium multi-role fighter procurement programme (the tender for their delivery is still going on), to purchase unmanned aerial vehicles, tanker aircraft, helicopters, standoff missiles, and upgrade the MiG-29 and Mirage 2000 fighters as well as air defence missile systems.

The Indian Navy has received 832 billion USD for naval systems procurement, which is a 4.5% increment compared with 796 billion USD in FY 2008–2009. The Navy’s procurement plan includes purchases of nuclearpowered and conventional submarines, surface ships, unmanned aerial vehicles, air defence missile systems, heavy torpedoes for diesel-electric submarines, maritime reconnaissance aircraft, and the P-8I Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

Research, development, test and evaluation activities have been funded with 776.6 million USD whereas in FY 2008–2009 it amounted to 644 million USD. The Defence Research

T-90S Bhishma Main Battle Tank

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Boeing F/A18E/F «Super Hornet» carrier-based multirole fighter and Development Organisation (DRDO) of the Indian Ministry of Defence is now conducting development works over a broad spectrum of defence systems and technologies, including a ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear charge over the range of 5,000 km, cruise missiles, air defence missile systems, aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

OVERVIEW OF MAJOR EVENTS IN INDIA’S MILITARY COOPERATION WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES IN 2009 In 2009 India signed conceptual agreements of great importance with Russia and the United States of America that will define her longterm mutual relations in the field

of foreign military-technical cooperation with both countries.

Russia. On 7 December 2009 Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed joint declaration following the official visit of the Indian Government’s head. They also attended signing of intergovernmental agreements on the military-technical cooperation programme for the period of 2011–2020 and on post-sale servicing of Russian weapons and military equipment supplied to India, as well as the protocol to the two-state inter-governmental Agreement on cooperation in development and production of multi-purpose transport aircraft (dated 12 November 2007).

Moreover, during the Manmohan Singh’s visit the two Parties came

Admiral Gorshkov (Vikramaditya) aircraft carrier

to a final agreement on the deadlines and cost of the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier upgrading, which became the main result of the negotiations. According to the reached agreement, the total cost of the work is set at 2.3 billion USD. USA. India and the USA saw radical changes in their military-technical cooperation in 2009. On 20 July 2009, as a result of negotiations held by US State Secretary Hillary Clinton during her official visit, India and the USA signed in New Delhi the End-user verification agreement (EUVA) and Communication interoperability and security memorandum of agreement (CISMOA) as prerequisites for protection and control of sensitive technology transfers in accordance with the US legislation. It lifted last restrictions that until then hindered relations of the two countries in the military-technical cooperation area.

India consented to substantially relax restrictions practiced by her on acquisitions from foreign suppliers in order to speed up implementation of the major arms sales contract with the Unites States. The Boeing Company which in early January 2009 signed an agreement on supply to the Indian Navy of eight P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, was freed from the offset requirement to invest 30% of the contract price into deals on buying goods and services in that country. It is a seem1(51).2010

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MARKETS tor pod, Javelin antitank guided missile systems, and Longbow system.

In the improved ambience of Indian-US relationship the company has also made offers for the delivery to India of the most updated version of its Partiot PAC-3 anti-air/antiballistic missile system, Aegis combat management system, and Mk.41 vertical launchers for Navy.

LockheedMartin C-130J «Super Hercules» military transport ingly weighty concession, considering the total amount of the contract worth 98 billion INR (2.1 billion USD).

In the long run Boeing wants to augment substantially its share in the Indian arms market. At this moment the company is promoting its F/A-18E/F aircraft, a contender in the Indian Air Force’s tender for a medium multi-role fighter. Boeing has also received a request for information on strategic transport aircraft to be supplied to the Indian Air Force, and has sent its proposal for the delivery of the C-17A Globemaster-3 military transport aircraft to the Ministry of Defence.

After winning the tender for the delivery of the P-8I Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, Boeing plans to propose the P-8 aircraft as a contender in another contest for the delivery of a medium-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft (MRMRA).

Boeing has offered the CH-47 Chinook helicopter as a contender in the Indian Ministry of Defence’s heavy-lift helicopter acquisition programme, as well as the AH-64H attack helicopter.

In turn, Lockheed Martin plans in the near 5 years to conclude defence-related contracts with India costing more than 15 billion USD. In 2008 the company signed with the Indian Ministry of Defence a contract for delivery of six C-130J Hercules military transport aircraft at a total cost of about one billion USD. 32

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Besides, Lockheed Martin has focused its efforts on winning in the Indian Air Force’s tender for delivery of 126 medium multi-role fighters In addition, the company will offer to the Indian Ministry of Defence military transport aircraft, helicopters for Navy, and missiles. Lockheed Martin is reportedly planning to conclude an agreement on joint production and modernisation of the AGM-114 Hellfire-2 missiles intended for employment from land-based and airborne platforms.

Feasibility of establishing joint ventures with Indian state-owned enterprises, such as Bharat Electronics Ltd and Bharat Dynamics Ltd, leading missile manufacturers, is also studied by the company.

Lockheed Martin holds talks with representatives of the Indian Ministry of Defence on potential deliveries of the Sniper target designa-

NAVAL ARMS NAVAL ARMS TENDERS FOR INDIA’S NAVY Tender for 6 Non-Nuclear Submarines The Indian Defense Ministry has launched the procedure of buying the next batch of submarines by issuing the request for six new diesel-electric submarines under an international tender. At present, the Navy and Defense Ministry are studying preliminary responses from Rosoboronexport, French company Armaris, German HDW and Spanish Navantia. The new batch of dieselelectric submarines is estimated at 300 billion rupees.

The Indian Navy wants the next batch of Project-75A diesel-electric submarines to have air-independent powerplants. The new submarines will feature the stealth technology and other promising developments as well as land-based targets engagement capability. The submarine should also have vertical missile launchers. All six submarines will be built in India in line with the technology transfer agreement to be signed with the winning bidder.

According to Project-75, India’s Navy plans to further acquire 30 new diesel-electric submarines.

Boeing C-17A «Globe Master III» military transport

MARKETS Tabar frigate project 1135.6

Project 28 Low-Signature Corvettes Programme By the end of December 2009, the Indian Navy planned to issue a tender for constructing four Project 28 (P-28) stealth antisubmarine corvettes. India’s Defense Ministry will let Kockums of Sweden, part of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, which has a large experience in building 650-t Visby-class stealth corvettes as well as Greek company Intermarine and Kangnam Corporation take part in the tender.

The first two Project 28 corvettes that will be soon completed were equipped with a usual steel sail, while the further ships of this batch will possess the sail made of composite materials.

The construction of the leading P-28 antisubmarine corvette is 80% complete. Its launching is scheduled for February 2010. The sail of the second ship is 80% complete. The Garden Reach shipyard has been building the ships since 2003 after signing the letter of intent with India. The initial project implementation period was violated as the designers were working on the stealth technology.

The cost of construction increased from 28 billion rupees (about $600 million) for four Project 28 ships to 70 billion rupees ($1.5 billion). The leading ship is set for delivering to the Indian Navy in 2012.

speed interceptor boat for the Indian Coast Guard.

In June 2006, India’s Coast Guard made a contract with ABG Shipyard for building 11 interceptor boats designed by Australian company Thorneycroft Maritime & Associates.

One vessel is estimated at 176.3 million rupees (about $3.6 million).

The whole contract is worth 1,939.4 million rupees (about $40.4 million).

All 11 boats are set for delivery by the end of 2010. In 2008, the company provided the Indian Coast Guard with two boats of this project.

Russia. Modernization of Project 877EKM Diesel-Electric Submarine In 2009, Russia continued its long-term programme of upgrading India’s Project 877EKM diesel-electric submarines.

July 2009 saw the signing of the working protocol for the refit and overhaul of the Project 877EKM Sindhurakshak diesel-electric submarine at the Zvyozdochka Ship Repair Centre. The contract worth $80 million is to be signed

in February-March 2010. The submarine will be delivered to Severodvinsk by a transport ship in June 2010.

The Zvyozdochka Ship Repair Centre has already upgraded 4 Project 877EKM diesel-electric submarines of the Indian Navy. It keeps on repairing and upgrading the Sindhukirti submarine in its base, the port of Visakhapatnam at Hindustan Shipyard Ltd. The contract for modernizing the Sindhukirti was signed by Rosoboronexport and India in September 2002. Its medium repair and overhaul is to be complete in 2011.

In September 2009, the Zvyozdochka Ship Repair Centre was appointed general contractor for the re-equipment of four India’s diesel-electric submarines. The contract between Rosoboronexport and India’s Navy provides for equipping four Project 877EKM submarines with Klub-S missile systems designed by the Novator Design Bureau. This system will be installed on the Sindhuratna, Sindhuraj, Sindhushastra and Sindhuvir submarines. The five-year modernization will be implemented at Indian shipyards.

Instead of six torpedo launchers, four submarines will receive the Klub-S system with a range of 200 km as well as advanced Indian hydroacoustic equipment and radio communications systems.

Russia. Project 1135.6 Frigates On November 27, 2009, the Yantar Baltic Shipyard floated out the first of three Project 1135.6 missile frigates built for the Indian Navy. The frig-

Visby class corvette

CURRENT PROGRAMMES CARRIED OUT JOINTLY WITH FOREIGN COMPANIES Australia. Licensed Construction of Boats for the Coast Guard In February 2009, Indian company ABG Shipyard ltd. launched a high1(51).2010

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MARKETS billion rubles. Its repeat tests commenced in July 2009.

Under the schedule, the Nerpa nuclear submarine will be put in service with Russia’s Pacific Fleet after the state acceptance. After that, the submarine will be leased by India for 10 years. The contract is worth $650 million. The hand-over of the submarine to India’s Navy is expected to take place no sooner than April 2010.

K-152 Nerpa nuclear-powered attack submarine of project 971U Shchuka-B

Scorpen-class non-nuclear submarine

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ate was named Teg. The programme stipulates the construction of three ships for India’s Navy. The rest two ones still kept on the slipways were designated Tarkash and Trikand.

The frigates are designed for searching and destroying enemy submarines as well as for antiaircraft and antisubmarine defense.

The first frigate is set for delivery in the middle of 2011, the second one — in late 2011 and the third one — in 2012.

The $1.6-billion contract for constructing three frigates for India’s Navy was signed on July 14, 2007 in Delhi.

In December 2009, the installation of weapons systems, namely two torpedo launchers began on the Teg frigate. The BrahMos superson-

ARMS Defence Technologies Review

ic anti-ship missile system had been mounted before its floating out. Also, the frigates are equipped with other advanced air defense and missile systems, gun mounts and bomb launchers. The first vessel is 70% complete.

Russia. Renting Project 971U Shchuka-B K-152 Nerpa Nuclear Submarine The Project 971U Shchuka-B K-152 Nerpa nuclear submarine was delivered to the Russian Navy on December 28, 2009. In September 2009, the third stage of the submarine’s sea trials finished. In early November 2008, the inadvertent occurrence of the fire extinguishing system happened during Nerpa’s sea trials and freon filled the compartments killing 20 people. The recovery of the Nerpa submarine cost 1.9

France. Scorpen Non-Nuclear Submarine Construction India will soon have to pay extra 20 billion rupees ($410 million) to French defense companies to prevent further delays in building 6 Scorpen non-nuclear submarines.

The contracts worth 187.98 billion rupees allowing for building six Scorpen-class non-nuclear submarines were concluded by the Indian government with French and Indian companies in October 2005. It was initially planned that the first ship of this series would be built in France and the rest ones — by Mazagon Dock Ltd. under the technology transfer agreement. Later on, it was decided, however, to manufacture all the six ships in India. In line with the contract, the first submarine is to be delivered in December 2012.

After that, it is planned to commission one submarine a year. Thus, the Indian Navy will receive all these six submarines by December 2017.

MARKETS

Admiral Gorshkov (Vikramaditya) aircraft carrier Since December 2006, diesel-electric submarines have been built at Mumbai-based shipbuilding enterprise Mazagon Dock under a French design. The investigations show, however, that the first non-nuclear submarine will hardly be ready by the end of 2014.

The French side has demanded to largely increase the cost of equipment and crucial systems. French manufacturers have almost doubled its cost since signing the agreement in October 2005. The talks on rising expenses and delivery conditions of almost all systems except combat ones have been carried out for over a year. Despite starting the construction of the hulls for diesel-electric submarines, manufacturing their internal equipment had not been agreed as of September 2009.

In August, the defense acquisitions council asked the government security commission to approve the growth of expenses on French equipment from €400 to €700 million.

Ka-31 and Ka-27 shipborne antisubmarine helicopters. It was planned to deliver the carrier to the Indian Navy on August 15, 2008.

The refit process, however, showed that a much larger scope of works had to be done, which raised the refit cost, too. Thus, the carrier delivery was deferred to 2012.

In addition, Russia asked to increase the contract cost up to $2.9 billion.

India has already paid about $724 million for upgrading the carrier in several tranches.

Talks on raising the cost have been held on different levels since 2007. In February 2008, India agreed to pay additional $600 million, but Russian manufacturers said this sum did not cover all the expenses. The final cost was agreed upon during

the visit of Indian Prime-Minister Manmohan Singh to Moscow in early December 2009.

In case of timely funding, Russia is ready to fulfill the contract obligations and deliver the carrier no later than 2012. At present, the ship is about 60% complete. Its factory tests will begin in 2010. The Vikramaditya will become the largest Indian combat ship and is expected to serve for about 30 years.

Italy. In August 2009, Italian company Fincantieri declared that India’s Navy had exercised an option for building the second oceangoing refueling ship under the contract signed in October 2008 after the contest also attended by Russian and South Korean companies. The first tanker is set for delivery by 2010 year-end. The second one is to be commissioned in the second half of 2011.

Fincantieri has already cooperated with Indian customers before. In 2004, it made two contracts with shipbuilding company Cochin Shipyard for designing the propulsion and transferring its production technology as well as rendering additional services for the construction of the first Indian air defense carrier. These works are underway now. In addition, Fincantieri supplied the Indian National Institute of Ocean Technology with the Sagar Nidhi oceanographic ship in late 2007.

MiG-29K carrier-based fighter

CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS SIGNED IN 2009 Russia. Renegotiation of Contract for Admiral Gorshkov Heavy Aircraft Carrier India will pay $2.3 billion to Russia for upgrading the Admiral Gorshkov heavy aircraft carrier to the Vikramaditya version.

The initial contract signed by Rosoboronexport and India’s Defense Ministry in January 2004 provided for allocating $974 million for refitting and re-equipping the ship and $530 million for 16 MiG-29K fighters and 1(51).2010

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MARKETS and improved ALH Dhruv advanced light helicopters.

LCA Tejas fighter

IMPLEMENTATION OF INDIAN NATIONAL PROGRAMMES IN 2009 Almost all Indian national defense shipbuilding project are being carried out jointly with foreign companies.

AIRCRAFT CARRIERS Aircraft Carrier Programme In late February 2009, the first national carrier formerly known as an air defense carrier was keel laid at the Cochin Shipyard enterprise.

Design works on this ship began in 2001–2002. It was initially planned to start its construction in October 2007 and field it with the Indian Navy by 2011–2012. The implementation of this project was, however, deferred due to insufficient experience of Indian designers and delays in deliveries of various parts and materials that could not be made in India.

Launching the ship was scheduled for October 2010 and its fielding — for 2016. The carrier’s effective life will be 50 years. More than 70% of the design was made by Indian companies. Besides, the whole ship will be built by India itself with 70% of its parts manufactured in India, too.

According to preliminary estimations, the national carrier will cost 32.61 billion rupees ($640 million), but this amount is expected to largely increase due to delays in deliveries and various technical problems.

The first national carrier will represent a 37,500-t vessel with a length

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of 252 m, width of 58 m and draft of 8.4 m. It will be powered by a gas turbine propulsion including 4 General Electric LM 2500 turbines with a total capacity of 108,000 hp propelling the ship up to 28 knots (52 km/h) and able to cover 7,500 nm (13,800 km) at a speed of 18 knots (33.5 km/h). The carrier will be armed with two batteries of the Trishul vertical-launch air defense missile systems and four 76-mm Super Rapid gun mounts. The deck featuring STOBAR (short takeoff but arrested recovery) capability will allow receiving short and vertical take-off aircraft including MiG-29K/KUBs and Harriers.

Under the initial plans, the new carrier will be able to carry up to 30 aircraft including MiG-29K fighters and Ka-31 helicopters as well as Indian LCA Tejas light combat aircraft

Kamov Ka-31 AEW helicopter

Repairing Viraat Carrier The only carrier remaining in India dubbed Viraat that was undergoing the overhaul in the dry dock returned to the Navy in autumn 2009.

The overhaul will allow it to be in service till 2015.

The Indian Navy required speeding up returning the carrier to the Navy due to the delayed delivery of the Admiral Gorshkov heavy carrier. The ship dubbed in India Vikramaditya was set for delivery in 2008, but its commissioning was deferred till 2012 due to technical and financial reasons.

The Indian Navy expects to obtain the first national aircraft carrier being built at the Cochin Shipyard state shipbuilding enterprise in addition to the Russian ship by 2015. This will allow discarding the Viraat.

During the refit at Cochin Shipyard, the Viraat was equipped with a new fire control system, navigation radars, improved nuclear, biological and chemical protection as well as deck landing facilities. The Russian Kashtan air defense missile gun system was sent for repair to Russia. Also, the carrier is equipped with the Israeli Barak air defense missile system and BraMos anti-ship cruise missiles.

In the long run, India plans to field up to 6 aircraft carriers.

DESTROYERS Project-15A Destroyers Programme In September 2009, Mumbaibased Mazagon Dock Limited

MARKETS launched the second of three Kolkata-class Project-15A stealth destroyers. The ship was named Kochi.

This ship is an improved version of Delhi-class destroyers being in service now. At present, the Indian Navy has three destroyers of this class dubbed Delhi, Mysore and Mumbai built in India under the Project-15 programme.

Mazagon Dock is currently building three Project-15A destroyers.

The total cost of the project approved by the Indian government in 2000 is 84.6 billion rupees. The draft design was elaborated by the Indian Navy’s Design Department.

The construction of the first Kolkata-class destroyer under Project-15A began in September 2003. The vessel was launched in March 2006 when it was 30% complete. Now, it is being equipped with needed systems. The third ship was keel laid in February 2006.

According to initial plans, Project15A ships were to enter service with the Indian Navy in May 2010, 2011 and 2012. Numerous delays, however, made the manufacturer defer the delivery of the first destroyer for 3 years till 2013. The reasons include insufficient funding of propulsion and shafts acquisition and technical problems with weapons systems, sensors and fire control system.

Viraat R22 aircraft carrier

INS Kochi Kolkata class (Project 15A) destroyer

One of three Kolkata class (Project 15A) destroyers at Mazagon Dock Ltd slipway in Mumbai, 2008

Project-15B Destroyers Programme In April 2009, the Indian Defense Acquisition Council approved building four new Project-15B destroyers under the Indian Navy Modernization Programme. This project is the evolution of Project-15A allowing for the construction of Kalkota-class destroyers at the Mazagon Dock shipyard.

The contract will be signed with Mazagon Dock in the nearest future, though the ship design has not been created yet. Four new stealth ships built under the national project are expected to have land-based target engagement capability.

Considering delays in Project15A, Project-15B will be probably deferred till a later term, too if the Navy fails to finish design works in time and place orders for parts and materials with a large production time.

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INS Tabar F44 frigate of Talwar class The key components for Project- ered to the Indian Navy in May or 15B ships including the propulsion June 2010. The tests, however, began have not been chosen yet. The con- three months later due to the sussiderable part of designers want pension of installing LM2500 gas turto use General Electric LM-2500 gas bines on the first of three Project-17 turbine powerplants and Western multifunctional frigates by General control systems as in case of Shivalik- Electric.

The frigate design was creatclass frigates being built under Project 17. Some experts, howev- ed by the Surface Ships Group er, insist that Ukrainian propulsion of the Indian Navy’s Design Department. The Indian governshould be installed.

To take the final decision, ment approved starting design Mazagon Dock has issued a tender works in 1997, but the contract for for detailed research and propos- building three ships was signed onals on adjusting the ship machinery ly in early 1999. The construction becompartment for LM-2500 turbines gan two years later due to changing instead of DT-59 gas turbines and specifications and problems with imRG-54 transmission made by Zorya- porting D-40 steel for the ship hull Mashproekt. The bid winner will from Russia. Mazagon Dock startwork out the project and will deliv- ed building the first frigate named er the needed equipment. The bid- Shivalik on the basis of the Talvarders are represented by US Alion class upgraded frigate on July 11, Science and Technology, French 2001. In April 2003, the vessel was DCNS, Italian Fincantieri and German launched. Building the second frigate Satpura began in 2002 and it was ThyssenKrupp Marine System.

The strong point of US-designed turbines is their assembling at the HAL-owned plant.

The Indian Navy’s authorities expect Mazagon Dock to tell them the cost of Project-15B, after which the sides will hold talks to agree on the final conditions. There were plans to sign the official contract by the end of 2009.

FRIGATES Project-17 Frigates Programme The sea trials of the leading Project-17 frigate dubbed Shivalik were to start in April 2009 eight and a half years after starting its construction. The ship is to be deliv38

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launched on June 4, 2004. The third ship dubbed Sahyadri was keel-laid on March 17, 2003 and launched on May 27, 2005.

The long process of equipping the leading ship was explained by the need to develop a number of new technologies and adjust the ship to new configurations of weapons systems.

In particular, the Kashtan shortrange air defense missile gun system was replaced by the combination of the Barak air defense missile system, AK-630M gun mount and missile detection radar, which required not only altering the ship design but additional design studies for communications, power supply and distribution systems.

The final weapons configuration includes one 76-mm Oto Melara Super Rapid gun mount, two RBU6000 antisubmarine rocket launchers with Purga fire control system, one 3S90 launcher of the Shtil medium-range air defense missile system and 8-container 3S14E vertical launcher for Klub-N missiles with the 3R-14N-17 fire control system.

In addition, the ship has four vertical launchers for the Barak-1 short-range air defense missile, two AK-630M shipborne artillery systems as well as CSN-56 Kavach trap launchers. Reconnaissance and detection systems include the Fregat M2EM three-dimensional radar with a detection range of 360 km designed for the Shtil air defense missile system, Garpun BAL-E radar for the Klub system, at least

INS F47 Shivalik, the lead ship of her class, project 17 frigate

MARKETS one EL/M-2221 search, tracking and targeting radar, two Rashmi I-band navigation radars by Bharat Electronics and, probably, Scout radar by Thales. Also, four Orekh target designation radars for the Shtil system are available.

The Project 17 frigate features low radar, infrared and acoustic signature. The Shivalik will become the first Indian ship able to use helicopters at a sea state of up to 6.

Mazagon Dock plans to deliver the rest two frigates of the series, Satpura and Sahyadri, to the Indian Navy by 2010 year-end (the ships will be probably delivered a year later).

Project-17A Frigate Programme In June 2009, India’s Defense Ministry approved the project of building seven stealth frigates by national shipbuilding companies. Its cost is estimated at 450 billion rupees ($9.24 billion).

The Defense Acquisition Council of the Indian government also approved this project declaring that the Project-17A programme should be carried out by state shipbuilding companies Mazagon Dock and Garden Reach.

The programme of developing and building Project-17A stealth frigates is part of the Navy’s plans to receive next-generation ships and further development of Project-17 Shivalik multifunctional frigates.

The Project-17 programme allows for the construction of 12 ships in total.

It is planned that the Indian Navy will get the first stealth frigate of the new project 3-4 years after finishing deliveries of Shivalik-class frigates.

In December 2007, India’s Navy sent a request for deliveries of new stealth frigates to nine leading shipbuilding companies including Russian, French, Italian, South Korean, Spanish and US companies.

It was initially planned that two leading Project-17A ships would be built by a foreign shipbuilding company and the rest five — in India under a technology transfer agreement. Official sources, however, say the DAC has not approved these proposals.

Deck of INS F47 Shivalik.

S14E eight-container vertical launcher for Club-N missiles is clearly seen.

Nevertheless, experts say a foreign shipbuilding company should take part in the project as the frigates will be built by a modular method with ship sections built separately and then put together. Choosing the foreign subcontractor, which will transfer this modular construction technology to Indian shipbuilders, India’s Defense Ministry is considering sending requests for proposals (specification) to French company DCNS, Italian Fincantieri, South Korean Hyundai, Spanish Navantia, US Northrop Grumman and an unspecified Russian shipyard.

The rarely high cost of construction ($1.3 billion) is explained by considerable investments into the modernization of production facilities of Indian companies needed to manufacture ships by the modular method.

TANK LANDING SHIPS Construction of Four Landing Platform Docks The Indian Defense Ministry plans to build four landing platform docks (LPD), which should join the Austinclass LPD-14 Trenton helicopter-carrying landing platform dock bought from the US Navy for $48.44 million in 2007 and dubbed Jalashwa.

In the nearest 1-2 years the Indian Navy plans to finish designing the LPD with characteristics similar to Jalashwa and ask the government to approve building a helicopter-carrying landing platform dock.

Tank Landing Ships Programme In May 2009, the Indian Navy fielded the fifth tank landing ship — the Magar-class large tank landing ship dubbed Airavat. Its construction cost some $100 million.

Helicopter hangars on NS F47 Shivalik frigate

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MARKETS The vessel was keel laid in Kolkata at the Garden Reach enterprise in 2004 and launched on March 27, 2006. The ship is the fifth tank landing ship built in India and the third ship of the improved Shardul class.

The leading Magar-class tank landing ship was designed and built in India in 1984 and put into service in 1987. It is based on US tank landing ships and the British Sir Lancelot-class vessel. The second ship named Garial entered service in 1991. In December 2001, a contract for building three new tank landing ships was signed. Two ships of this class dubbed Shardul and Kesari were built under an improved project and launched in April 2004 and June 2005, respectively. The Shardul leading ship was put into service with the Indian Navy in January 2007. The second ship dubbed Kesari entered service in January 2009.

The third ship, a more advanced version of Magar-class ships, was also designed for amphibious operations. It features modern weapons and radar systems and radically changed design.

In addition, in 2007, India bought Austin-class LPD-14 Trenton helicopter-carrying landing platform dock dubbed Jalashwa removed from service in the US. SUBMARINES Nuclear Submarines Programme On July 26, 2009, the first national nuclear submarine dubbed Arihant was launched at the naval base of Visakhapatnam. The submarine

INS Jalashva (L41) amphibious transport dock

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INS L16 Shardul amphibious warfare vessel was designed under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) programme.

Its development and construction is estimated at 300 billion rupees ($6.24 billion). Indian defense ministry sources say it will enter service in two years.

The Arihant is the leading of three nuclear submarines, which construction was approved by Indian authorities. Assembling hulls of the second and third submarines has already been finished and their stuffing with various equipment will soon start in the dry dock. The submarines will be fielded in 2015-2017. In addition, Indian authorities have approved plans to build another two nuclear submarines of this type.

The Arihant was jointly developed and manufactured by the Indian Defense Ministry’s Defense Research & Development Organization, Navy, Department of Atomic Energy and private defense company Larsen & Toubro.

Navy sources say this nuclear submarine will carry 12 vertical-launched missiles (perhaps Sagarika) and torpedo launchers. It will have a maximum submerged speed of 24 knots and a crew of about 100 people.

The prototype of the Sagarika nuclear submarine-launched ballistic missile was successfully tested in February 2008. As India’s Navy does not have any nuclear submarines so far, the missile was launched from a dedicated underwater platform (the exact copy of the submarine) near India’s south-eastern coast not far from Visakhapatnam.

Its operational range is 700 km.

Nevertheless, it is still unknown whether Sagarika is a ballistic or a cruise missile.

The launched nuclear submarine is already equipped with a powerplant, vertical missile launchers and torpedo tubes. The next stage will include checking the 80-MW nuclear reactor created jointly with Russia.

Purchase of Home-Made Small DieselElectric Submarines India plans to buy five small home-made submarines that should protect Indian coast from terrorist attacks. Small submarines will enter service with the special operation forces. Their crew will be 4-6 people.

The submarines will be able to dive deep into the sea. Besides, they can be remotely controlled and will be capable of attacking the enemy with torpedoes. Perhaps, India will double the order for such submarines and raise their total amount up to 10.

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ICGS Sankalp advanced offshore patrol vessel (AOPV) (46) BOATS AND PATROL SHIPS Saryu-Class NOPV Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels On November 14, 2009, the Goa Shipyard enterprise launched the second of four Saryu-class NOPV offshore patrol ships ordered by the Indian Navy.

The vessel is the version of the Coast Guard’s Sankalp-class AOPV advanced offshore patrol vessel adjusted for combat operations on the sea. Its main tasks are patrolling territorial sea, controlling sea routes, reconnaissance operations, protection of offshore oil fields and escort operations.

The ship dubbed Sunaina was keel-laid in September 2007. It is expected that installing its equipment will be over by the second quarter of 2011.

The Indian government approved the construction of three NOPV ships in March 2005 and included an option for building the fourth one, which was realized in 2006. The keel of the leading ship was laid in the end of 2006. Cutting steel for the third vessel began in 2008. The Saryu is to enter service with India’s Navy in 2010.

project. It is the largest and most advanced ship in service with the Indian Coast Guard. The lead ship of Sankalp class entered service in May 2008.

AOPV ships are being built for the Coast Guard by Goa Shipyard.

The ships are manufactured fully in India employing advanced technologies.

Car Nicobar Class Patrol Ships Construction Programme In September 2009, the Indian Navy received two Car Nicobar-class WJFAC (Water Jet Fast Attack Crafts) patrol ships. The Cora Divh (T-71) and Cheriyam (T-72) ships became the third and fourth ships of the improved series built by Garden Reach.

The first two vessels named Car

Nicobar (T-69) and Chetlat (T-70) entered service with the Indian Navy in February 2009.

The Car Nicobar project is an improved version of Bangaram-class (SDB Mk.5) large patrol ships also built by Garden Reach. Six ships of this class reaching a speed of 30 knots were put into service from August 2001 to September 2006.

By October 2010, Garden Reach should deliver 10 Car Nicobar-class ships to the Indian Navy. Three ships are under construction now, of which two were set for delivery to the Indian Navy in December 2009. Each vessel costs about 500 million rupees.

Garden Reach is also building eight offshore patrol boats of this class for the Indian Coast Guard and has already delivered 13 5-t and 12t patrol vessels to various law-enforcement bodies. After the terrorist attack on Mumbai, India’s Interior Ministry ordered 78 fast interceptor boats totally worth $26.760 million to patrol India’s coastline including 48 12-t and 30 5-t vessels.

ADVANCED PROJECTS USA. Lockheed Martin is negotiating with India’s Navy representatives on the possible installation of the Ijis air/missile defense system on Indian combat ships and its possible integration with home-made weapons systems.

ICGS Samrat advanced offshore patrol vessel (AOPV) (47)

Construction of AOPV Ships for Coast Guard In January 2009, India’s Coast Guard fielded the sixth AOPV Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel of Sankalp class designed and built

by Goa Shipyard Ltd. The patrol ship dubbed Samrat is the sixth AOPV ship and the second one built under the Sankalp 1(51).2010

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MARKETS ARMY EQUIPMENT ARTILLERY SYSTEMS TENDER BY INDIA’S DEFENSE MINISTRY Modernization of field cannons Modernization of field cannons is a major program of the Indian Army. According to the field artillery modernization plan, the Indian Army plans to import ready kits to assemble 3,600 howitzers somewhere between 2020 and 2025. The new equipment will consist primarily of 155 mm\52 cal towed, wheeled and tracked cannons as well as 140 155 mm\39 cal ultralight howitzers. Additionally, the Army plans to keep 400 45-caliber FH-77Bs and 180 Russian-made 130 mm М-46 Russian-made field cannons, which have been recently upgraded by Israel’s Soltam Systems to 155 mm/39 cal. The total value of the deal to supply cannons meant to re-equip of up to 220 Indian artillery regiments can reach $7 billion.

The Indian Defense Ministry posted a tender for superlight, towed and self-propelled howitzers in February 2008 to modernize and standardize its artillery inventory mainly comprised of Soviet-made pieces.

INS Cankarso fast attack craft of Car Nikobar class (T73)

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Towed artillery system tender The Indian Defense Ministry posted a tender for 400 155 mm/52 cal towed howitzers in February 2008.

The deal will include an option for licensed production of 1,800 cannons in India.

Eight companies were invited to take part in the tender. In January 2009, foreign companies submitted

ARMS Defence Technologies Review

FH-2000 155mm towed howitzer rival bids to supply the Indian Army were initially scheduled for the sumwith 155 mm/52 cal towed howitzers. mer of 2009.

It was as late as December 2009 A following evaluation showed that only the offers made by BAE Systems that the Indian government decidand ST Kinetics met the Indian ed to admit the Singaporean company to tests which now have to take Army’s requirements.

In June 2009, however, Singa- place before mid-2010. The Indian pore’s ST Kinetics was blacklist- defense Ministry announced, howed by the Indian Central Bureau ever, that even if ST Kynetics wins, no of Investigation (CBI) besides oth- contract is going to be signed uner six companies for alleged involve- til the CBI finishes its investigation ment in a corruption case featur- and all allegations are cleared. No exing an Indian defense enterprise’s pected date of investigation completop manager. ST Kinetics was on the tion have yet been announced.

ST Kynetics offered the FH 2000 investigation list along with Israel’s IMI, Singapore’s Media Architects, 155mm\52 cal towed howitzer.

Poland’s BVT, Indian TS Kishan, RK The gun, firing 155mm NATO rounds, International Machine Tools and HYT weighs 13.5 tons and has a maxiEngineering. The Defense Ministry mum towing speed of 80 km\h. announced a temporary halt in the The FH 2000 can fire M107 shells and negotiations. The towed howitzer ERFB Base Bleed rounds at 19 km and tender was therefore suspended for 40 km, respectively, and has a rate around half a year while the tests of fire of 3 three shells per 15 sec-

MARKETS onds to 20 seconds, while its practical rate of fire is two rounds per minute within half an hour.

Ultralight howitzer tender The Indian Defense Ministry posted a tender for 140 155mm/39 cal ultralight howitzers in February of 2008. The contract, which could amount to $740 million, is meant to equip two new alpine divisons with guns capable of supporting Army operations in mountainous areas. The Singapore Technologies Kynetics (ST Kynetics) has been the top contender until recently.

The project, however, showed nearly no progress in 2009 due to the current CBI investigation involving ST Kynetics.

The delay in the Indian Defense Ministry’s ultralight howitzer acquisition program allowed BAE Systems to compete for the tender, offering the 155mm M 777. Although the company had decided earlier not to offer the M 777 for the 155mm ultralight howitzer tender by India’s defense Ministry posted in February 2008 as it supposed to be failing to meet all the requirements, it has resumed negotiations. The current investigation involving ST Kynetics has made the situation rather favorable for BAE Syetems, as no other company in the world now can put forward an alternative offer.

ST Kynetics offered a the Pegasus 155mm\39cal light towed howitzer largely made of light alloys. The gun weighs 5.400 kg and has a maximum towing speed of 50 km\h and requires a crew of 6. The system can be carried by either C-130s or heavylift helicopters. The Pegasus can fire any standard NATO round, including M107s and ERFB Base Bleed rounds delivered at distances of up to 19 km and 30km, respectively. The gun has a rate of fire of 3 rounds in 24 seconds, a maximum rate of fire of 4 rounds per minute within aperiod of three minutes and a combat rate of 2 rounds per minute within half an hour. To-date, the Pegasus is operated only by the Singaporean Armed Forces. This gun is able to change fire positions at a speed of up to 12 km\h with the help of a 21 kilowatt diesel engine.

The investigation was bad news for the Singaporean company which delivered the howitzers and test-relevant equipment by a hired C-130 Hercules in late May of 2009. By the time the negotiations were halted, ST Kynetics had finished deployment of the systems.

The 155mm M 777 howitzer, developed by BAE Systems to replace the outdated M 198s, has better performance and has half the weight of the latter. The Ti and Al alloys have helped to reduce the howitzer’s weight to just 4,218 kg. The M 777 has a length of 10.2 m in fire position. Less weight means more mobility, allowing the howitzer to be transported not only by C-130s, but by medium-lift helicopters as well, which is important as the latter are on the list of India’s planned acquisitions. The M 777 includes a new digital fire control system (DFCS) but

fires the same rounds as its predecessor along with modern satelliteguided projectiles.

Self-propelled howitzer tender The Indian Defense Ministry put out a tender for 120 155mm/52 cal towed and self-propelled howitzers.

In February 2008.

In January 2009, foreign companies submitted their offers.

The project’s value totals $2 billion. Although prototype tests were scheduled for the summer of 2009, they are most likely to have been postponed.

CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS SIGNED IN 2009 France. In January 2009, the MBDA company confirmed reports that it had signed an agreement with the Indian Defense Ministry in December 2008 to continue li-

M-777 155mm howitzer

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MARKETS censed production of. The validity period of the new agreement is 4 years. The order was contracted to Bharat Dynamics Ltd. The Indian Army are planning an additional purchase of 4,100 MILAN 2T anti-tank guided missile systems. The contract price is Rs 5.92 billion ($121.3 million).

The contract stipulates that most of the component parts be manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Ltd alongside with other Indian companies.

Bharat Dynamics is also responsible for the final assembly of the antitank missiles. MBDA will supply some of warhead components.

The Indian Army has been operating MILAN AT missile systems since 1981. The second generation AT missile with a range of 2 km is licensemanufactured by Bharat Dynamics Ltd for infantry units and combat vehicles. In late December 2007,

Pegasus 155mm howitzer

Milan-2 anti-tank missile system

India abandoned the plan to produce the MILAN ER systems with an extended range in cooperation with France after having evaluated

the field test results. It was reported that in 2008, India signed a Rs 13.8 billion (around $300 million) contract for 15,000 Russian-designed Konkurs-M AT missile systems

by Bharat Dynamics. Production of Russian-designed Konkurs-M AT missiles was also contracted to Bharat Dynamics Ltd. The decision to buy a significant number of MILAN 2Ts was first announced by Deepak Kapoor, Chief of Staff of the Indian Army, at a conference of the Indian Army and Defense Ministry leaders in May 2008.

The MILAN 2T, developed by MBDA, is fitted with a tandem charge warhead allowing it to go through modern reactive armor. The modified MILAN 2T, equipped with an improved solid-propellant engine, tandem charge warhead and a new control system, has a range of 2000 m and a launch weight of 12 kg. Its warhead weighs 3 kg. A MILAN AT missile launcher requires a two-man crew and can be mounted on a tripod, a tank or another kind of an armored vehicle.

STATUS OF INDIA’S NATIONAL PROGRAMS IN 2009 Modernization of 155mm FH 77B\39 cal howitzers The protracted modernization of Indian Army-operated 390 155mm\39 cal FH-77B howitzers supplied by Bofors to 45 caliber is facing a failure risk because of the high requirements put for-

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FH-77B 155mm howitzer ward by the Indian Army’s Artillery Command.

India acquired the guns in 1987 and still keeps a total of 410 FH77Bs, intending to expand their effective range and add a capability to fire heavier rounds. Upgrades will include replacement of the barrel and breech, strengthening of the undercarriage as well as installation of modern sights.

Despite some Artillery Directorate members saying that the such a goal is almost impossible, the Army command has no authority to modify the specifications, which is the prerogative of the Defense Minister.

Detailed specifications made up by the Defense Ministry in 2006 remain unfulfilled. In early 2009, the Ministry issued a modified list of requirements, but BAE Systems, the manufacturer of FH-77Bs, said it was unable to meet them.

Out of 12 private Indian companies authorized to manufacture defense-oriented products, only TATA and Ordnance Factories Board (OFB) responded to the initiative. The top privately-owned defense company was among those who refused to participate.

Today, the Bofors-manufactured 155mm\39 cal FH-77B howitzer is the most advanced artillery system with the Indian Army. The $1.2 billion (Rs 14 billion) worth deal to deliver 410 such guns was signed by the Induian government and the Swedish company on March 24, 1986.

A corruption controversy sparked by the deal still haunts Bofors

20 years after, preventing the company from getting a contract to supply field guns to India. Although the FH 77B05 L52 offered by Bofors was the only contender in 2006 after the Israeli Soltam Systems and South African Denel were excluded, Defence Minister A.K. Antony decided to hold another tender.

Nag AT missile system The Nag anti-tank missile system went into mass production after stage two of its final acceptance trials met with success in the Rajasthan Desert in August of 2009.

Introduction of the missile in the Army was expected to begin by the end of 2009.

The Nag AT missile was developed by DRDO in Hyderabad as part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) launched in 1983. The program was aimed at developing a range of next generation missiles including Akash medium-range and Trishul shortrange surface-to-air missiles. Field tests of the Nag AT missile began in November of 1990.

The missiles will be produced by the state-owned Bharat Dynamics, which is expected to manufacture 200 units over the first production year. The output will be raised twofold over the following period. The Indian Army needs a total of 4,000 AT missiles.

The Nag AT missile will be fitted on armored combat vehicles and Army helicopters. In addition to the mobile version mounted on the NAMICA Nag missile armored carrier fitted with 12 missiles, out of which 8 fire-ready, the Nag family will include the Helina missile meant to be carried on ALH Dhruv advanced light helicopters. After the land-based version is fully developed, DRDO will focus on improving and testing of the airborne variant, which is planned to be mounted on a helicopter, carrying 8 missiles in two launchers. Initial tests of the airborne version are expect-

Akash mediumrange SAM

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MARKETS ed to begin in late 2009. The Helina AT missile will have a range of 7 km, a capability that the land-based Nag is expected to have after future modernization.

MLRS Pinaka upgrade program The Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) is working on an advanced MLRS Pinaka variant.

The Pinaka multiple-launch rocket system was developed in 1983

by Indian companies supervised by ARDE to replace the Soviet-made BM-21 Grads. The first prototype was ready by 1994, with tests starting in 1995. In 2000, the Indian Army raised the first regiment equipped with three batteries of Pinaka launchers, each battery comprising six pieces along with support units. Production is currently under way to equip another regiment as well. Simultaneously, research is being performed to improve both the launcher and the missiles.

A standard MLRS has a range of between 39 km and 40 km and can fire a salvo of 12 rockets in 44 seconds, covering an area of 3.9 square kilometers. The missiles can be fitted with a variety of warheads thus enabling the MLRS to destroy rugged installations.

ARDE announced that it is currently developing a MLRS-fired 7.2 meter-long guided missile capable of delivering a 250 kg warhead at a distance from 70 km to 120 km.

Umanned aerial vehicles are planned

Namica mobile platform (Nag anti-tank missile system on idigenous armored vehicle)

Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher System to be used to increase the firing accuracy. The new missile is expected to be displayed in 2011 and adopted by the military in 2012.

The Pinaka, built on the chassis of a license-produced Tatra-815 8x8 prime mover, has a combat weight of 8 tons and is operate by a fivemen crew. The system fires 214mm 4.95m-long non-guided rockets weighing 276 kg each. Every rocket has a 100kg warhead. A Pinaka battery is made up of 6 launchers, six loaders and a command station furnished with a digital fire control system and a weather radar.

INDIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY’S ARMORED VEHICLE TENDERS Tender for 500 new APCs To increase the capability of the Army mechanized units, India

plans to buy 100 infantry fighting vehicles to operate in variable terrain regions.

The Indian Army posted a tender to buy at least 100 IFVs, with the production of the rest of the planned 500 to be licensed to an Indian company as part of a technology transfer deal.

According to India’s Ministry of Defense, the Army wants to receive over 500 new APCs within five years to add to their inventory consisting of 1,500 Russian-designed BMP-1s and BMP-2s.

To-date, the Indian Army has 26 mechanized infantry battalions equipped with APCs with a capacity of 10 soldiers each. Some of those vehicles are also fitted with AT guided missile launchers.

According to the Indian Army’s requirements, the new APCs are to be air-transportable by both the currently operated Il-76s and the C-130J, which are now being acquired.

The weight and size of the new APCs should allow them to be transported by landing craft including the Jalashwa amphibious transport dock, originally Austin-class LPD-14 Trenton, and Airavat-class tank landing ships.

Light tank tender The Indian Army is seeking to acquire 300 light tanks to increase its capabilities in mountain areas over 3000 m above the sea level bordering on China and Pakistan. The Indian military needs tanks able to oper-

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MARKETS Sarat BMP-2 infantry fighhting vehicle

ate in urban and rural conditions, on mountain, desert and swampy terrain and in coastal areas to ensure superiority over a nuclear enemy.

An international tender is aimed at acquiring 200 wheeled and 100 light tracked tanks weighing up to 22 tons. Responses to the request are due to be submitted to the Indian Defense Ministry by October 30, 2009.

The light tank platform should feature modern communications and reconnaissance equipment. It is also has to be highly mobile and able to incorporate various modules to ensure operability in a variety of conditions and regions.

The tender stipulates that the tank be fit to carry multirole weapon systems including a cannon and a missile system to provide enough capability in peace enforcement missions during high-intensity conflicts.

Wheeled (preferably 8x8) and tracked light tanks should have a height and length not exceeding 2.8 m and 7.8 m, respectively, a low profile and high clearance. Tanks should also offer a floating capability and all-weather, night and day operability. The equipment sets must include protection systems against laser, infrared and radar homing weapons as well as NBC protection.

By now, most of the Indian Army’s 64 armor regiments operate T-72M1 and T-90S tanks, totaling 2,800 pieces. Around 11 regiments still ride upgraded T-55s, which are being gradually replaced by T-90S and modernized T-72M1 MBTs.

As for light tanks, they are most likely to be supplied to the two mountain divisions meant for deployment along the Chinese border in India’s north-east. Light tanks are easier to transport and thus to redeploy between regions with different climate and terrain.

Between 90 and 100 light tanks may be supplied to two new armor regiments, with another 200 joining the reconnaissance regiments of the two main strike corps of the Indian Army stationed stationed in Ambala (200 km north of Delhi) and Jansi (400 km southeast of the capital).

LBPV tender for National Guard The Indian National Guard’s tender for light bullet proof vehicles (LBPVs) received offers from seven

companies. No information is yet available on the exact number of vehicles to be supplied.

Three offers were reported to have made it to the final stage of the competition, including the new 4х4 light patrol armored car TUR 3 designed by Polish AMZ Kutno.

The TUR 3 vehicle was presented by Vectra, a partner of Poland’s Metaleksport-S, which represents AMZ Kutno in India. If the Tur wins the competition, Vectra will be the main contractor to license-produce over 500 such armored fighting vehicles (AFVs) in India.

The offered vehicles were put to an extreme conditions test in Kashmere in 2009. No information is available on the two other vehicles, though. The two unknown finalists, however, are most likely to include the American company Arotech. The winner will be selected until the end of 2009.

NEGOTIATIONS AND INTENTIONS Great Britain. In January of 2009, India’s Ministry of Finance accepted an application by Mahindra and Mahindra and Britain’s BAE Systems to create a joint venture to develop and manufacture defense products for both Indian domestic market and export.

The companies are allowed to invest Rs 289.4 million ($6 million) in the enterprise. According to the Indian regulations on direct foreign investments, the Indian company will hold a 74 per cent share

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T-72M1 Ajeya of the Indian Army

Light Armoured Patrol Vehicle Tour-3

RG-31 Nyala armored vehicle

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in the JV, while BAE Systems will get a 26 per cent stake.

The previous application submitted by the two companies was rejected by the Finance Ministry’s Commission on Foreign Investments in October of 2008, as BAE Systems was willing to get 49 per cent of the new company’s shares, which contradicted the actual standards.

Following the law, the Indian government made no exception in that case.

ARMS Defence Technologies Review

The new JV will be headquartered in Delhi, while manufacturing assets will be in Faridabad. BAE Systems and Mahindra and Mahindra planned to finalize the enterprise’s structure and begin production by the end of 2009.

Initially, the new company will be busy manufacturing add-on armor for Rakshak AFVs and assembling Axe all-terrain cars alongside with developing landmine-resistant vehicles for the Indian Armed Forces.

On its part, BAE Systems is planning to cooperate with Mahindra and Mahindra to assembly RG-31 Nyala vehicles in Indian territory .

BAE Systems has already delivered 165 Casspir APCs to India’s military.

USA. The MDT Armor Corp. of the U.S.-based Arotech an-

nounced in August of 2009 the completion of the development completion of a new C8 LWAV (Light Weight Armored Vehicle) meant for the Indian market. The Indiabased Concord Safety Systems joint venture, created by U.S. company Arotech and co-founded by MKU, India’s major armor manufacturer, and car body maker JN Group, was offered to take part in the competition to supply armored vehicles to the Indian Army. Arotech designed the C8 LWAV light armored vehicle for the tender. The first prototypes were made by Concord Safety Systems in Dehradun, India.

In the fall of 2009, the AFVs underwent field trials with the Indian Army’s Northern Command. Mass production of these vehicles for paramilitary units is most likely to be launched in the near future.

CURRENT PROGRAMS INVOLVING INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS Russia. On August 24, 2009, a ceremony took place at the Heavy Vehicle Factory (HVF) in Avadi to hand over the first batch of 10 T-90S MBTs (Indian codename “Bishma”) produced in India under a license provided by Russia, to the Indian Army.

The 10 MBTs were sent to the 73th Indian Army regiment for trials.

The enterprise is expected to license-produce up to 100 T-90S MBTs annually starting from 2010.

According to DRDO, every Indianmade T-90 will cost up to Rs 150 million (around $3 million).

The first contract worth $800 million (Rs 36.25 billion) to deliver 310 T-90S MBTs to India was signed in 2001. 124 tanks were shipped fully assembled, with the other 186 pieces assembled at HVF using the ready kits supplied by Uralvagonzavod.

In 2006, another deal was made allowing India to license-produce 1,000 T-90S tanks by 2020. On November 30, 2007, the Indian government signed a major deal worth Rs 49 billion ($1,237 billion) to buy 347 T-90S MBTs from Russia, including 124 fully assembled ones and 223 ready kits.

In May of 2009, India stroke a deal with Russia for an additional delivery of 50 Т-90S MBTs, which will al-

MARKETS low the equipment of two tank regiments until the end of 2009.

Russia’s Uralvagonzavod enterprise was to supply India with 60 ready T-90S MBTs in 2009. India also expected to receive tanks due to a new contract signed in 2009.

Russia completed transferring the MBT manufacturing technology to the Indian defense industry in late 2008, allowing India to launch fullcycle production of T-90s in Avadi.

The T-90S tanks will gradually replace the outdated T-55s and early versions of the T-72. The total value of the contracts signed amounted to $3 billion. The Indian Armed Forces expect to receive a total of 1,700 T-90S MBTs by 2020.

The reason behind India’s decision to buy T-90S MBTs is that the tank is a deep modernization of the Т-72 which has long been in use with the country’s land forces. The tank acquisition is part of the plan to raise 21 and 40 regiments outfitted with T-90S and T-72M1 Ajeya MBTs, respectively. The similarity of these models makes personnel training and maintenance much easier. By 2020, the total number T-90S and T-72M1 MBTs operate by the Indian Army is expected to hit 3,800.

STATUS OF INDIA’S NATIONAL PROGRAMS IN 2009 Arjun MBT program The year 2009 was decisive for the Arjun program.

In February of 2009, after a large number of adjustments had been made, the Indian Defense Ministry finally decided to adopt the Arjun MBT. The Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) is expected to supply 79 Arjun MBTs, made under the supervision of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), to the Indian ground forces by March 2010. The per unit cost of the tank is Rs 190 million ($4 million).

By now, the Indian Defense Ministry has a delivery agreement for 124 domestically-developed tanks, with 45 already supplied by June of 2009. The rest will be delivered by March of 2010.

To-date, the Arjun is a 60-ton MBT fitted with a 120mm cannon.

The tank has a body length of 10.6 m and a height of 3 m. it is 3.8 m wide and has a crew of four. The gunner’s sight, fitted with a laser range finder, is capable of tracking three targets simultaneously by day and by night. The tank features heavy composite armor, laser illumination sensors, a smoke screen system and NBC protection. The battle tank can also be fitted with add-on reactive armor when necessary. The Arjun is equipped with a 1,400 hp MTU engine and RENK transmission, and has a maximum speed of 70 km\h and 40 km\h on highway and off-road.

The Arjun can effectively engage targets with up to 450mm-thick armor at a distance of 2,500m with FSAPDS rounds which have a maximum muzzle velocity of 1,660 meters per second. The tank can also fire HESH high-explosive armorpiercing, ballistic and shaped-charge projectiles. The rate of fire is 6 to 8 rounds per minute. Secondary armament includes a coaxial 7.62mm Mg and a 12,7mm AA MG. By now, foreign suppliers account for 25 per cent to 30 per cent of the tank’s components.

In the coming years, India plans to reduce its dependence on MBT part imports by developing replacement components domestically.

Although a Rs 17.6 billionworth contract for 124 Arjun MBTs was signed in 2000, the Indian Parliament’s Defense Commission stated in 2008 that the Arjun

MBT showed unsatisfactory results during the customer’s winter tests in the Rajasthan desert in December of 2007. Army reports said that the tank needed a significant number of adjustments to meet all the requirements. In July of 2008, the Indian Army Command announced that it was not going to place additional orders for Arjun MBTs outside the 124-unit order from the Heavy Vehicle Factory (HVF) in Avadi.

According to the Indian Army, the Arjun MBT, though a modern tank to remain operational within the next decade, can not compete with next-generation developments.

India is therefore seeking to design an advanced battle tank which would be highly competitive internationally in the next 20 years.

DRDO, in its turn, is pressing the Indian Government for an order of at least 500 domesticallymade tanks to the Arjun program and to use it as the basis for next generation tank development.

The Indian top brass insisted on the adoption of the Arjun MBT despite despite objections from the Ground Forces which agreed to accept the tank only after the identified deficiencies are eliminated.

The requirements for the Arjun MBT were developed back in 1972.

In 1982, it was announced that the prototype tank was ready for field tests. The vehicle, however, was officially shown off as late as in 1995.

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MARKETS Yuktirat armored vehicle with advance antimine protection

Although the cost of the Arjun program development was initially estimated at Rs 150 million, the figure has grown to Rs 3 billion by now.

Improved landmine protection armored vehicle production program In November 2009, the Indian Army received the first batch of 14 Yukthirath armored vehicles with improved landmine protection from the IOF (Indian Ordnance Factory).

To-date, the Medak-based enterprise is busy working to supply 327 new armored vehicles to the Indian Armed Forces. The government, however, is ready to allocate additional funding to expand the order for up to 1,400 units.

The Indian Army and other services use AFVs with improved landmine protection extensively in counterinsurgency operations in Jammu and Cashmere, as well as in other regions.

According to the company’s spokesman, the AFV Yukthirath’s performance excels that of the previous versions, as well as of the South African Casspir APCs. The 12-ton vehicle was developed with Israeli aid is built on the chassis of the currently operational Stallion Mk.3 4x4 trucks. Just like the South African Casspirs, the new Indian vehicle has a monocoque body with a V-shape bottom offering protection against landmine explosions with a TNT yield of up to 14 kg and 10 kg under the wheels or body, respectively, as well as 7.62 mm bullets fired from a 10-meter distance. The vehicle also features bullet-proof windows.

The per unit cost of the AFV is Rs 10 million ($214,000), which is far below the pricing of foreign-made armored vehicles selling for up to Rs 30 million ($640,000).

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AIR DEFENCE/ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE SYSTEMS TALKS AND PLANS USA. India has entered into preliminary talks with the USA on the procurement of the Patriot PAC-3 air defence/anti-ballistic missile system. Talks that had been conducted for two years intensified in 2009, and entered into technical consultations phase. The US Department of Defense specialists presented to Indian experts the new system’s capabilities on its computerized model. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) experts attended at two test launches of the system’s interceptor missiles.

France. France intends to develop together with India a new shortrange surface-to-air missile (SR SAM).

Talks on this project are nearing conclusion. This well may be the Maitri project designed to develop a newgeneration short-range surfaceto-air missile based on technologies from the MBDA’s MICA missile and India’s (terminated) Trishul programme. The project cost is estimated at approximately 500 million USD. It is planned that MBDA will develop the missile, active homing head, and engine thrust control system The Indian side will develop software, flight control and monitoring system, and perform the missile final assembly. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will also supply for the project two 3-D target acquisition and tracking

Arjun Main Battel Tank

radars capable of simultaneously tracking up to 150 targets at a range of 200 km.

In 2008, when the DRDO issued performance requirements for a joint short-range surface-toair missile development project, was started selection of a foreign partner in the project.

CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS CONCLUDED IN 2009 Israel. In January 2009 India ordered 300 additional surface-to-air missiles for the Barak air defence missile system purchased earlier.

The contract cost is 480 million USD. The Barak air defence missile system is an up-to-date ship-borne air defence/anti-missile system.

The Barak system’s surface-to-air missiles are fired from vertical launch containers. Target interception is based on the radar command lineof-sight guidance principle. The system provides effective engagement of highly agile missiles at extremely low altitudes, cruise missiles, laser-guided bombs, aircraft and helicopters within the all-round (360-degree) sector. Its surface-to-air missiles are capable of engaging targets in any weather conditions by day and night within the range of 500 m to 10 km and at the altitude of up to 5 km.

The Barak surface-to-air missile has the following specifications: missile length — 2.5 m, body diameter — 0.25 m, launch weight — 98 kg, maximum speed — 1.6 Mach, war-

MARKETS head weight — 21.8 kg. The Barak air defence/anti-missile system (including missile containers, EL/M-2221 radar, and computerised control system) costs about 24 million USD. The Barak missiles systems were initially procured because of delays in the development of the indigenous Trishul/Akash system. The first Barak air defence missile system was delivered in early 2000 and installed on the INS Viraat aircraft carrier.

India’s DRDO and Israeli IAI company have been developing the Barak-2 ship-based air defence/ anti-missile system with the effective range of 70 km since January 2006. It is expected that the programme worth 26.06 billion INR (about 650 million USD) will be completed by 2011. The latest air defence/anti-missile system will consist of four basic components: — multifunctional surveillance and early warning radar with the operational range of 350 km; — weapons control system with communication links; — vertical launchers; — and two-stage interceptor missiles.

The new surface-to-air missile derived from the first basic missile will be fitted with an improved seeker. The new air defence/anti-missile systems are planned to be installed first onboard three INS Calcuttaproject missile destroyers.

Israel. In its official statement the IAI company informed about the conclusion of a contract on 27 February 2009 for the delivery to India of the MR-SAM me-

Lockheed-Martin Patriot PAC-3 SAM

dium-range air defence/anti-missile system worth 1.4 billion USD. Under this contract the IAI company shall develop and manufacture both land-based and shipborne air defence/anti-missile systems for the Indian Ministry of Defence.

Some payments due according to the Contract shall be effected in advance during the development phase, while the remaining sum shall be paid off during a 66-month delivery period starting within 90 months from the date of the advance payment acceptance.

This contract is the largest arms trade transaction ever concluded between Israel and India.

In accordance with the contract, the IAI company and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of the Indian Minister of Defence shall develop an air defence/anti-missile system capable of detecting and defeating enemy aircraft, cruise missiles and surfaceto-surface missiles at a range of 70 to 80 km.

The Indian Air Force will induct nine air defence missile battalion, each battalion including two batteries with the Barak surface-to-air missile launchers. Each battery will comprise the fire control centre, target acquisition radar, and three launchers with eight missiles in each.

The contract is a continuation of the Barak-NG programme started in 2006 for the development of the next-generation Barak shipborne surface-to-air missile (Israeli designation — Barak-8).

First tests of the Barak MR-SAM system are expected to take place in three-year time. The system is expected to reach initial operational capability in 2013.

The Barak is designed to replace the Indian Air Force’s obsolete S-125 Pechora-1 air defence missile system.

The Indian Ministry of Defence initially considered an option of procuring the Russian S-300 or US Raytheon Patriot PAC-3 air defence missile systems but having made its own evalu-

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Barak-8 SAM

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ation, decided to develop the indigenous system.

Within the framework of this programme India and Israel concluded a separate agreement on building a plant for air defence/anti-missile system components production in Bihar. The agreement cost is estimated at 240 million USD. The production plant in Bihar shall be built to design made by the Israeli IMI company.

Israel. In August 2009, after a lengthy evaluation period, the Indian Ministry of Defence approved the contract for the procurement of the Spyder new

ARMS Defence Technologies Review

mobile short-range air defence systems. It has outlined plans to procure 54 missile launchers worth 820 million USD for three regiments.

The decision to purchase the Israeli system was taken after the indigenous Trishul and Akash short-range air defence missile systems designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) had not met Army’s requirements.

The programme for procurement of the Spyder systems (which are planned for replacement of the Soviet-made Osa-AKM and

Strela-10M air defence missile systems still in service) has been elaborated for several years. However, the Indian Ministry of Defence has been reluctant to endorse signing of the contract because of a continued investigation of corruption cases against two Israeli companies — IAI and Rafael, related to the procurement of the Barak-1 air defence missile system worth 11.60 billion INR. Despite remaining suspicions the Indian Government has not blacklisted the Israeli companies and has continued implementation of joint projects that are vital for the national security.

Thus, in late August 2008 the Defence Acquisitions Council endorsed the signing up of an agreement for the purchase of the Spyder air defence missile system for the Indian Air Force. The contract for the delivery to the Indian Air Force of 18 Spyder mobile air defence systems was signed with the Israeli Rafael company on 1 September 2008. The total cost of the agreement was 260.05 million USD (about 11377,1875 billion INR). It was planned that the Spyder deliveries would begin in 2.5 years after signing the agreement and would be finished in four years.

The Spyder air defence missile system is developed by a consortium of two Israeli companies — IAI and Rafael. It is a mobile all-weather short-range surface-to-air missile system designed to detect and destroy enemy aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and precision-guided munitions. The system can be deployed to provide air defence of strategic installations including military bases, communication centres, nuclear power stations, governmental buildings, etc.

The inclined ramp launchers of the Spyder-SR air defence missile system mounted on a 6x6-wheeled chassis are designed to accommodate four missiles. The Spider ammunition load includes the groundbased version of the Derby medium-range air-to-air active radar guided missile, and the Python-5 shortrange IR guided missile. The air defence missile system can operate by

MARKETS locking on target prior to or after the missile launch with the employment of the fire-and-forget mode or in-flight target data correction.

The system’s reaction time (from target acquisition to combat readiness status) is 5 seconds.

A typical Spyder battalion consists of one mobile command and control post and four to six mobile launchers with the Toplite electrooptical sensors. The command and control post is equipped with the IAI/ ELTA EL/M-2106 ATAR radar capable of tracking 60 targets simultaneously at a range of 35 km and two operator panels with data transfer terminals allowing data exchange with launchers, adjacent air defence missiles systems, and superior commanders at a range of up to 100 km.

The Spyder-SR air defence missile system can kill targets within the allround (360 degrees) sector at a range of one to 15 km and at altitudes from 20 to 9,000 m. The system is capable of defeating both single and group targets by day and night in any climatic conditions.

INDIA’S INDIGENOUS PROGRAMMES REALIZED IN 2009 Akash air defence missile system procurement programme In January 2009 the Indian Air Force signed the contract with the Bharat Electronics Ltd for the delivery of two battalions of the Akash medium-range air defence missile system developed by the Defence Research and Development

Organisation (DRDO) of the Indian Ministry of Defence. The contract valued at 12 billion INR (247 million USD) was signed 14 months after finishing tests.

The Air Force had been postponing the signing of the contract since the Akash missile system did not fully meet the given requirements.

The Air Force would like to have more light and compact missile with greater operational range and manoeuvrability. The developers intend to continue upgrading this air defence missile system during its production and operation to improve its performance characteristics.

Spider-SR SAM on a 6x6 wheeled vehicle

Under the initial contract two battalions of the Akash air defence missile systems shall be delivered within 36 months. It is expected that in future the Indian Air Force will place orders for additional quantities of the air defence missile system for the substitution of Soviet-made systems. The Indian Army intends to procure the modified Akash systems as well.

The Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) started developing the Akash surface-to-air missile in 1984 under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program that embraced various types of missiles.

Initially 12 years were planned for the system development but, in fact, the works took more than 21 years.

The Indian developers remark that this air defence missile system is in the same class as the US Patriot and Israeli Barak systems, but it is a substantially lower costing one. The Akash surface-to-air missile powered by a solidpropellant engine has length of 5.78 m, launch weight of more than 700 kg, and warhead weight of up to 60 kg. The missile can develop a 600-m/ s flight speed and engage single and group targets flying at low and medium altitudes at a range of 3 to 25 km. The single-shot kill probability for the Akash missile is 85%.

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MARKETS The Akash air defence missile system includes radars, mobile launch units, command and control posts, and other support systems. Missiles can be mounted on tracked and wheeled chassis. The system includes the Rajendra multifunctional phased array radar capable of autonomously tracking 64 targets and guiding up to 12 missiles.

The Akash system will be manufactured by a group of companies under the management of Bharat Electronics Ltd, the prime contractor of the programme. The programme implementation will involve 40 subcontractors in total.

Some foreign customers have already expressed their interest in purchasing the Akash system, and for that reason the DRDO has submitted export clearance documents to the Indian Ministry of Defence and Foreign Ministry for endorsement. If approved by the Government, India’s defence industry will be capable of both satisfying domestic needs of the Indian armed forces for this air defence missile system and the missiles, and producing them on foreign customers’ orders.

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National anti-ballistic missile system development programme India’s anti-ballistic missile system development programme has made a serious headway in the last two years. Its major achievements include two successful launches of the PAD anti-missiles derived

ARMS Defence Technologies Review

Prithvi II ballictic missile

from the Prithvi short-range ballistic missile (PAD — Prithvi Air Defence) and AAD interceptor missile (AAD — Advanced Air Defence) which will make up the backbone of India's advanced anti-ballistic missile system.

In 2009 the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of the Indian Ministry of Defence started testing the Swordfish longrange tracking radar (LRTR). The LRTR is planned to be a target acquisition and fire control radar for the antiballistic missile system being developed.

India’s national anti-ballistic missile is under development for several years. Its main objective is to provide detection and interception of ballistic missiles both at exo-atmospher-

ic altitudes of 60 to 80 km and endo-atmospheric altitudes of 15 to 20 km. At the first stage the deployed anti-ballistic missile system should ensure protection of New Delhi and Mumbai. The anti-ballistic missile system will include long-range target acquisition radars, command and control centres, and batteries with interceptor missiles.

Missiles of two types are employed for interception: exo-atmospheric PAD and endo-atmospheric AAD missiles. The AAD missile will ensure intercepts at the altitude of 15 to 30 km. The PAD-2 anti-missile with the first-stage liquid-fuel booster and second-stage solid-fuel engine can attain flight speed of up to 4.5 — 5 Mach. The AAD anti-missile is a sin-

MARKETS gle-stage missile. Its basic specifications are: length — 7.5 m, diameter — 0.5 m, weight — about 1.2 tonnes. It employs inertial guidance in the initial trajectory and active radar guidance in the terminal leg. Launch is made from the launcher mounted on the Tatra truck chassis with missiles in transport-launch containers.

India’s national anti-ballistic missile system is expected to be deployed in 2015 provided that the test programme has been completed successfully and no financial or managerial problems have cropped up.

PROSPECTIVE PROJECTS India is planning to develop a laser anti-ballistic missile system to protect the country’s territory against ballistic missile attacks.

This system should be capable of intercepting and destroying missiles at the ascending trajectory leg.

An air-based/sea-based laser antiballistic missile system should be able to destroy enemy ballistic missiles in several seconds. The laser interception system will provide more time for the national anti-ballistic missile system to kill ballistic missiles launched from the range of 2,000 km.

Such technologies are being developed in several DRDO laboratories, including the Laser and Science Technology Centre (LASTEC). In particular, it develops an airborne laser system similar to the US laser-based ballistic missile defense system.

It is expected that development of the system to a series productionready prototype capable of accomplishing anti-ballistic missile missions will take 10 to 15 years. Such long time for the project implementation is needed since it must include development not only of anti-missile laser, but other equipment as well, including target acquisition and tracking means and their integration into a unique, smoothly functioning antiballistic missile system.

MISSILES & ROCKETS BRAHMOS CRUISE MISSILE PROGRAMME In 2009 main efforts of the Russian-Indian joint venture “Brahmos Aerospace” were focused on testing the BrahMos, Block-II upgraded cruise missile. On 30 July 2009 the Indian Army performed No.4 test launch of the land-based version of the BrahMos Block-II upgraded supersonic cruise missile in Pokhran test range in the western part of Rajasthan Desert.

Initial tests of this modification were held on 20 January 2009 but failed. After the missile control system algorithms had been updated the repeated tests were successfully conducted on 4 March. The developers reported that the missile hit the target at a range of about 40 km with the acceptable accuracy. On 29 March 2009 the Indian Armed Forces performed the third test launch of the BrahMos Block-

II missile from a land-based mobile autonomous vertical launcher, and the missile scored a hit on the assigned target in a multitarget environment at a range of 50 km.

Tests in July 2009 confirmed compliance of the BrahMos Block-II missile featuring the improved guidance system with the requirements of the Indian Armed Forces, and its preparedness for series production.

According to these requirements the upgraded cruise missile must be able to select and engage targets in multitarget environment (within a group of other targets) to increase its target engagement capability and reduce collateral damage.

The supersonic BrahMos cruise missile development programme was started in the middle of 1999 drawing on the Onyx II-800 missile design intended for underwater launch. To realize this programme, the joint venture (JV) “BrahMos Aerospace Ltd” was established by two co-founders: federal state unitary enterprise “NPO Machinostroyenia” (Russia) and DRDO (India). The first test launches of the BrahMos cruise missile prototype were performed at the test range in Orissa state, India.

“BrahMos” is a two-stage cruise missile with the following parameters: length — 10 m, body diameter — 0.7 m, launch weight (with container) — 3.9 t, operational range — up to 290 km, flight speed — 2.9 Mach. This cruise missile can car-

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Brahmos ASM mobile launcher

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ry a warhead weighing up to 300 kg.

Its performance allows it to fly at various altitudes from 10 m to 14 km at a speed three times higher than that of the US Tomahawk cruise missile.

At present BrahMos Aerospace Ltd has finished the development of several versions of its supersonic cruise missile. The land-based and sea-based missile versions have been successfully tested and inducted into service by the Indian Army and Navy. The airborne and submarine-launched versions are under development at the moment.

The Indian Army took delivery of the first BrahMos LACM (land attack cruise missile) battery in June 2007. The Indian Army plans to adopt in the near future three BrahMos missile batteries, each containing four mobile launchers based on the Tatra 12x12-wheel truck.

The Indian Navy retrofitted with the BrahMos antiship missiles several combatants, including the Rajput destroyer and two ships of the same type. There are plans to install the BrahMos launchers on three INS Project 1135.6 Talwar frigates being under construction at the Yantar shipyards (Kaliningrad, Russia), and Calcutta destroyers that will be build at Mazgon Dock shipyards in Mumbai.

On 18 December 2008 the Indian Navy made first test launch of the supersonic BrahMos cruise missile from

ARMS Defence Technologies Review

the INS Rajput type destroyer with the ship-based vertical launcher.

Previously Indian Navy ships fired missiles from inclined ramp launchers. The vertical launcher used in the tests was developed and manufactured also by BrahMos Aerospace Ltd. In contrast to inclined ramp launchers, the vertical launcher allows firing missiles in an all-round 360-degree sector. The canister-type vertical launcher accommodates eight missiles. Surface ships will be fitted with two such combat modules. In future Indian Navy submarines will be equipped with vertical missile launchers.

In early January 2009, two Indian Air Force Su-30MKI multi-role fighters were ferried to Russia for upgrading that would allow them to launch an airborne version of the BrahMos cruise missile. Flight tests of the BrahMos supersonic missile air-launched version are planned for completion by the end of 2012.

Testing of the airborne missile version to be launched from the IAF Su-30MKI fighter will be conducted in parallel with BrahMos Aerospase upgrading of a submarine-launched version of the missile.

Russian and Indian engineers are now engaged in integrating the BrahMos cruise missile onboard the Su-30MKI carrier-aircraft. BrahMos Aerospace Ltd managed to decrease weight of the airborne BrahMos mis-

sile to facilitate its integration with the aircraft. The cruise missile’s weight is now 2,550 kg, length — 8.3 m, and body diameter — 0.67 m.

If missile integration onboard the Su-30MKI aircraft platform is successful, there are future plans for a programme to retrofit with the BrahMos cruise missiles the Su35 combat aircraft and a 5th generation advanced fighter to be jointly developed by Russia and India.

In September 2008 Russia and India revealed for the first time their plans for joint development of a new BrahMos-2 hypersonic missile. The missile is supposed to attain maximum speed in the range from 5 to 7 Mach which makes its interception practically impossible. BrahMos Aerospace Ltd intends to complete the BrahMos-2 hypersonic missile development by 2013.

Upon completion of the development programme, the BrahMos cruise missile will become “a versatile cruise missile” since it will be adapted for launch from surface ships, submarines, aircraft, landbased silos, and mobile launchers.

In the next decade, the Indian Armed Forces can purchase up to 1,000 BrahMos missiles produced in different versions. Presently there are 14 countries listed as potential buyers of the BrahMos missiles. Yet final decision on what customers can purchase the missiles will be taken by the Indian and Russian governments. Until now no contracts for delivery of the BrahMos cruise missiles to third counties have been signed.

It is caused, in particular, by India’s intention to first arm its own Army, Air Force and Navy with this weapon.

BrahMos Aerospace Ltd plans to produce 50 to 100 missiles annually. During one decade the company can manufacture up to 1,000 missiles from which one half can be exported. In general it intends to produce not less than 2,000 BrahMos missiles for different customers. At present the Indian government has ordered for its armed forces the BrahMos missiles worth 2 billion USD. Detailed review of the Indian missile program can be found in the article entitled “Missiles over Hindustan”.