SP's Land Forces Issue 3 - 2019

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June-July 2019

Volume 16 No. 3

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The ONLY magazine in Asia-Pacific dedicated to Land Forces

>> LEAD STORY

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BUDGETARY ALLOCATION FOR INDIAN ARMY (2019-2020) Revenue Expenditure: `1,41,501.19 crore ($20.7 billion) out of a total of `2,01,901.76 crore ($29.5 billion) for Armed Forces Capital Expenditure: `29,461.25 crore ($4.3 billion) out of a total of `1,03,394.31 crore ($15.1 billion) for Armed Forces

CENTRAL POLICE BUDGET Revenue Expenditure: `87,411.95 crore ($12.8 billion) Capital Expenditure: `10,790.28 crore ($1.6 billion)

In This Issue Page 4 Target Precision Solutions

A systemic commitment could be created for Industry to contribute to military modernisation through a suggested concept of Corporate Professional Responsibility as a sub-set of Corporate Social Responsibility

There has been an endless quest for first shot kill accuracy by the defence forces for small arms, tanks, artillery, air defence artillery, air force and the navy.

Lt General Naresh Chand (Retd) Page 6 EXCLUSIVE Interview Jayant Patil, Whole-Time Director (Defence, L&T-NxT) & Member of the Board, L&T Page 8 Image Intensifiers — the Key to Night Vision Image intensification is the basis of night vision, and devices for increasing visibility in the dark are the key to night fighting capability.

Lt General Naresh Chand (Retd)

Defence Industrial Base and Corporate Professional Responsibility Global competitiveness for any nation has always been a challenge. Speaking of defence technologies and equipment, the competition gets tremendously accentuated due to the common competing space between developed and developing countries. The need to remain competitive in emerging global market is contingent upon three critical requirements – quality of product, cost effectiveness and timeliness.

Page 9 MLRS for Army and Indigenous Capability Modern MLR Systems can deliver concentrated firepower from different locations on to a single target by using navigation aids like GPS. Lt General P.C. Katoch (Retd) Page 10 Night Vision and Weapon Sight Programmes – Quest for Smart Devices One of the biggest improvements in weapon sight technology is the dramatic increase in the target spotting range. With contemporary sights, objects can clearly be seen more than 1,000 metres away, increasing the lethality of powerful rifles like the M249.

Lt General Naresh Chand (Retd) Plus News in Brief

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 Lt General ANIL KAPOOR, DGIS

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or India, which is emerging as a major producer of defence technologies and equipment there is a dire need for a major drive for capacity building through a consortium approach. This calls for availability of unhindered budgets to meet

the multifaceted challenges of developing infrastructure, capacities, capabilities, skills and a continuous development-operation cycle for timely delivery and regular upgradation.

Corporate sector plays a vital role in the economic development of a country, to the extent that the economy of the Nation depends largely on the achievements of cor-

porate sector. ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Government, coupled with opening up of Defence Industrial Corridors, has provided a new dimension and paved the way for both indigenisation and self-reliance. In the last two decades, the private sector in Defence has expanded immensely with even the DPSUs outsourcing more than 30 per cent and Ordnance Factories (OFs) outsourcing

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>> LEAD STORY

India is on the cusp of developing its defence industrial base thus the lead article on the subject focuses on building of the Defence Industrial Base and how the corporate sector can assist in it. The author argues that as the Corporate sector plays a vital role in the economic development of a country, to the extent that the economy of the nation depends largely on the achievements of corporate sector thus it can play a major role in leveraging the capacity building of India’s defence industrial base. ‘Make in India’

initiative of the Government, coupled with opening up of defence industrial corridors, has changed the narrative for achieving indigenisation and self-reliance. In the last two decades, the private sector in defence has expanded immensely with even the Defence PSUs outsourcing more than 30 per cent and Ordnance Factories outsourcing approximately 60 per cent of their production.

Defence Industries are doing direct investment in large and hi-tech projects through strategic partnerships, ‘Make’ projects and innovative developments in defence technology. Globally, defence technologies have always contributed immensely in driving the technologies for the civil sector. The author then stresses that as part of corporate professional responsibility (CPR instead of CSR), Private Industry could support defence forces in capability development, absorbing new technologies and promote selfreliance in defence technologies.

approximately 60 per cent of their production inventories. Defence Industries are doing direct investment in large and hi-tech projects through the provisions of Defence Procurement Procedures (DPP) to include strategic partnerships, make projects and innovative developments in defence technology.

World over, the Defence system have been an enabler for innovations and a driving force for new technologies. Indian Defence Forces have been closely associated with the growth of Indian Defence Industry by way of incubating and developing technologies and equipment, with dual military and civil usage. However, with the fast paced flow in technology development, coupled with the need to fast track product development to beat obsolescence, support by the industry is no longer a choice, it is a compulsion. While Research and Development has its own time cycles from inception of an idea to delivery of the technology demonstrator, it is also at a huge cost.

Consortium approach to developing technologies and technology demonstrators is the best way forward. The moot question is ‘How can we fund development of technology demonstrators for defence in an optimum manner?’ There is a case for considering Corporate Professional Responsibility as a sequel to Corporate Social Responsibility.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a concept wherein it is the responsibility of the corporate sector to contribute towards social, economic and environmental development, which creates positive impact on society, at large. The concept revolves around the fact that the corporations need to focus beyond earning profits and participate in social development. As part of Corporate Social Responsibility, the companies are required to annually spend at least two percent of their total net profit for social, economic and environmental causes such as public health, education, sanitation, livelihoods, water conservation and natural resource management. In the same run, the industry also owes ‘Corporate Professional Responsibility’ towards the National security and technology development thereby promoting two way cooperation for self-reliance in Defence Technologies.

The Challenge ‘Fighting Indian Wars with Indian Equipment’, is the mission enunciated by the COAS. This calls for a cogent technology strategy for ‘womb to tomb’ management

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He ends by stating that CPR will prove to be the corner stone of Industry - Defence synergy.

There has been an endless quest for first shot kill accuracy by the defence forces for small arms, tanks, artillery, air defence artillery, air force and the navy.

First shot kill accuracy prevents the enemy from taking cover/ evasive actions and also results in economy of ammunition. Thus the article on Target Precision Solutions is on direct shooting infantry weapons and how high accuracy is being achieved in day, night and all weather conditions. The author adds that a Precision-Guided firearm is a comprehensive, tailor made weapon system that uses the same tracking and fire-control technology found in advanced fighter jets or a predator drone.

Night vision is the technology what every soldier, sailor, airman and law enforcing personnel needs to operate in all weather conditions by day

of defence technologies and equipment. The conventional threats with inimical Northern & Western Borders, the ever increasing air space threats and the blue water Navy vision, the cyber and space dimensions call for a long term perspective of not only indigenous technology infusion but also a sustainable financial strategy. Corporate social responsibility has been a near success story in funding a large number of social upliftment programmes, as a Nation building venture. National security against both internal and external threats calls for enhancing the social securities of the populace. The challenge, therefore, lies in meeting the National security objectives through induction and propagation of indigenous defence technologies and equipment through Corporate Professional Responsibility programmes as a subset or concurrent with Corporate Social Responsibility. The opportunity for corporate Defence Industry by 2023 is expected to be of $95.1 billion. The aim of this article is to progress and implement an idea of Corporate Professional Responsibility for defence technology and equipment development with an indigenous flavour.

Concept Growth of Industry in India. There has been an ever increasing pace of industrialisation coupled with continuous drive for infrastructure development and creation of conducive climate for industrial collaboration. This is likely to result in rapid growth and expansion of the corporate business organisations in India. The corporate sector in India today is not only making significant contributions to the country’s economic development but also is playing a pioneering role in business diplomacy by extending their outreach abroad. India is at the cusp of becoming one of the largest growth engines in the world. Even though there is an overall growth of Indian Industries, at the core of this growth is the development made by Indian ICT Industry which grew with annual growth rates of nearly 30 per cent in the last decade. Apart from the Multinationals like IBM and HP, Information Technology Industry also has seen growth of successful Indian companies like TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL, to name a few, not only in India but also internationally. In recent past, Information Technology Companies like TCS and Infosys have emerged to be one of the fastest growing Information Technology service brands in the world with annual

and night. Thus in an article on Technologies of Image Intensifiers has been included. The advance developments in technology leads to ‘Sensor Fusion’ where the respective strengths of image intensifier and thermal imaging technologies are combined into one device. This type of sensor fusion has led to the development of new night-vision technologies and devices like the enhanced night-vision goggle (ENVG) that combines a thermal imager with an image intensifier.

The last article in the triad on all weather, day and night sighting and surveillance systems, explores some of the programmes which are under progress in this field. As usual the global leader is US and the US Army where they have given the development charter to four leading companies in the world to develop the best sighting and surveillance systems in the world.

The article on Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS)

growth rates of upto 14 per cent. Infosys has grown incrementally from being a United States of America $250 worth company in 1981 to whooping United States of America $11.12 billion in 2018. The young entrepreneurs and startups have added to the exponential growth of the Information Technology Industry.

Industry – Defence Forces Synergy.

Defence Industrial Bases/Corridors have been a huge enabler in all Nations producing defence equipment due to the huge potential in their development for self-reliance, both for internal and external security threats, proliferation through exports and dual civil-military usage. It is well known fact that all best practices of management being embraced by the Corporate World emanated from Defence. Internet and its world wide web visage has been developed

by DARPA in United Nations of America, based on a need to network defence forces

As part of Corporate Professional Responsibility, Industry could support Defence Forces in capabilities development, ingesting new technologies and promote defence technologies self-reliance within defence forces.

In times to come, CPR will prove to be the corner stone of Industry - Defence synergy and is the ‘Way Forward’ for sustained inclusive growth of Industry and Defence Forces of India.

gives an overview of such systems and what India has developed. DRDO’s Pinaka MLRS is in service with the Indian Artillery. Pinaka MkI has a range of 40 km and MkII a range of 75 km. It can fire a salvo of 12 rockets in 44 seconds. Pinaka was successfully employed during Kargil operations. India also has Smerch and BM-21, both of Russian origin. Anybody who has been under the fire of MLRS can explain the type of terror effect its full salvo creates.

As usual this issue ends with the News Digest. Wish you all discerning readers ‘Happy Reading’ and a favourable budget.

Jayant Baranwal Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

with operating bases beyond the frontiers of United Nations of America, popularly called as Out of Area Contingency.

The conventional and hybrid security threat faced by security forces in India make it a ready test bed for defence technologies and the defence industry the world over evinces huge interest in collaborating strategic partnerships with India. Defence Forces, therefore, need to support the Industry by helping them understand specific user requirements which until now were not clearly available in open domain. There is also a need to cater for military facilities and trained manpower for trials and testing of technologies under field conditions. Today’s Defence Industry being in nascent stages of development needs hand holding and support from the defence forces to be able to establish itself not only in India, but across the world. The cost of seeding, incubating, prototyping and productioning defence technologies, in general, and defence equipment in particular, is multifaceted technology and a huge cost centre. It is for this reason of system engineering complexities that a consortium comprising big industrial houses, MSME, SMEs and startups have to form a defence industrial base for effectiveness and productivity. Add to this the life cycle upgrades, maintenance and sustenance which will need skills and spares. This relationship of the defence forces with the Industry calls for an arrangement on the lines of or a subset of ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ promulgated by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, as ‘Corporate Professional Responsibility’. The moot question of course is, “Should Nation building and security apparatus form part of Corporate Social Responsibility?” To my mind the answer is yes.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The concept of ‘Corporate Social Responsibility revolves around the ‘Give and Take’ kind of relationship of the Industry with its environment and society. As mentioned by United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Corporate Social Responsibility is generally understood as being the way through which a company achieves a balance of social, economic and environmental imperatives, while at the same time addressing the expectations of shareholders and stakeholders. It is a corporate initiative to assess and take responsible for the company’s effects on the environment and impact on social welfare. Corporate Social Responsibility is not a new concept in India. However,

>> LEAD STORY / letter from the prime minister the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India has notified the Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013 along with Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Rules 2014 and other notifications related thereto which makes it mandatory (with effect from 1st April, 2014). As part of Corporate Social Responsibility the companies are required to annually spend at least two per cent of their total net profit for social, economic and environmental cause such as public health, education, sanitation, livelihoods, water conservation, gender equality, vocational skill development and natural resource management. There is a case to include defence technology development, as a stated policy for Corporate Social Responsibility.

SP Guide Publications is privileged to share this communication received from Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a response to our Chairman & Managing Director’s congratulatory message to him.

We at SP’s, do look forward to Hon’ble Prime Minister’s every key step towards making a better and happier tomorrow for our country!

Corporate Professional Responsibility (CPR) The Idea. Indian Defence Forces have been partnering the growth of Indian Defence Industry by means of providing support and technical assistance for understanding the user requirements and conduct of trials. On the lines of Corporate Social Responsibility concept, it is proposed to introduce concept of ‘Corporate Professional Responsibility’ for Indian Defence Industry. The Defence Procurement Procedure allows, under the MakeII, provisions to include Strategic Partnership and Suo Moto proposals by industry/individuals, to leverage industry participation in design development, trials and production of defence equipment. As part of Corporate Social Responsibility, Defence Industries would be mandated to spend atleast one percent of their Corporate Social Responsibility Kitty for undertaking Research and Development Projects, development of Proof of Concepts (PoC), Skill Development within Defence Forces or any other associated activity aimed at technological advancement (dual use technologies included) and capability development of Defence Forces.

Contours of Corporate Professional Responsibility. Contours recommended for implementation of Corporate Professional Responsibility, are as given below.

However, these are only suggested options, which may be appropriately be re-visited. l Applicability. The provisions of the Corporate Professional Responsibility shall be applicable to companies involved in or seeking to invest in Defence production having Net worth of `500 crore more; or turnover of `1,000 crore more; or net profit of `5 crore more during any financial year. l Minimum Expenditure on Corporate Professional Responsibility. All applicable companies shall spend, in every financial year, at least one per cent on Corporate Professional Responsibility, of the average net profits of the company made during the three immediately preceding financial years, in pursuance of its Corporate Professional Responsibility (as a subset of Corporate Social Responsibility which is 2 per cent). l Corporate Professional Responsibility Activities. In order to achieve the desired growth in Defence sector, synergy of Industry and Defence Forces is inevitable. Corporate Professional Responsibility will further strengthen this Industry - Defence association as both the stakeholders will be the benefactors of the overall growth of the sector. The following road map would need to be prepared and accomplished as part of Corporate Professional Responsibility activity:

– Identifying the long, medium to short term for defence technologies.

– Development of Proof on Concepts and Minimum Viable Projects for identified high technology Projects.

– Development of Pilot Projects for identified Projects by Defence

Áèkku ea=h

Prime Minister New Delhi 14, Jyaistha, 1941 Saka 4th June, 2019 Shri J Baranwal Ji, Thank you for your congratulatory message on the historic success of the BJP and NDA in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Through the verdict, 130 crore Indians have reaffirmed their unwavering faith in politics of development and good governance. The people of India have voted for a strong and stable Government, which can fulfil the aspirations of India’s youth.

Over the last five years, the NDA Government has taken path-breaking and futuristic decisions that have brought a positive difference in people’s lives.

The stupendous work in the last 5 years convinces me that with the right effort and determination, the impossible can become possible.

You would be happy to know that we are hitting the ground running from the word go. After-all, there is a lot to be done. By 2022, we want every Indian to havea home. We also want the income of farmers to be doubled. The Government has extensive plans to make India a 5 trillion dollar economy. To harness the potential of our youth, we want to make India the top start-up destination in the world.

Guided by ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’, we will continue to make development a mass movement and provide progressive, development oriented and corruption free governance to build a strong, prosperous and inclusive India.

Yours,

(Narendra Modi)

Shri J Baranwal A-133, Arjun Nagar Opp. Defence Colony New Delhi 110003

Forces including Suo Moto proposals.

– Invest in Joint Research & Development Projects identified by Defence Forces.

– Provide consultancy support to Defence forces on tech issues.

– Project oriented MoUs and strategic partnership for technology.

– Special Technical Assistance like Customised Secure Application Software Development and Information Communication Technology Support.

– Skill Development within Defence Forces in hi-tech fields.

– Establishment and running of Centre of Excellence in Contemporary technology Fields. l Implementation.

– The investment in Corporate Professional Responsibility should be technology/project based.

– Technologies/project activi-

ties identified under Corporate Professional Responsibility will be implemented by specialised designated agencies, companies industry, academia and startups.

– Specialised Agencies may work singly or in tandem with other agencies based of MoUs. – For every project, time framed periodic milestones should be finalised at the outset and have a joint project management structure comprising defence subject matter experts (champion) of industry representatives.

Conclusion India has a great opportunity to change the status quo and become a key player in the global Defence Industry. The implementation of the announced policy changes coupled with a mind-set shift toward the private sector from only DPSUs will go a long way in setting the tone for the growth trajectory. To make this happen, it is important that there

is a close collaboration between the Defence Force and the Industry.

As discussed, Industries are expecting huge amount of support from Defence Forces to assist them in establishing in the field of indigenous Defence production. As part of Corporate Professional Responsibility, Industry could support Defence Forces in capabilities development, ingesting new technologies and promote defence technologies self-reliance within defence forces. In times to come, CPR will prove to be the corner stone of Industry - Defence synergy and is the ‘Way Forward’ for sustained inclusive growth of Industry and Defence Forces of India. SP The writer is the current Director General Information Systems, Indian Army.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of any organisation of the Government of India. The publication of this article does not convey official endorsement of it’s content.

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>> Precision Targeting

Target Precision Solutions There has been an endless quest for first shot kill accuracy by the defence forces for small arms, tanks, artillery, air defence artillery, air force and the navy. First shot kill accuracy prevents the enemy from taking cover/evasive actions and also results in economy of ammunition.  Lt GenEral Naresh Chand (Retd)

T

his article is on land based direct shooting infantry weapons and how high accuracy is being achieved in day, night and all weather conditions.

Safran’s Portable Optronics for Infantry

The portable optronics systems developed by Safran Electronics & Defense and its Swiss subsidiary, Vectronix AG, are designed for combat missions in your armed forces, in particular for the infantry and special forces. They allow both overt and infrared surveillance, search, aim, identification, and target designation. Modular and interoperable, the binoculars with multiple functions (JIM, MOSKITO, etc.), such as weapon sights (SWORD, NITESPOT, etc.) have built-in high-tech devices (sensors, GPS, etc.). Designed to be interconnected with your telecommunications networks, this equipment gives you the full benefit of an easy to use man-machine interface, perfectly adapted for use on all field operations.

Example of one of their products is:

SWORD Medium: Thermal weapon sight for rifles and machine-guns The SWORD Medium thermal weapon sight, which is perfectly adapted to long-term observation, optimises the accuracy and effectiveness of the weapon regardless of the firing conditions and constraints, however severe.

Based on an uncooled infrared sensor, this sight is compact and light as well as quick and easy to use. Mounted on a light machinegun, marksman rifle or sniper rifle, SWORD Medium lets the user engage targets at a distance of more than 800m, both during the day and at night. Accuracy is guaranteed by the stability of the axis and an advanced reticle (adaptable on request). Powered by standard AA batteries, SWORD Medium guarantees a long period of autonomy. Thermal imager has a Waveband: 8-12 μ,m Uncooled sensor, Resolution: 640x480, Field of View: 10.6°x8° (Gx 2.3) and Digital zoom: x2, x4.

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Leonardo DRS The Leonardo DRS Individual Weapon Sight (IWS) is an advanced clip-on infrared weapon sight based on equipment developed by Leonardo DRS for the US Army. The IWS combines rugged, lightweight, modular construction with superior thermal imaging technology to give today’s Warfighter the ability to shoot equally well in day or night and in smoke or fog, significantly increasing survivability and lethality margins on the battlefield.

At the center of the Leonardo DRS IWS is decades of experience in the uncooled infrared (IR) weapon systems field. Leonardo DRS uses a high sensitivity vanadium oxide (VOx) focal plane array (FPA). Unlike image intensifiers that require low levels of light to operate effectively, the IR FPA requires no visible light to operate and will not shut down or bloom when hit by direct light. Also, its use cannot be detected since it operates silently and emits minimal heat and radio frequency (RF) energy. Example is as follows: Sniper Precision Acquisition Rifle Thermal Night Sight (SPARTN). It provides night/day and degraded battlefield or weather condition visibility for the sniper by easily clipping the device in front of the existing day scope. The clip-on configura-

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tion allows the operator to maintain the existing day scope zero.

The SPARTN employs a completely passive, micro-cooled mid-wave infrared (IR) technology to provide a high-quality, large format, 640x480 resolution image, usable with day scope magnifications from 5x to > 25x. The proven range detect performance will match or exceed current Sniper Weapons Systems capabilities. The SPARTN has been ruggedised for use with most Sniper Weapon Systems. It is ideal for extended range target detection and identification, observation of environmental indicators, and is capable

of tracking bullet trajectory making it the preferred Night Vision Device (NVD) for the Sniper or Reconnaissance role.

Tracking Point A Precision-Guided Firearm (PGF) is a comprehensive, purpose-built weapon system that uses the same tracking and fire-control technology found in advanced fighter jets or a Predator Drone. The PGF system is the first and only rifle optics system to offer the advanced technology that guides the release of ordnance. Known as TriggerLink, this fire control system virtually eliminates human

error caused by misaiming, mistiming, and jitters of central nervous system. Trigger Guiding Mechanism containing dozens of microprocessors and electronic, electrooptic and electro-mechanical components.

The accuracy at 0.57 miles (about >900m is within 0.5 inches (1.27 cm).

Precision Targets Mode. This is for eliminating human error on stationary targets beyond 100 yards (about 90m).

Switching onto Precision Targets Mode, activates the trigger guiding mechanism.

In this mode, squeezing the trigger halfway turns on the image stabilisation in Continued on page 11...

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>> EXCLUSIVE

INTERVIEW

L&T - Leading Indigenous Defence Manufacturing Through Significant Investments In R&D L&T’s business model is uniquely differentiated with a focus on in-house maturity in technology and product development, with innovation at the core of their offerings. This is augmented by mature and equitable partnerships with global majors, to maintain a leading position in the market under an environment where the Government is aggressively pursuing an indigenisation agenda. Jayant Patil, Whole-Time Director (Defence, L&T-NxT) & Member of the Board, L&T talks to SP’s Land Forces about their commitment to defence manufacturing in India.

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Photographs: L&T

SP’s Land Forces (SP’s): Can you take us through the journey of L&T towards becoming one of the leading names in the deference manufacturing?

Jayant Patil (Patil): It has been little over three decades since L&T started its journey in the defence and above five decades in the strategic sector. The inception as far as defence sector is concerned, was activated in the corporate R&D of L&T which dates back to early 1970s. This R&D assumed the role of an ‘incubator’ for several in-house start-ups including defence, which over the years transformed into business verticals of L&T as we see today and paving way to knowledge driven businesses with little dependence of external sources of knowledge/technologies.

Since the mid-1980s, L&T associated with the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and naval indigenisation programme more than one and a half decade ahead of opening up of the defence production for private industry participation. With even number of years in industrial R&D, we focussed on partnering with DRDO Laboratories in the system level design and prototype development of complex weapon systems. Concurrently we targeted design, development, qualification and delivery of special purpose engineering equipment and systems for indigenously designed naval platforms being built by Ministry of Defence (MoD) shipyards as well as for the DRDO programme.

Over the years, our capabilities evolved from design and development of equipment and systems from concept design (B2D) to initiate ab-initio design & development with just specifications (B2S) to system of systems from basic requirements (B2R). We began developing our own technologies, products, systems and system of systems for defence sector with inhouse R&D efforts.

Opening and licensing of the defence sector for private industry in 2001-02 enabled us leverage our inhouse competence, capabilities and track record to serve armed forces by bidding for MoD RFPs since 2004 for delivering products developed with DRDO as more and more of these attained maturity and got inducted by the armed forces.

Concurrently we also could bid for and win MoD acquisition programmes under global competition in-spite of the poor level playing field environment of those days.

In a nutshell, the evolutionary journey of L&T Defence was driven by capability building through in-house R&D and core technology development, creation of world class infrastructure i.e. dedicated manufacturing centres for precision manufacturing in metallic materials, electronics as well as advanced composites, assembly, integration and testing complex, internationally benchmarked mega shipyard and global

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munication systems and avionics vertical.

The Defence Shipbuilding has been largely engaged in construction of warships, as well as refits/repairs for Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard. Since first contract in 2010, Defence Shipbuilding has designed, constructed and delivered 50 defence Vessels which include a floating dock (Navy), interceptor boats and offshore patrol vessels (Coast Guard) in record time. Given little movement on new acquisition cases for naval platforms over past three and a half years we had to get in to export markets and have seen few early successes, leveraging our impeccable delivery record and integrated design, manufacturing and modular construction track record for building naval platforms.

Jayant Patil, Whole-Time Director (Defence, L&T-NxT) and Member of the Board, L&T

supply chain, leading to rapidly increasing contribution in the value chain. Today L&T has an enviable portfolio in its chosen segments across the defence sector with unique competencies to evolve in to a major private sector player with capability to build system of systems and platforms (submarines, warships, armoured systems, military communication) from scratch through in-house efforts substantiated through select partnerships, in place.

SP’s: As per L&T, what all it takes to achieve the current status? Particularly in the countries like India?

Patil: The defence sector opened up for private industry in 2001 as part of post Kargil strategic analysis with directional outlooks to build India’s military industrial complex in the private sector in addition to nurturing existing government owned units.

Although the early involvement of L&T in the defence segment, much before the sector opening up gave us a head start, it was an uphill task. The immediate past regime took unprecedented steps on the policy front to empower the private sector and grant level playing field to a major extent and reversing the focus of future defence acquisition towards indigenous sourcing.

L&T’s business model is uniquely differentiated with a focus on in-house maturity in technology and product development, with innovation at the core of our offerings.

This is augmented by our mature and equitable partnerships with global majors, to maintain our leading position in the market under an environment where the Government is aggressively pursuing an indigenisation agenda while most indigenous players, with exceptions, are solely dependent on ToT/licensed manufacturing model to pursue defence production. We also have built critical mass towards self-sufficiency

through a healthy mix of young and matured team of passionate engineers with domain knowledge and leadership with a mindset of continuous improvement in processes and manufacturing, and a commitment to enhance Indian value addition.

The minimum time taken for procurement of a major defence system is typically 6-7 years. While the government has brought in an industry friendly procurement process (DPP-16) and further implemented several additional measures in a continuous process to simplify the policy and procedures through 4 waves of Business Process Restructuring, the result of which will be visible only in new acquisition cases.

SP’s: What all are the core focus areas currently for L&T defence business, as of today?

Patil: L&T’s Defence business is structured into two business groups, viz. defence and aerospace (D&A) and defence shipbuilding.

The D&A group focusses on guns, armoured systems missiles and aerospace vertical, submarines and underwater platforms vertical, and naval and land weapon launch and engineering systems, fire control systems, radar systems and sensors, military com-

“With our corporate ethos to ‘Build a Strong India’ and ‘India Comes First’, and the pedigree, we continue to commit resources, talent and significant investments in R&D”

SP’s: Can you elaborate on your level of R&D investments and the relevant activities to acquire as much as possible selfreliance?

Patil: We have always believed that the indigenising Defence Sector calls for ‘Design in India’. Accordingly we established three R&D Centers for targeted Product, Systems, Technologies, Solutions and Platforms Development as well as dedicated Design and Engineering Centers for Warship, Submarines and Weapon & Engineering Equipment. L&T’s Technology and Product Development centres have indigenously developed more than 250 defence products and systems so far, and over 50 of them have been industrialised and delivered in serial production mode. With our corporate ethos to “Build a strong India” and “India comes First”, and the pedigree, we continue commit resource, talent and significant investments in R&D, comparable to matured players in developed world in revenue percentage terms, to develop new age technologies, products and solutions to maintain our edge over the building competition and retain our market leader position among the private players.

With shrinking/sunset of fiscal incentives being currently provided for investments in R&D by FY 20-21, corporates would be discouraged from continuing investment in R&D. This will serve to be counterproductive for defence sector targeting Make-2 programmes as way forward for indigenising major systems and subsystems of military platforms. The industry is looking forward to MoD to initiate directed incentivisation of R&D on a long-term basis, and enhance weighted tax deduction for targeted segments like defence, to encourage and bring them on par with government funded R&D programmes, and to give the necessary fillip to indigenising defence.

SP’s: Can you indicate which all key futuristic programmes’ developments, L&T could be engaged at this point in time?

>> EXCLUSIVE

INTERVIEW

Patil: FICV – Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle programme, was announced as the 1st Make programme under DPP 2008.

FICV is a uniquely defined platform involving critical technologies. L&T has made significant R&D investments on a sustained basis to evolve indigenous architecture, concept design, technologies and hardware for the FICV programme. The overall solution including FICV turret & fighting compartment prototypes have been displayed during Defexpo 2018. Concurrently, a dedicated Armoured Systems Manufacturing & Testing Complex (the only facility outside OFB) has been created at our Hazira Campus where we are producing a 50 tonne class armoured platforms with 155mm 52 cal artillery howitzer turret for the K9 Vajra-T tracked self propelled howitzer programme.

We are thus confident of developing and serially producing the FICV indigenously.

Same would be our state of readiness for indigenous production and integration of Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV) programme under the Strategic Partnership model. The FRCV programme being pursued by the MoD under the Strategic Partnership Programme envisages MoD shortlisting foreign OEMs as also probable Indian Strategic Partners who would team up for ToT and produce the FRCVs in India.

With the ready infrastructure in the form of Armoured Systems Complex (Manufacturing, Integration, & Testing), Resources and Skills, Supply Chain management, in place and on/ahead of schedule delivery performance on the K9 Vajra-T programme, we uniquely position for the FRCV programme.

L&T has been development partner to DRDO for a wide range of indigenous missile programmes, consequently we are engaged in major artillery programmes like Pinaka and air defence programmes viz. Akash, MRSAM and CIWS. With some of these on the anvil for serialisation we would be playing a significant role in production and integration of launch systems and other support systems for these programmes.

We also eagerly await conclusion of developmental contracts for Make-1 programmes (TCS, BMS and FICV) currently in cold store/ cancellation/reinvention mode. We need to recognise that while Strategic Partnership programmes will make the ‘Make in India’ happen, we would truly create indigenous capabilities and gain the ability to be self-reliance only when we pursue platform design and development programmes on our own.

SP’s: You must be proud of your engagement with some of the key milestones from INS Arihant to K-9 Vajra. What will be your message to the armed forces as an Indian entity in terms of your capabilities, your commitments, and your futuristic plans?

Patil: Over three decades of L&T’s active involvement in the defence and strategic sector, L&T is proud to have contributed to all the major milestones achieved by the Indian defence segment through Indigenous development and production of defence wares. A few shining examples are K9 Vajra-T, Pinaka and BM 21 Upgrade for the Army Artillery, Akash for Army and Air Force, BrahMos, Range of Bridging Systems for Army Engineers, Platform specific Engineering systems for Naval Platform, Floating Dock for the Navy (FDN-2) and offshore patrol vessels and interceptor boats for the Coast Guard to name significant ones in public domain.

K9 Vajra-T has the distinction of being the largest defence contract placed on a private sector company for delivery of 100 howitzers in a span of three and a half years. In order to meet this stringent delivery schedule, we created a dedicated armoured systems facility including a world class Test Track at L&T’s Hazira Complex. This modern ‘Industry 4.0 ready’ factory is our 6th dedicated and 9th defence production unit and has already started rolling out the K9 How-

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries at the L&T K9 Vajra-T facility

itzers with 12 systems already delivered to the Army, ahead of schedule. K9-Vajra being delivered currently have reached 75 per cent+ indigenous content by work packages.

Pinaka system is the first major indigenously designed and developed multi barrel artillery rocket weapon system to be inducted by the Indian Army. Given the indigenous design and development, the programme has >90 per cent value content produced in India. So is the case with Akash programme where we deliver launchers, radar masts for 3-D surveillance radars and integrated propulsion airframes for the missiles with above 90 per cent indigenous content and value addition. In production of integrated propulsion airframes we attained global benchmarks in deliveries and production scale up. We are partner to BrahMos for the past nearly two decades and produce launchers and fire control systems and integration on naval platforms as also produce missile subsystems and related hardware with >90 per cent indigenous content. We play a dominant role in equipping the Army with range of bridging equipment and Systems from 5m to 75m spans. These are produced with >95 per cent indigenous content.

With the revenue growth in public sector defence enterprises stagnating at a CAGR of 8-8.5 per cent, the only way to realise the long term goal of indigenisation is by encouraging private sector participation. Over the years L&T has established state-of-the-art dedicated work centres. These work centers are complimented by three R&D centers for targeted Product, Systems, Technologies, and Platforms Development as well as Design and Engineering Centers for Warship Design, Submarine Design and Weapon & Engineering Equipment Design & Engineering. L&T is not a solitary example in the Industry and there are multiple majors in the Private Sector with varying degree of proficiencies and track record. I believe the Indian Defence Industry already possess the necessary capabilities in most of the segments.

With varying degree of such capabilities and capacities already available within the Industry in majority of these targeted segments, the Defence Production targets stated in the policy can be attained in a focused manner with Policy and budgetary support. .

Despite proven track record of private sector players like L&T and few others, there is a continued ordering on government owned/controlled PSUs in keeping with old decisions. There is a concerted need for decision makers to treat Private Investments on par with investments in Public sector as National assets and trust Private Industry as Nation-Builders and provide them level playing field. On the other hand government urgently needs to grant complete level playing field to private sector through long term relationships so as to cut imports and enable them serve as additional resources to PSUs. Our policy makers and user need to factor in that foreign OEM offering his wares in India were hand held and supported by their

Govt and the Armed Forces. Having done that they offer it to us well beyond maturity stage on the verge of needing up-gradation at our costs. On the other hand Indian OEMs build “Prototype Systems” to compete with those matured systems and face gross discouragement to see invocation of “Level Playing Field” to be denied minor additional tune-up times or testing intervals. These, in most cases result in rejection of Indian products for smallest and minor non-conformations that can be readily addressed within days given access to the products to do so.

This blind persuasion of Level Playing Field benefitting FOEMs must change in favour of Indian Players if we are serious about building capabilities in Indian Industry and looking for strategic independence for the Nation through Indigenisation and freeing ourselves from Import dependence. To some degree the hand-holding of OFB/DPSUs by Armed Forces and MoD is visible in development of programmes like the Dhanush howitzers and few others. Is it even possible for replication of such model with private sector?

We also ought to address the non-level playing field that Indian equipment is subject to series of inspection checks all through the manufacturing stages with cost and schedule implications while we import FOEM equipment on “Compliance” reports. Industry’s capability and track record to design and build Indian equipment and systems need to be factored in to allow them up-gradation and enable them obsolescence management on their own based on self-certification of compliance to overall system level performance parameters rather than denial/delays through approval by AHSP – a process drawn from Licensed Production and ToT regimes.

In order to give a push to the programmes cleared for acquisition, energise the defence economy, and to make up for the slow pace of procurement in the past, a sustained increase in the defence capital budget allocation is an imperative. Besides increasing the capital budget allocation and improving the capital to revenue ratio to what it was just a few years back, the Government may also judiciously look at extending Line of Credit to friendly nations to boost export of Indian designed and developed defence systems.

“L&T is proud to have contributed to all major milestones achieved by the Indian defence segment through indigenous development and production of defence equipment”

SP’s: How do you perceive India as a market in terms of opportunities, challenges?

Patil: Opportunities: The defence production policy awaiting final clearance by the government has set clear targets for quantum of defence production, both domestic and exports by 2025. So is the policy explicit about the 13 segments for which indigenous capability will be built and imports will be disallowed. This roadmap augurs well with the Industry to pursue development of capabilities and capacities over a mid- to long-term basis.

The government focus during past five years has been to initiate policy reforms and pursue indigenisation under ‘Make in India’ programme. Having transformed the categorisation of acquisition programmes with a bias towards indigenisation nearly 70-80 per cent of the AONs granted mandate indigenous sourcing either under IDDM, Buy Indian, or ‘Buy & Make Indian’ categories. These programme in acquisition pipeline can be expected to be contracted over the coming years to provide unprecedented push towards indigenisation.

The cumulative anticipated Capex spend over next 10 years for defence is of the order `13-15 lakh crore. With the Government’s programme boosting indigenisation in defence from the current 35-40 per cent to 70-75 per cent levels, and raising indigenous volume from 25,000 crore to 1.7 lakh crore a year over coming 8-10 years, an estimated opportunity larger than 8-10 Lakh crore will open up for the Indian Industry.

With multiplier effect to the economy, this could create a staggering addition of `65 to 75 lakh crore to the Indian economy (>2 per cent of GDP) and generating more than 5,00,000 new highly skilled jobs.

Challenges: While the policies are moving in the right direction to promote indigenisation, the challenge resides in implementation, coherent and concurrent actions in timely manner and avoid moving two steps forward and one step backwards. It was heartening to see industry’s demand to adopt Public Procurement Policy in defence has been approved by the MoD recently and await inclusion in DPP. Other concrete steps would be accelerated placement of long awaited contracts pending either due to funding gaps or decision delays due to model code of conduct ahead of parliamentary elections, implementation of the Strategic Partnership Model in letter and spirit to build major platforms, enabling “Faster Acquisition Cycles” by empowering the Acquisition setup and rationalising approval cycles, Self-Certification status for QA/QC to credible Vendors and efficient obsolescence management mechanism to boost indigenisation in defence production in the short term.

Indian defence sector can significantly benefit in medium term by building transparency in categorisation decision making and AoN approval process. In order to achieve long-term sustainable defence production ecosystem, ‘Make-1’ programmes need to get on track, kicking off a series of grounds up design and development efforts for platform opportunities by the industry well complemented by Make-2 programmes for complete independence in building indigenous major subsystems. Setting up of additional testing infrastructure in the Defence Industrial Corridors will facilitate building efficient and self-sustaining ecosystem.

Transformative measures having been taken on policy and processes/procedures through a series of waves of Business Process restructuring (BPR) to enable ‘Make in India’ and ease of doing busines. What is required is the concerted Implementation and follow through by periodic facilitation by MoD to build a strong defence industrial base and Tierisd ecosystem in India and in the process empower strategic independence, enhance GDP and create new jobs to put India’s demographic dividend to gainful use. SP

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>> Technology

Image Intensifiers — The Key to Night Vision Image intensification is the basis of night vision, and devices for increasing visibility in the dark are the key to night fighting capability Photograph: US Army

 Lt General Naresh Chand (Retd)

mon types of thermal-imaging devices which are Un-cooled and Cryogenically cooled. Uncooled is the most common TI device which can operate at room temperature, is completely quiet and activates immediately. However there have been critical developments in uncooled thermal imagers with the use of vanadium oxide and amorphous silicon which have made them suitable for headmounted applications. Cryogenically cooled is more expensive but has an incredible resolution and sensitivity that result from cooling the elements. Cryogenically-cooled systems can discern a difference as small as 0.1 C from more than 300m away.

a complete digitally fused image through HMD (head-mounted/helmet display) in a device known as the digitally enhanced night-vision goggle (ENVG-D).

Harris’ AN/PVS-14 Monocular Night Vision Device. AN/PVS-14 is designed for use by the individual soldier in a variety of ground-based night operations.

It features the superior performance of the Gen 3 F9815 image intensifier tube with a variable gain control to achieve an optimum balance in the images seen by both eyes. For weapon firing, the AN/PVS-14 can be mounted on a MIL-STD-1913 weapon rail behind a standard collimated dot sight.

The Knight Vision PVS-22 Clip-On Night Vision Weapon Sight. PVS-22 uses the latest high performance Gen 3 intensifier tube in a proven design, where the catadioptric lens (refraction and reflection are combined in an optical system) provides high performance light collection with an effective f/1.2 in a light weight optic. The PVS-22 Weapon Sight is appropriate for front line rifles such as the M4 Carbine, M16A2/A4, M249, M14, and day sights with magnification up to 10x.

Night Vision Devices’ MINI BNVD AA 18mm. MINI BNVD AA 18mm is Dual Tube Night Vision Goggle with Single Gain Control.

With a system weight of about 440 gm, the MINI BNVD is the lightest fully functional dual tube goggle in the world, which utilises 18mm Gen 2/3 Image Intensifiers and includes important features such as a fully focusing eyepiece and a focusable IR Illuminator.

Combination of Image Intensifiers and Thermal Imagers

Enhanced Night Vision GoggleBinocular (ENVG-B) Programme

Night vision devices would become more effective if the image intensifier and the thermal imager is combined to bring out the best attributes of both. Earlier the thermal imagers had greater size, weight and power (SWaP) consumption thus it was not practical to use them in user mounted applications like night vision goggles (NVG). However advances in recent years with uncooled thermal imagers have greatly improved these features making them more suitable for head-mounted applications. This has resulted in Sensor Fusion.

Sensor Fusion. Sensor fusion combines the respective strengths of image intensifier and thermal imaging technologies into one device. Such a combination enables a user to view a much greater part of the light spectrum which can span from visible to nearinfrared to long-wave infrared. Thus the user can view the information from both the visible and thermal spectrums through a single device which gives him a greater advantage while carrying out military, security and law enforcement duties. This type of sensor fusion has led to the development of new night-vision technologies and devices like the enhanced night-vision goggle (ENVG) that combines a thermal imager with an image intensifier. The image intensifier works like a standard NVG in this system but image from the thermal sensor is through a video display. Both the inputs are then optically overlaid to provide a fused image. Developments are on to combine the video output of a thermal imager directly with the video output of an electronic output image intensifier. These new devices would then display

To operate more effectively at night, US Army has given $391.8 million three-year contract to L-3 Insight during May 2018 for the ENVG-B. The ENVG family represents helmet-mounted night-vision goggles that blend image intensification and long wave infrared sensors for combat at night, in bad weather, and in smoke and dust. ENVG III weapon sights also has a improved resolution and a wider field of view which enables rapid target acquisition.

I

t has always been the dream of all armies to be able to carry out operations by day and night in all weather conditions. It was during World War II and the Korean War that the development of image-intensification technology began to help the snipers to engage their targets at night or in bad weather conditions.

Image intensification is the basis of night vision, and devices for increasing visibility in the dark are the key to night fighting capability.

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Image Intensifier How it works? Image intensifier is a device for increasing the intensity of existing light in the environment for an optical system to enable to operate in low-light conditions. These conditions could be night; light from fluorescence of materials in X-rays or gamma rays; for conversion of non-visible light sources such as near-infrared or short wave infrared to a visible image. Simply explained-the image intensifier is a vacuum tube in which image intensification is achieved by a complex conversion of energy particles. The system works by collecting photons through an objective lens which are then converted into electrons through a photocathode. Their electrical energy is then increased by a device called micro-channel plate (MCP) which is then converted back into light through a phosphor screen (that is why the image appears greenish in colour) and the final image can be viewed through an eyepiece lens. Photon is a particle representing a quantum of light or other electromagnetic radiation. The system is provided power with a sophisticated miniaturised power supply system. MCP is a key component where the electron amplification takes place. It is a thin disc that contains millions of densely spaced channels. When the electrons pass through these channels, they are multiplied manifold and strike the phosphor with greater energy which is thousands time brighter than the original image picked up in less/no light conditions.

Development in Image Intensifier Technology. Early snipers used image converters (sniperscopes) that required an infrared light source to illuminate their target and is now called Generation (Gen) 0. Further development took place when the starlight scope was developed during the early 1960s which used three improved image-intensifier tubes which produced a clear centre image with a distortion at the periphery. This was called Gen One. Gen Two was developed in the late 1960s with a major breakthrough with the development of the MCP. The photocathode process was further refined with the S-25 cathode resulting in much higher photo response. The size and weight was also reduced which enabled them to be used with head- and helmet-mounted goggles. In the mid-1970s, advance photocathode technology was developed in Gen 3 which increased the tube’s sensitivity dramatically; particularly in the near-IR region. This resulted in longer ranges for the system. However the process of development is work in progress.

Some key developments are miniature highvoltage power supply system and increasing

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A US soldier with night vision goggle called the Enhanced Night Vision Goggle-Binocular or ENVG-B

the reliability in excess of 15,000 hours without much degradation.

PHOTONIS has developed INTENS image intensifier tube which enables night vision capabilities in dark military mission conditions such as deep mountain valleys and jungle terrain. The tube offers bandwidth sensitivity from 400-1,000 nano metre and provides a 40 per cent increase in detection, recognition, and identification (DRI) over previous tubes. INTENS is equipped with an Auto-Gating power supply for operations in dynamic light conditions, a high-contrast green P22 phosphor and a signal to noise ratio of 30. The INTENS tube has an operational lifetime of over 10,000 hours.

ITT has developed a new high-performance image intensifier called Pinnacle for use in existing aviation and ground night vision systems. Pinnacle provides substantial performance increases in low light detection, high light resolution and intra-scene dynamic range (the ability to see detail in dark areas of a scene where bright cultural lighting is present. The new Pinnacle intensifier can be used in all aviation and ground systems that currently accept 18mm image intensifiers. The improved performance is possible due to a new high-performance MCP, a newly designed gating power supply and improved manufacturing process.

Thermal Imaging Technologies Thermal Imaging (TI) is not related to image intensification but enables night vision. It does not rely on existing light through which the human eye can see a image but detects objects based on heat emitted by them. The warmer the object, the more infrared longwave light it radiates and the more detectable it is. However it does not have high resolution of the image as compared to image intensifier of the similar field of view. A special lens focuses the infrared light emitted by all of the objects in view which is scanned by infrared-detector elements which in turn form a detailed temperature pattern called a thermogram. The detector array works very fast and obtains the temperature information in about one-thirtieth of a second to make the thermogram. The thermogram is translated into electric impulses which are then converted into display data where it appears as various colors depending on the intensity of the infrared emission. There are two com-

Combination of ENVG III and Family of Weapons Sights-Individual (FWS-I) technology The FWS-I, when mounted on a soldier’s weapon, will transmit its sight picture through radio to the ENVG III, which is mounted on a soldier’s helmet. The FWS-I can mount these rifles in front of day sights that have already been bore-sighted. The ENVG will combine thermal imaging with image intensification technology. A variety of modes will allow soldiers to see in their goggles only the image from the ENVG III itself, only the image from the FWS-I, or a combination of the two. Using a ‘picture-in-picture’ mode, the image from the FWS-I is displayed at the bottom right of the image that is coming from the goggle.

This combines the rapid target acquisition technology and can be effectively be used for surveillance, aiming weapons during daylight, darkness, adverse weather and dirty battlefield conditions. This system should be with the US Army by the first quarter of 2019. SP

>> Artillery

MLRS for Army and Indigenous Capability Modern MLR Systems can deliver concentrated firepower from different locations on to a single target by using navigation aids like GPS Photograph: DRDO

 Lt General P.C. Katoch (Retd)

T

he MLR or MLRS is a type of rocket artillery system, with the rockets having capabilities different from the artillery; like longer range and different payloads, considerably larger warheads than a similarly sized artillery platform or multiple warheads. Since unguided rocket artillery is inaccurate and slow to reload compared to artillery, multiple rockets are combined in MLR that can launch multiple rockets simultaneously. Modern rockets can use GPS or inertial guidance to combine the advantages of rockets with high accuracy.

The British learnt advanced rocketry from India. The Mysore Army used indigenous iron-cased rockets effectively against the British East India Company during 1780s and 1790s. Europe was also developing rocketry but their rockets were not iron-cased. Having adopted Mysorean Rockets, European armies developed explosive steel-cased bombardment rockets with minimal launchers. European navies developed naval multiple launcher mounts with steadily improving explosive rockets for light and coastal vessels. These weapons were largely replaced by conventional light artillery during the late nineteenth century.

Modern Era Modern MLR systems use modern land navigation like GPS for quick and accurate positioning. MLR systems with GPS can have their MLRS dispersed and fire from dispersed positions at a single target. Radar can track weather balloons to determine winds or to track special rockets which selfdestruct in the air. Such tracking radars can also be used to predict the range error of individual rockets. A more sophisticated system makes use of radar data and oneway radio data-link to initiate a two dimensional (range and azimuth) correction of the rocket’s flight-path with steering by fins or nose thrusters. The latter is more common with systems which can be used to upgrade old rockets.

MLRS remain in uses though they still can’t fully engage enemy deployed in reverse slopes of mountains, compared to howitzers which can improve accuracy by adding or removing propellant increments. For reducing the long minimum firing range of MLRs, drag rings are being added to the nose of the rockets. This increased drag slows the rocket down resulting in less flat trajectory.

However, only some MLR with individuallyloaded rockets offer have this option; prepackaged MLR munitions such as those for MLRS do not offer this option. Some countries have improvised MLRS based on helicopter- or aircraft-mounted rocket pods (typically 57–80mm).

Fin-stabilised rockets allow for easy course corrections using rudders or minute charges. Guided munitions have been introduced to exploit this. Guidance principles such as GPS satellite navigation, inertial navigation systems and semi-active laser seekers are used for this. This improves dispersion from a CEP of hundreds of metres at dozens of kilometres range to just a few

DRDO’s Pinaka multi launch rocket system (MLRS)

metres. Long range MLR missiles often fly a higher quasi-ballistic trajectory than shorter ranged rockets and thus pose a deconfliction challenge, as they might collide with friendly aircraft in the air.

Under the Convention on Cluster Munitions, only large sub-munitions, smoke agents, and unitary high explosive warheads are permitted, not other cluster munitions for MLRS. Some examples of these are the SMArt, 155, 155 Bonus and SADARM, which use relatively large Explosively Formed Projectile (EFP) warheads with sensors (millimeter wave radar, infrared) which search the ground for tanks to attack in a spiral pattern during their descent (retarded by parachutes).

China and Pakistan China’s WS-2 is a 400mm guided MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) designed and manufactured by China. It is an advanced rocket system characterised by long-range fast response, with easy operation and maintenance. The WS-2 adopts simple control technology, which increases the accuracy with low costs. The rocket launcher system is mounted at the rear of a 6x6 truck chassis with three tubes in two lines, and has an elevation range. Manual controls are also provided. In firing position, four stabilisers are lowered to the ground hydraulically to provide more suitable firing platform. One of these is mounted at the rear of the chassis. The system can operate up to a maximum height of 3,500 metre above sea level and in ambient temperatures from -40 degree to +55 degree centigrade, and with relative humidity of up to 75 per cent at 15 degrees centigrade.

The rockets are fired from containers. The WS-2 has a preparation time of less than 12 minutes.

Since initial development of WS-2, advanced versions have been developed: WS-1 with maximum range of 100 km; WS-1B with maximum range of 180 km; WS-2B – upgraded version with long range capacity; WS-2C – upgraded version with GPS guidance and 350 km range; WS-2D - upgraded version with GPS guidance,

400 km range and ability to launch lethal unmanned aerial vehicles.

China’s Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), also known as 1st Space Academy, too has developed A-100, a 300mm 10-tube MLR for PLA ground forces. It is a simple derivative of Weishi Rockets WS-1 with simple cascade terminal inertial guidance. The A-100 has a firing range of 40~100 km. The A-100 rocket is 7.3m in length, weighs 840 kg, carries a 235 kg warhead, and is spin stabilised through stabilising fins. It is fitted with a warhead containing 500 HE-FRAG (High Explosive Fragmentation) anti-armour/ personnel sub-munitions. The sub-munition can penetrate 50mm of armour, and has a blast radius of 7m. The sub-munitions have a spreading radius of 100 +/- 40 metres. The rocket motor is a single chamber, solid rocket motor with an advanced hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) composition rocket propellant. The rocket is equipped with an onboard computer to help correct the horizontal and vertical deviations. During the first three seconds of the rocket’s flight, the onboard computer detects the horizontal difference between the programmed trajectory and actual status of the rocket, and controls the rocket’s stabilising thrust system to correct the rocket’s flying direction. The onboard computer corrects the vertical deviation by adjusting the warhead detonation time so that the sub-munitions are spread with high accuracy.

Under the Convention on Cluster Munitions, only large sub-munitions, smoke agents, and unitary high explosive warheads are permitted, not other cluster munitions for MLRS

The A-100 launch vehicle is based on a TAS5380 8x8 wheeled truck chassis. It has a range of 650 km and reloading time of 20 minutes. The vehicle is equipped with four hydraulically operated stabilisers which are lowered in preparation for the rocket launch. 10 launcher tubes mounted on the chassis are arranged as two blocks of four (top) and six (bottom) tubes. Two variants of the A100 have been developed in the A200 and A300. These are updated version of the A100 which has simple cascade inertial terminal guidance updated by GPS. The arrangement of A200 is different from A100 in that each launching box consists of three rows of launching tubes, three on the top and bottom respectively, and two in the middle. A200 rockets also have additional forward control surfaces that were not present on A100 rockets.

The A300 has a range of 290 km and integrated with GNSS/INS guidance. The Pakistan army has 450 plus Chinese A100 systems, mostly produced in Pakistan under its Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO).

India In 2017, Indian Army (IA) had 62xBM-30 Smerch systems. Since, 2012, India’s Ordnance Factory Board has produces several rocket variants for the system which has a strike range of 70 to 90 km. Each Smerch battery has six launch vehicles. Indian Army’s 9K58 Smerch 300mm multiple launcher rocket (MLR) systems are being mounted on 81 indigenously designed 10x10 high-mobility vehicles developed by Ashok Leyland. The vehicle, which is fitted with a hydraulic crane to reload the system, will supplement and eventually replace the 9A52-2 launch vehicles based on the MAZ543M 8x8 truck chassis.

The Indian Army also operates the Russian BM-21 Grad launchers. In 2016, India had 150 BM-21 Grad/LRARs. The BM-21 Grad is a Russian origin truckmounted 122mm MLR. BM-21 Grad is mounted on 6x6 army trucks. All 40 rockets of BM-21 Grad can be away in as little as 20 seconds, but can also be fired individually or in small groups in severalsecond intervals.

Pinaka is a multi launch rocket system (MLRS) used by the Indian Army. It was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to replace the BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher systems of the Indian Army. It is a multifaceted system integrating high energy propulsion, sub-munition warheads, servo-controlled launcher configuration and fire control computer. The Pinaka system is based on the 8x8 vehicle. Each battery is composed of six launcher vehicles, six loader-cum replenishment vehicles and two command post vehicles. Each launcher vehicle carries two pods, housing a total of 12 rockets. Each Pinaka rocket is capable of carrying a 100 kg payload for a range of 40 km. A single Pinaka battery can neutralise a surface area of 700m x 500m. The combat capabilities of Pinaka MLRS were tested during the Kargil war in June 1999. The maiden Pinaka MLRS regiment was set up in February 2000. SP

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>> Optics

Night Vision and Weapon Sight Programmes – Quest for Smart Devices One of the biggest improvements in weapon sight technology is the dramatic increase in the target spotting range. With contemporary sights, objects can clearly be seen more than 1,000 metres away, increasing the lethality of powerful rifles like the M249 Photograph: US Army

 Lt General Naresh Chand (Retd)

engage targets accurately from any carry position and with significantly reduced exposure to enemy fire. It can be used with M4 Carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon.

D

efence Forces all over the world are looking for technologies to defy night and adverse weather conditions. Some of these technological programmes which are generally kept under wraps are given here.

Other DARPA Programme

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US Army Programmes The US Army is currently developing the latest generation of enhanced night vision goggles, in cooperation with various defence technology companies. Night vision devices give armed forces a major edge over enemy combatants, allowing soldiers to conduct vital military operations at night, when the opposing forces are most vulnerable. Four US-based companies – BAE Systems, Leonardo DRS, L3 and Harris – are currently developing enhanced night vision goggles (ENVGs) under US Army contracts, while other firms are independently developing their own latest generation devices The range includes image intensifiers to IR (thermal) devices to fusion of both technologies.

BAE Systems’ ENVG III/FWS-I. In March 2018, the US Army had placed two orders under a $97 million contract to BAE Systems for a new thermal night vision goggles and weapon sights under the army’s ENVG III and Family of Weapon Sight-Individual (FWS-I) programme. Both the ENVG and the FWS-I are linked through wireless, thereby speeding up the target acquisition and weapon firing process by eliminating the requirement to switch between devices.

The integrated technology enables soldiers in dark lighting conditions to quickly and quietly target enemies, using 12-micron thermal technology to produce sharp thermal images. Another advantage is its rapid target acquisition feature that improves shooting by simultaneously displaying the weapon sight imagery and crosshair within the night vision goggles, allowing the shooter to aim the weapon without bringing it up to the shoulder. The ENVG III/FWS-I is lighter and smaller than previous models, has been optimised for low power consumption, and the picture-in-picture and scope-only functions offer a wider range of ways to engage targets.

Leonardo DRS’s ENVG III. The thermal sight is mounted on a weapon and the goggle is worn in the same fashion as older generation models mounted on the helmet.

The difference comes when the weapon sight wirelessly transmits a video signal of where it is aimed, directly to the goggle, a soldier can accurately fire their weapon without having to bring the weapon sight to the eye to aim. A control panel on the weapons allows the soldier to turn the wireless signal on and off depending on need. Soldiers can also toggle between infrared, thermal or use both at the same time to spot an enemy in low or poor visibility. The weapon sights and goggles can be used individually as well seeing more clearly and further than previous generations.The new weapon sights are the smallest and lightest ever built for the US Army. The Control buttons are easier to use and were designed with soldier feedback. One of the biggest improvements in the weapon sight is the distance it can

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The TAR package allows soldiers to see in the dark, view the location of geotagged enemies in 3D space, receive video feeds from surveillance platforms, and even see from behind obstacles

make out a target. The new third-generation goggle contains a ‘smart battery pack’ mounted in the rear of the helmet with a computer processor that merges the images of the thermal weapon sight and the NVGIII image. Considered the brain of the combined system, it allows the soldiers to see the ENVG III images and overlaid thermal sight image at the same time. By transferring the weapon sight image to the ENVG III the soldier will get an increased field of view of 40 degrees as compared to the 18 to 26 degrees from the use of stand alone scope of the weapon. Additionally, the ENVG III can also be switched to a basic battery pack and used as only a night vision goggle. Future data feeds planned into the goggles could be maps and information from smaller weapons and other information.

L3’s ENVG-B. L-3, was awarded a $391m three-year contract from the US Army Contracting Command to produce and deliver its ENVG-binocular (ENVG-B).

ENVG-B uses white phosphor Image Intensifier technology in a dual-tube goggle, which helps improve target location, threat engagement, and access to imagery of the common operating environment. It is a hybrid system as it includes a separate thermal channel for image fusion and thermal target detection capabilities. The ENVG-B has the benefit of a new high-resolution display and a wireless personal area network that works with the US Army’s Nett Warrior system to produce augmented reality algorithms to provide greater situational awareness.

Harris’s AN/PSQ-20 SENVG. Harris’s AN/PSQ-20, is a Spiral ENVG (SENVG) system that fuses Image Intensifier tube technology and infrared micro-bolometer technology (a microbolometer is a specific type of bolometer used as a detector in a thermal camera) via an optical overlay, into a single, small monocular. SENVG, is improved version of Harris’s originally designed AN/ PSQ-20 ENVG, that can be quickly mounted to or removed from an advanced combat helmet. For this reason, it comes with a separate battery pack for helmet-mounted and hand-held use. Advantages of the SENVG over the ENVG is greater situational awareness due to improved threat detection technology, compatibility with existing weapon

systems, expanded viewing capabilities, and a colour micro-display.

Other Next-gen Night Vision Products Apart from the US Army contract, other defence technology companies have also been developing latest generation night vision devices.

ATN’s PS15-4. PS15-4 is a compact dual NVG system that uses two high-performance Image Intensifier tubes to provide clear images in dark conditions. Benefits of the PS15-4 include increased depth perception and a built-in infrared that allows for easy map-reading in complete darkness.

FLIR Systems’ Nyx-7 PRO Gen III Range. Nyx-7 is a rugged compact bi-ocular goggle that uses high-grade optics and automatic brightness controls to provide clear images at night and in most weather conditions. It includes a universal helmet mount for hands-free use and can be converted to a long-range optic using 3x and 5x magnified lenses.

Leonardo DRS’s IWS. The IWS is an advanced clip-on infrared weapon sight based on equipment developed by Leonardo DRS for the US Army. The IWS combines rugged, lightweight, modular construction with superior thermal imaging technology to give today’s warfighter the ability to shoot equally well in day or night and in smoke or fog, significantly increasing survivability and lethality on the battlefield. Leonardo DRS uses a high sensitivity vanadium oxide (VOx) focal plane array (FPA). Unlike image intensifiers that require low levels of light to operate effectively, the IR FPA requires no visible light to operate and will not shut down or bloom when hit by direct light. Also, its use cannot be detected, since it operates silently and emits minimal heat and radio frequency energy.

The Family of Weapon Sights (FWS) FWS-I’s thermal sensor gives soldiers the ability to see through fog, dust and smoke, giving an advantage both day and night. Additionally, FWS-I wirelessly transmits the weapon sight crosshair and thermal imagery to the ENVG III and ENVG-Binocular, providing a Rapid Target Acquisition (RTA) capability.

RTA enables Soldiers to detect, recognise and

Tactical Augmented Reality. DARPA is developing an augmented reality system that overlays critical information over a soldier’s field of vision. The Tactical Augmented Reality (TAR) package allows soldiers to see in the dark, view the location of geotagged enemies in 3D space, receive video feeds from surveillance platforms, and even see from behind obstacles. Ground troops will be able to better navigate, ‘see’ through buildings with augmented reality vision. TAR combines an 1-inch by 1-inch eyepiece with a tablet and weapon-mounted thermal night vision sight.

The eyepiece, mounted on the wearer’s helmet, projects data over the wearer’s field of view. These three pieces of sub systems are connected wirelessly, allowing them to share information—or pass it to others—instantly.

The goal is to not only increase a soldier’s situational awareness but to share data quickly, both with fellow soldiers on the ground but also with headquarters. TAR can superimpose a 2D map of a soldier’s operational area over the eyepiece’s field of view, complete with icons representing other soldiers in his or her unit. TAR also has the ability to keep track of a soldier’s location in relation to his or her environment in 3D space. Friendly troops, enemies, and mission objectives, for example, can show up as icons in the wearer’s field of view, superimposed over their actual location.

The system has got some interesting possibilities like a soldier can aim his carbine downrange and the live feed from the night vision sight appears in the eyepiece’s field of view. A soldier can crouch behind a wall or berm and raise his rifle up, stealing a look without exposing himself to enemy fire. A soldier equipped with TAR can even point his rifle backwards and see backwards and forwards in a split screen arrangement simultaneously. According to DARPA, early versions of the eyepiece technology have already been fielded to “certain units,” likely special operations forces using them in the field. Current versions use a black and white or green monochrome field of view, but agency is working on a full colour version.

Pixel Network for Dynamic Visualization (PIXNET) The warfighter’s effectiveness in current and future combat missions can be severely limited by inadequate target discrimination, and an inability to view the operational scene with larger fields of view and longer standoff distances. DARPA’s PIXNET programme aims to develop a low size, weight and power (SWaP) digital infrared (IR) camera that can render real-time, single and fused, multi-band imagery in a portable package. This programme also seeks to significantly reduce the manufacturing cost for IR sensors with the goal of making the technology deployable by all warfighters. There will be spin off for new applications, such as surveillance with small UAVs, multi-spectral weapon sights, and handheld surveillance systems. SP

>> News in Brief Rajnath Singh visits troops at Siachen

aerial targets. The Akash weapon system has combination of both command guidance and active terminal seeker guidance. Seeker and guidance performance have been consistently established in both the missions. All the mission objectives have been met.

DRDO successfully conducts flight test of ABHYAS

Rajnath Singh hit the ground running as India’s new Defence Minister, visiting the world’s highest battlefield at Siachen within 48 hours of taking charge. Making the most difficult area of military deployment as his first pit stop as Defence Minister, Singh’s visit to the Siachen base camp was both for familiarising himself with his job and its challenges, and also identifying with the hardship faced by troops deployed on the treacherous battlefield.

He was accompanied by Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Nothern Army Commander Lt General Ranbir Singh, 14 Corps Commander Lt General YK Joshi and the local formation commanders. Dressed in military gear worn by troops on the glacier, Singh paid homage at the Siachen War Memorial to about 1,000 troops who have lost their lives to bad weather and enemy bombardment at the glacier battlefield since 1984.

DRDO successfully test fires AKASH – MK -1S Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully test fired AKASH-MK-1S missile from ITR, Chandipur, Odhisa on May 25 and 27, 2019. Akash Mk1S is an upgrade of existing AKASH missile with indigenous Seeker. AKASH Mk1S is a surface to air missile which can neutralize advanced

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted successful flight test of ABHYAS - High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) from Interim Test Range, Chandipur in Odisha. The flight test was tracked by various RADARS & Electro Optic Systems and proved its performance in fully autonomous way point navigation mode.

The configuration of ABHYAS is designed on an in-line small gas turbine engine and uses indigenously developed MEMS based navigation system for its navigation and guidance. The performance of the system was as per simulations carried out and demonstrated the capability of ABHYAS to meet the mission requirement for a cost effective HEAT.

India gifts 2 Mi-24V helicopter to Afghanistan to fight terrorism India handed over two Mi-24V attack helicopters to Afghanistan to bolster its capability to fight terrorism and insurgency. This is the first pair of gunships as replacement for the four Mi-24 helicopters earlier gifted to

>> Show Calendar 24–25 June Future Soldier Technology USA Hilton Arlington, Arlington, Virginia, USA www.smi-online.co.uk/defence/northamerica/future-soldier-technology-usa 28–30 October Bahrain International Defence Exhibition & Conference Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre, Bahrain https://www.bahraindefence.com/ 29–30 October Armoured Vehicles Asia Pullman Jakarta Indonesia Thamrin CBD, Jakarta, Indonesia www.defenceiq.com/events-armouredvehiclesasia Afghanistan by India in 2015. These were handed over by the Indian Ambassador Vinay Kumar to the Afghan Defence Minister Asadullah Khalid and the Afghan Air Force Commander at the Kabul airbase. India purchased these helicopters from Belarus as part of the security assistance package to Afghanistan. Two more of Mi-24V helicopters will be purchased from Belarus and handed over to the Afghan Air Force.

“The Mi-24V helicopters shall boost the capability of the Afghan Air Force; and enhance the effectiveness of the Afghan National Defence and Security Force in combating the scourge of terrorism,” according to a statement released by the Indian Embassy in Kabul.

The tri-partite arrangement involving India, Belarus & Afghanistan has the blessings of Russia. India’s development and security assistance to Afghanistan has aggregated to over $ 10 Billion in the last 2 decades. SP

Target Precision... continued from page 4 the optical sight, making it easier to get a precise target lock, even from unstable shooting positions.

Suppressive Mode. You can shoot immediately, just as you would with any unguided, fixed-optic rifle provided the sight reticle is zeroed at 100 yards (90m) with the trigger guiding mechanism being in the off position. This is ideal for rapid suppressive fire in close quarters.

Launch Mode. This mode allows the shooter to fire only perfect aim has been achieved. Other features are Specially Tuned Ammunition, Digital Optic Display, Sensors that detect 11 environmental shot variable and ballistic parameters which effect accuracy like rifle cant (a common error in accurate shooting is “canting” or “rolling” the rifle to one side or the other), meteorological conditions, Coriolis effect, (the Coriolis effect is defined as how a moving object seems to veer toward the right in the Northern hemisphere and left in the Southern hemisphere), spin drift (The force of gravity acting on the bullet sends it slightly to the right or left of the original trajectory.

The direction of the drift corresponds to the direction of the barrel’s twist and magnus effect (as a spinning bullet moves through the air, it spins a boundary layer of air that clings to its surface as it travels along). The Tracking Point System enables shooters of any ability to hit exactly where he means to, with pinpoint accuracy, every time.Example of one system is given below.

ShotView App. The ShotView app streams real-time video from the PrecisionGuided Firearm to their ShotGlass on the Recon Jet wearable, smart phone, or tablet.

It’s ideal for communication in hunting and target shooting applications. Other soldiers can see what the fellow shooter sees in his tracking optic.

MARS (Multi Purpose Aiming Reflex Sight) Thermal Sight ITL’s MARS family includes several configurations of the MARS Reflex, adapted to multiple requirements. The MARS family incorporates high accuracy abilities, robust design, easy operation as well as thousands of hours of battle-proven experience over the last three decades. It has a simple, intuitive operation; integrated, pressure activated Laser Pointer (IR or Red); Automatic Brightness Compensation; Easy Bore Sighting and Reflex sight with solid prism.

Its optics and sensors have Magnification of 1x; Reflex Dot Diameter: 0.3m Rad (about 1” @100m), Red dot compensation: Automatic, dynamic range = 1:10,000. Laser Pointers- Red: 650nm, 1.0mW, Class 2 (IEC 825-1) and IR is optional. It is restricted to law enforcement and military only.

OPTIX OPTIX NVA-50. NVA-50 is a night vision clip-on device, designed specifically to extend the capabilities of the RPG-7 platform. It can be used in combination with the PGO-7V, PGO-7VU or the other RPG-7 optical sights via universal adapter and converts it to a night vision sight. It does not require any additional adjustment after mounting.

Trijicon Bright & Tough Night Sights The Trijicon Bright & Tough Night Sights are a self-luminous three dot night sight alternative to traditional iron sights. They are the first choice of major handgun manufacturers and standard issue with numerous local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. They feature a metal body, Tritium-Phosphor Lamp, Sapphire Window, Silicone Rubber Cushion, Protective Aluminium Cylinders, White rings and Suppressor Sights.

Trijicon HD Night Sights With the challenges of law enforcement and military in mind, these sights have a yellow or orange photoluminescent paint outline and tall blade on the front sight to increase visibility and quicken sight acquisition. Additionally, the rear sight is steeply hooked to assist in emergency one-handed slide operation.

Trijicon Fiber Sights Featuring similar fiber optic materials used in several Trijicon fiber optic scopes and sights, including the battle-proven ACOG, the Trijicon Fiber Sights are purposely engineered to bring the absolute brightest aiming point while retaining strength and maintaining a refined sight picture.

Whether carrying or competing, these bright, thin sights create the perfect aiming point for fast, accurate rounds on target.

Trijicon ACOG The Trijicon Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG) is a fixed power, compact riflescope with an illuminated reticule pattern for use in bright to low/no light. The ACOG is designed to be extremely durable and reliable. It combines traditional, precise distance marksmanship with Close Quarter Battle (CQB) speed. Many variants include a bullet drop compensated (BDC) reticle. Every feature of its design was chosen for with the aim of providing increased hit potential in all lighting conditions. It is available in 12 models ranging from 1.5x16S to 6x48 where the first figure indicates the magnification and the second figure indicates the diameter of the objective (front) lens in milli-metres which is important because it controls how much light the scope can let in, and ultimately transmit to your eye. SP

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Jayant Baranwal Deputy Managing Editor Neetu Dhulia Senior Editorial Contributor Lt General P.C. Katoch (Retd) Senior Technical Group Editor Lt General Naresh Chand (Retd) Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd) Group Executive Editor Vishal Thapar Contributors India General V.P. Malik (Retd), Lt General Vijay Oberoi (Retd), Lt General R.S. Nagra (Retd), Lt General S.R.R. Aiyengar (Retd), Major General Ashok Mehta (Retd), Major General G.K. Nischol (Retd), Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (Retd), Brigadier S. Mishra (Retd), Rohit Sharma Chairman & Managing Director Jayant Baranwal Executive Vice President (Planning & Business Development) Rohit Goel Manager – HR & Admin Bharti Sharma Assistant Manager – HR & Admin Pooja Tehlani Deputy Manager – Circulation Rimpy Nischal Group Research Associate Survi Massey Creative Director Anoop Kamath Design Vimlesh Kumar Yadav, Sonu Singh Bisht Group Director – Sales & Marketing Neetu Dhulia Deputy Director – Sales Rajeev Chugh SP’s Website Sr. Web Developer: Shailendra P. Ashish Web Developer: Ugrashen Vishwakarma Published bimonthly by Jayant Baranwal on behalf of SP Guide Publications Pvt Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, photocopying, recording, electronic, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publishers.

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MAKE THE FIRST ROUND COUNT.

©2019 Trijicon, Inc. | Wixom, MI USA | 1-800-338-0563 | 19TRIJ12969-R19 | trijicon.com

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View the technology at Trijicon.com/MGRS.