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������������� The Navy at India’s 60th Year of Independence
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Modernising the Navy: Imperatives & Strategy
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“Delays at the development stage of a weapon system run the risk of obsolescence by the time it is ready for production. Delays in production deprive the armed forces of timely deliveries, compelling the Government to look for external procurement.”—
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This issue of the SP’s Naval Forces coincides with 60 years of India’s independence and as such the editorial team thought it befitting to include a twin perspective on the Indian Navy since 1947. Admiral Arun Prakash underlines the evolution of strategic role of the Indian Navy in the last 60 years while Vice Admiral Ganesh takes a nostalgic look at the past, emphasises the current capabilities and outlines what the immediate future holds. This issue will also be distributed at the Air Show at Seoul (October 16-21) which will be attended by a team from SP Guide Publications. The lead article on China and the Indian Ocean region highlights the importance of the Indian Ocean for the country to maintain its oil supplies and the steps Beijing is taking to safeguard its SLOC. The article on maritime terrorism in which the writer traces the threat of terrorism, its effects on maritime trade and the response strategies required to counter it would be of interest to all nations. The articles on nuclear carrier borne force and modernisation of the Indian Navy present a lucid picture of the current transformation strategies. An update on the Indo-US Nuclear deal and the accompanying turbulence has been included with the fervent hope that it sees the light at the end of the tunnel. An overview of the enlarged Exercise Malabar—in which navies of India, Japan, Australia, Singapore and the US took part—with its security implications, together with an account of the Defense Systems and Equipment international (DSEi) exhibition held in London from September 11-14 make for interesting reading. Completing the picture is a report on the international seminar-cumexhibition on Naval Armament, which was held at Delhi from July 19-20, with the theme “Indigenous Armament—Challenges and Opportunities”. The regular section News Digest with key appointments have been included. Wishing you all a very happy 60th year of India’s independence.
JAYANT BARANWAL PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Interview
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Manmohan Singh, PM
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36th Year of Issue
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‘Private presence in naval projects is growing’
The Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta interacted with a team from SP’s Naval Forces, outlining his hopes and vision for the rapidly modernising force. Excerpts from the interview. SP’s Naval Forces (SP’s): Having been at the helm for the last nine months, what according to you is the state of preparedness of the Indian Navy to meet its expanding role? Chief of Naval Staff (CNS): As the principal enabling instrument of the nation’s maritime power, the Indian Navy is a major contributor to the attainment of national objectives and functions in the four characteristics roles, namely, military, diplomatic, policing (or constabulary)
and benign, that are constructed around the central issue of the freedom for use-of-the-sea. The state of preparedness of the Indian Navy in all four of these roles is a matter of great personal and professional satisfaction. So far as the military role is concerned, our state of operational readiness remains high and we have honed our operational skills through the constant conduct of exercises and training, both internally as well as with the
navies of other friendly countries. As regards the diplomatic role, the past 20 months or so offer clear and unambiguous evidence of the skill and dexterity with which the government is using the Indian Navy as an instrument of the nation’s diplomacy, and our effectiveness in this role is a matter of very considerable satisfaction. The exercise of the constabulary role involves a near seamless integration of the resources of the Navy and the Coast Guard
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Interview
and I am pleased to record the high level of mutual trust and respect that marks our actions. The close coordination of constabulary operations in areas such as the Palk Bay, the Gulf of Mannar, off the coasts of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Orissa and West Bengal, as also in the vicinity of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, is something that we are justifiably proud of. The benign role of the Navy has already been vividly brought home through humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations such as Operation Sukoon in Lebanon. What is least known at the national level is the yeoman service performed in flood relief operations, diving assistance operations for rescue as well as salvage, setting-up of medical camps such as those that operated with such telling effect in Kerala that had very recently been affected by the outbreak of chikungunya, the sterling work for special children and the aged, done by the Navy Wives Welfare Organisation—all of which are examples of the Indian Navy in its Benign Role. So, all in all, I would say that we are very well prepared.
pertaining to the enhancement of indigenous capability. These have been compiled without disturbing contextual linkages and are currently being studied at a number of levels within the navy as well as the government. The prevalent practice of involving indigenous industry at only the ‘component’ level needs to change to one where industry is encouraged to participate in the design-
ing and development of whole systems. The industry is often unaware of user needs and concerns and this causes significant wastage of time, money and effort, and, equally importantly, it leads to rapid dissipation of interest. The NAVARMS seminar incorporated three sessions specifically on user needs, and the opportunities for indigenisation and I wish to add the weight of my own office in commend-
ing these papers to serious defence magazines, such as yours. SP’s: India’s private industry is showing considerable interest to play a more active role in the production of major defence systems. How would you encourage this? CNS: The involvement of the private sector in India’s defence industry has been encouraged Continued on page 4
SP’s: From the maritime perspective, the commissioning of INS Jalashwa marks a major milestone in Indo-US relations. It is reported that the US has offered the sale of some more ships like LPDs and Mine Sweepers. Are there plans to pursue further acquisitions? CNS: The induction of Jalashwa is certainly a seminal event because this is the first major acquisition by the Indian Navy from the US. The ship was commissioned at Norfolk on June 23, 2007 and is currently on her maiden passage to India. It is also true that at different points in time, the US Navy has indicated that other ships such as mine sweepers and LPDs were available should the Indian Navy desire to pursue such inductions. We have examined these offers. For the time being, however, there are no plans to pursue these offers. SP’s: What is the status of the agreement of logistic support with the US? CNS: What you are referring to is the Logistic Support Agreement. This has been vetted by all the three Service Headquarters, HQ IDS, and the relevant ministries of the Government before seeking Cabinet approval. SP’s: What is the status of acquisition of new maritime surveillance aircraft and the progress made on modernising the naval air arm? CNS: The modernisation of the air arm is planned through acquisitions, upgrades and mid-life updates (MLUs) and is a matter of priority for the Indian Navy. We have made reasonable progress in each of these areas. For example, field trials of the products offered by certain short-listed global contestants for Long Range Maritime Patrol and Anti-submarine Aircraft are expected to be complete soon. Simultaneously, the refurbishment programme for our fleet of IL-38 aircraft is proceeding apace. The acquisition of additional Dornier aircraft as replacements for the old Islander aircraft is under process. We are also examining responses to our global RFPs in respect of multi-role helicopters. We keenly anticipate the imminent induction of the MiG 29-K, as also the naval variant of the LCA. MLUs of Sea Harrier fighters and Sea King helicopters are being progressed. Six Sea King UH-3H troop-carrying helicopters are being inducted along with the LPD Jalashwa. We are also actively engaged in the augmentation of the capabilities of unmanned aircraft. SP’s: In the recently concluded Navy-CII Seminar on Naval Armaments, it emerged that indigenous armament development is a major area of concern. How does India plan to cope? CNS: The NAVARMS 2007 Seminar was a signal to the industry of the government’s resolve to enhance indigenous capability in the field of naval armaments. Numerous valid and useful recommendations were made
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Expertspeak / Admiral Arun Prakash
The Navy at
India’s 60th Year of Independence > The British had been careful to ensure that naval forces in India were kept to a bare minimum. Post-Independence, politicians and bureaucrats tended to be more circumspect about naval deployments lest we convey even a hint of “gunboat diplomacy”. <
I
n 1612, barely a decade after Emperor Jehangir granted them a licence to undertake trading, it was the British who raised the first organised sea-going service—the Indian Marine—to protect their interests against the Portuguese. It is to this service that the Indian Navy (IN), through its forerunner the Royal Indian Navy (RIN), created in October 1934, has traditionally traced its 400-year-old lineage. The 60th anniversary of Independence may be a good time to take stock of the smallest of India’s three armed forces. While maintaining a huge Indian Army to support their imperial agenda within the country as well as overseas, the British had been careful to ensure that naval forces in India were kept to a bare minimum, and maritime defence handled largely by their own Royal Navy. During World War II, the RIN underwent rapid expansion and participated in many actions in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Persian Gulf and Burma. PostIndependence, a fresh threat assessment was made by the country’s leadership and a plan paper prepared by the Naval HQ for the reorganisation and development of the RIN during the next six to10 years, with help from the UK. The immediate task was to build “a balanced task force, officered and manned by Indians, which would be able to prevail over any threat in our waters”. The minimum force envisaged for
▸ ▸ ▸ “When will the IN attain
blue-water status?” is a frequently asked question ◂ ◂ ◂
meeting this objective, included two light fleet carriers, three cruisers, eight destroyers and four submarines. This formidable force was estimated to cost £6 million, equivalent to about Rs 8 crore at 1947 prices. All this, however remained a pipe dream for a number of reasons, including the Kashmir conflict, the Korean War, and financial stringency in the country, but above all, a loss of enthusiasm in the UK due to India’s adoption of “non-alignment”. In the decade-and-a-half following Independence, the Government of India did, however, approve the acquisition of a light fleet carrier, two cruisers, six destroyers (all ex-Royal Navy) and eight frigates, newly constructed in the UK, in addition to some auxilliaries, survey ships and minesweepers. “When will the IN attain blue-water status?” is a question frequently asked by the media today. Fact is, with an aircraft carrier, 14 destroyer and frigate escorts, supported by a tanker, and a repair and store ship, the Indian fleet could (and often did) operate even in the 1960s and 1970s in the distant “blue waters” of the Indian Ocean. The problem lay mainly in the attitude of politicians and bureaucrats of the post-colonial era, who tended to be different and circumspect about naval deployments lest we convey even a hint of “gunboat diplomacy”. Notwithstanding many impediments, including a perennial shortage of funds, there were enough visionaries in the IN as well as the government to ensure that the service acquired a Fleet Air Arm in 1953, and a submarine arm was created end-1967. By the
time the IN went into action in 1971, it was a truly balanced and professional force, all three of whose components—surface, submarine and air—distinguished themselves in battle. Without doubt, one of the most far-sighted decisions taken by the IN leadership was to undertake the challenging task of warship construction in India. The project for licenced construction of Leander class frigates that commenced in Mazagon Docks in 1966 resulted in 12 ships of four different classes, each of which was an improvement on its predecessor. This endeavour resulted in imparting a great boost, not only to the navy’s ship design capabilities but also to building activity in the other yards, which has till today built over 80 warships ranging, from patrol boats to destroyers, frigates and submarines to an aircraft carrier. The 1980s saw a noteworthy paradigm shift in policy, wherein Indian maritime power was deployed in neighbouring countries, albeit at their own request. This decade was also witness to an upswing in the fortunes of the IN—with an aircraft carrier, a nuclear submarine, a squadron of long-range reconnaissance aircraft and some submarines and missile corvettes acquired in quick succession. But far more significant was the dawning of the realisation among the polity, as well as diplomats and civil servants, that the navy was a potent instrument of state power. India’s maritime diplomacy, through exchange of port visits, naval exercises, and rendition of humanitarian aid by the IN has contributed to fostering friendship and understanding, from the 1990s onwards.
An economically resurgent India has vast and varied maritime interests, which include offshore hydrocarbons, sea-bed resources, sea lines of communication, energy lifelines, a large merchant marine and about 180 ports and harbours dotting its coastline. It is now obvious that the nation’s economic prosperity is inextricably linked with her maritime capability. The IN, therefore, not only has the onerous task of safeguarding these vital interests, but also the international obligation of ensuring order, peace and tranquility in the Indian Ocean so that world trade can proceed unhindered. Having crafted a Maritime Strategy and a Doctrine, the long-term plans of the IN are in place. It envisages fielding two carrier groups at any time (tasked either for strike or amphibious operations), along with adequate destroyers and frigates to cater for tasks like air-defence, and anti-submarine warfare; all supported by a capable aviation arm and sustained by a logistic train. An Indian built submarine force would remain poised to interdict enemy naval forces and shipping. All these platforms, would be linked to each other through a satellite supported network. India will, in a few years, be among the foremost centres of power in the world, whose economic strength and technological prowess would need to be underpinned by concomitant military power, of which maritime strength will be a critical component. As the sailors say, “The IN will be ready in all respects.” The writer recently retired as Chief of Indian Navy and the photograph depicts him in uniform on January 12, 2006.
Continued from page 3
“The industry is often unaware of user needs and this causes wastage of time, money and effort.” as a matter of national policy, ever since May 2001, when the government changed its policy and allowed the private sector to take up the production of any item of defence, albeit under licence. Today, the policy even allows foreign direct investment of up to 26 per cent. The procurement process of the Government of India is now an extremely transparent one and is detailed in the readily available “Indian Defence Procurement Procedure, Manual 2006”. An oft-heard complaint is that the private sector is not aware of the requirements of the services sufficiently in advance, thereby precluding or limiting its ability to scout for foreign collaborations and/or to set-up requisite facilities. In response, the Indian Navy has imple-
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mented initiatives that seek to sensitise the private sector to its requirements. Amongst these initiatives are industry-navy exhibitions and seminars that are regularly held at Mumbai and Visakhapatnam, and, the recently concluded NAVARMS 2007 seminar. However, our efforts have not been limited to this mechanism alone. At the organisational level, the Directorate of Indigenisation (DOI) has been set-up at IHQ MoD (Navy) while Indigenisation Units (IUs) have been established at Mumbai and Visakhapatnam. The DOI has also been nominated by the Navy as the, nodal directorate for interaction with the Indian industry. The involvement of the private sector is fully incorporated into the indigenisation policy and plan of the Indian Navy. We
have formulated a ‘15-Year-Perspective Indigenisation-Plan’ for the navy and have sent it to the CII. This plan incorporates the forecast-requirements of the navy. We have also prepared a “Science and Technology Roadmap: 2025” aimed at developing indigenous technology. The overarching aim is to achieve total indigenisation in the shortest possible time, right across the spectrum of capability. Thus, the indigenisation of equipment, assemblies, sub-assemblies and spares are all based on a long-term strategic plan. The intention is to develop rather than to reverse engineer and to leverage the availability of COTS equipment from local sources, ruggedising it thereafter so as to make it conform to relevant specifications. As a consequence, the involvement of the private sector in naval projects is growing quite rapidly and is moving beyond its selfimposed bounds of involvement at solely the component-level, to one where it is increasingly involving itself at the ‘system’ and ‘integrated-systems’ levels, as well. SP’s: How is the construction of the Scorpene Class submarines progressing? What is the status of establishing a second line of submarine construction in the country as envisaged in the approved 30-Year Submarine Plan? CNS: All requisite activities involved in the building of the Scorpene Class submarines at MDL, Mumbai, are proceeding apace. The
same can be said of the preliminary activities relating to procurement and placement of heavy machinery. The timeliness of these activities are vital for the production of the Trial Section and I am encouraged by the commitment and resolution being shown on all sides, Indian and French, to cross each hurdle as it comes. The 30-year Submarine Plan is certainly our fundamental guidance document, but much of what we do next in terms of additional submarine building lines will be shaped by the kind of augmentation achieved by our shipyards in terms of in-country ship-building. SP’s: The last few years have seen an emphasis on increasing cooperation of the Indian Navy with other navies in the region, particularly South East Asia. What are the significant gains in this endeavour? CNS: The Indian Navy seeks to engage regional and extra-regional navies along what you might call six ‘thrust-axes’ with a view to gaining and sharing operational expertise; evaluating (and, where relevant, absorbing) the approaches and mechanisms adopted by different navies for doctrine-development and concept-validation; assessing the transformational experiences of a variety of other navies whether large, medium, small, developed, developing, global, regional, or sub-regional; examining and imbibing best-practices; enhancing inter-operability; and increasing maritime domain awareness through a series of cooperative mechanisms for the sharing of information.
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Evolution
Is the Indian Navy on Course? The need for a balanced navy with integral aviation and a submarine arm was conceived before Independence in 1944, by the then Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Indian Navy VICE ADMIRAL (RETD) R. GANESH
Early Years
Illustration: Mamta
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tarting at Independence with a few vintage sloops and corvettes left over from the Second World War, the Indian Navy (IN) has grown into a visibly strong and balanced force. This process of growth and development did not happen smoothly or steadily. The major factor hindering the development of the IN has always been the lack of timely funding and the low priority that was accorded to the country’s armed forces. The need for a balanced navy with integral aviation and a submarine arm was conceived before Independence in 1944, by the then Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Indian Navy. This concept was reiterated by a number of committees that were set up before and after Independence, but little headway was made in the first decade. Post-Independence, India received two cruisers, six destroyers and numerous smaller ships from Britain as part of the naval reparations programme. These were augmented between 1957 and 1962 with the purchase of eight frigates and an aircraft carrier. Though not large, the IN of the early 1960s already had the nucleus of a regional force and had several “blue water” units—notably the two cruisers. Plans for the IN continued to be refined after 1948, and the government approved the long-term target of a twocarrier navy with frigates, destroyers and submarines.
Creation of the Submarine Arm In December 1967, the first Indian submarine was commissioned in the USSR. This was a event of great importance as it marked the growth of the IN into a genuine three-dimensional force. The creation of the submarine arm gave the IN the necessary offensive capability for sea denial, while its carrierbased fleet could exercise sea control. Qualitatively, this marked the Indian Navy’s transformation into a balanced force, and all efforts were now focused on building up the requisite strength in the various components of the navy. To this end, India embarked on an ambitious plan to build submarines in India, and the government contracted with the German shipyard HDW for the construction of four submarines, of which two were to be built in the Mazagon Dockyard in Bombay.
▸ ▸ ▸ That agreement was a
turning point in our strategic relationships and India’s military cooperation was virtually confined to the USSR for the next 25 years ◂ ◂ ◂
Advent of Nuclear Propulsion
Establishment of the Fleet Air Arm
Warship Design and Construction
Till the early 1960s, the only ships that had been built in India for the navy were a few offshore defence boats and a survey ship. That changed with the farsighted and wise decision to design and build warships in India. Naval design came of age with the completion of the first Leander class frigate in 1972. The Leanders were followed a decade later by the Godavari class, which represented a triumph of ingenuity for our engineers and designers who integrated Soviet weapon and sensor systems with platforms that were essentially of the western type.
Change of Strategic Partners Till the end of the 1950s, the development of the IN proceeded along the lines chalked out
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in the post-Independence plans. The IN was familiar with the British Navy’s procedures and practices, and both sides anticipated that the strategic and professional convergence would continue. World events, however, played out differently from the foreseen course. Relations with Pakistan deteriorated steadily. In the early 1960s, the UK could not meet India’s request for four ‘O’ or ‘P’ class submarines and India accepted a Russian offer of four Foxtrot class boats. That agreement was a turning point in our strategic relationships and India’s military cooperation was virtually confined to the USSR for the next 25 years.
sought and received in the fields of design and construction, and all this put together gave the IN a platform from which it could aim to transform itself into a self-reliant force. During this period the IN obtained submarines, missile boats, anti-submarine warfare ships and destroyers. The IN also received long-range maritime patrol aircraft and shipborne helicopters to maintain the effectiveness and strength of the air arm. All this hardware was obtained on extremely favour-
The intervention of the USS Enterprise in the Bay of Bengal during the Indo-Pak War of 1971 was a stark indication to the naval leadership of the inadequacy of our sea denial capability. While conventional submarines have unmatched capabilities under specific conditions, lack of mobility greatly restricts the area where these can present a credible threat. A decision was, therefore, taken at the
▸ ▸ ▸ Indigenous ship pro-
duction has now picked up momentum and 33 ships are on order at Indian shipyards ◂ ◂ ◂ highest levels of government to commence the acquisition of nuclear submarines, and to Photographs: SP Guide Pubns
One of the most important stages in the development of the IN and one that clearly signaled the country’s intention to create a force capable of guarding its maritime interests on the regional level was the purchase of INS Vikrant from the UK in 1961. The induction of an aircraft carrier and the creation of the Fleet Air Arm was an essential measure for building up a balanced maritime aviation force with land and sea-based assets. With the arrival of the Vikrant, the IN joined the ranks of navies with a sea-based power projection capability backed up by shore-based maritime air reconnaissance.
able financial terms which more than compensated for the fact that the weapons and equipment supplied by the Russians were not by any means the latest in the Soviet Navy’s inventory. The adoption of Soviet naval hardware also had a positive impact on the training and professional culture of the navy’s officers and men. With the virtual cessation of training and professional interaction with the Royal Navy except at a very superficial level, there could have been a risk of insulation and stagnation in the evolution of tactics and operations procedures. But the IN took advantage of the exposure to Soviet naval operating and maintenance philosophies and evolved its own unique professional operating and maintenance culture.
Period of Growth The period from the early 1960s to the late 1980s was notable for the close cooperation between the USSR and India, which resulted in the sale of ships and submarines to the IN and the creation of infrastructure with Soviet assistance. Soviet assistance was also
▸ ▸ ▸ With INS Vikrant, the IN
joined the ranks of navies with a sea-based power projection capability backed up by shorebased maritime air reconnaissance ◂ ◂ ◂
The INS Delhi is one of the modern ships with the Indian Navy
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▸ ▸ ▸ The induction of a nuclear
submarine into the IN brought it into the limelight ◂ ◂ ◂ this end a contract was signed with the USSR for the lease of a Type 670 (NATO designation “Charlie”) class missile armed nuclear submarine. The induction of a nuclear submarine into the IN brought it into the limelight and much was written about India’s naval expansion in the international press.
Impact of Altered International Scenario
The aircraft carrier INS Viraat contributes immensely to India’s power projection
The collapse of the USSR and the end of the Cold War era had the inevitable effect on the IN. On the positive side, technology that had hitherto been hard to come by was now available from the West, albeit at far higher prices. On the other hand, diversity brought in its train several complications, and in an indirect way slowed the tempo of indigenous production. Russia became preoccupied with her internal problems and her cooperation with India assumed a lower priority. The collapse of the USSR also had an adverse impact on the quality, reliability and availability of spares for the large inventory of Russianorigin equipment, leading to increased down time of vital equipment and systems.
The Contemporary Scene
Prospects for the Future Notwithstanding these additions to the naval inventory and undeniable progress on many fronts, force imbalance is a major area of concern because a large proportion of the force level compromises “brown water” units or smaller ships of limited capability. This imbalance needs to be rectified with the addition of more “blue water” capability. Indigenous ship production has now picked up momentum and 33 ships are on order at Indian shipyards, including two new lines of frigates—the Project 17 (stealth frigates of the Shivalik class) and 15A (follow-on ships of the Delhi class), and the Air Defense Ship (ADS). A new line of ASW corvettes is also going to be built. There are about 16 submarines which just about meet the requirement and the coming years may see some erosion in their strength, a situation that could be mitigated through modernisation, regular refit, retrofit and the 30-year submarine building plan. The present budgetary allocations should be able to meet most of India’s essential force planning projections. (The writer is the former FOC-in- Chief, Southern Naval Command.)
China Shores Up Energy Reserves With domestic hydrocarbon reserves on the decline, Beijing is forced to come to terms with the fact that as far as energy resources are concerned, it has little option but to go to the international market for oil and gas supplies
Illustration: Mamta
Energy
Induction of the Scorpene submarines will lend the Indian Navy more muscle
During this period of turbulence, India looked to the world market for its purchases, and one of the major deals that were concluded was the contract with France for the construction of six Scorpene submarines in India.
Meanwhile, conditions in Russia continued to improve, and several important additions to the naval inventory, including such major agreements as the refurbishment and sale of the aircraft carrier Gorshkov, supply of tubelaunched sub-surface missiles, and transfer of three improved Krivak class frigates, together with a range of weapon and sensor systems have been concluded.
S H E B O N T I R AY DA D W A L
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ore than any other country, access to energy resources is of vital importance to China. Given its stated goal of attaining “comprehensive national strength”, Chinese leaders have often reiterated that securing a steady energy supply is its top priority, and it has everything to do with national security. Their concern stems from the premise that inadequate energy resources could lead to an economic slowdown, which in turn could lead to political unrest and threaten the stability of the regime.
Energy Requirement However, given its rapid growth in energy demand and a concurrent drop in its domestic reserves to production ratio, China has had to resort to increasingly large quantities of energy imports, particularly oil, and despite a recent discovery in Bohai Bay of around 1 billion tons (7.3 billion barrels) of oil and some 3.8 trillion cubic meters of natural gas in the Sichuan Basin, a March 2007 report by the Ministry of Land and Resources states that the country’s proven oil reserves might last only 11 years. According to the US Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration, China’s oil demand is expected to increase to more than 14 million barrels per day (mbd) by 2025, as against its current 6 mbd, while its natural gas demand is expected to increase to 300 billion cubic meters by 2025-30 from the current 45 bcm. China imports more than 130 million tons (around 950 million barrels) of oil each year. Even in the case of coal, notwithstanding its huge reserves, China has become a net importer of coal and Chinese policymakers believe
that at current production rates, the country will run out of coal over the next 50 years. Therefore, under the circumstances, a major concern of China is safe access and transport of its energy supplies, given that about 90 per cent of China’s oil imports are transported by ship. Although traditionally, the Chinese are averse to dependence on foreign resources, based on the belief that this would lead to susceptibility to pressure from other powers as well as increased vulnerabilities, the fact that China’s domestic hydrocarbon reserves are on the decline have forced the government to come to terms with the fact that at least where energy resources are concerned, China has little option but to go to the international market for its oil and gas supplies.
The US Factor Much of China’s concern with regard to acquiring its energy supplies from foreign sources is based on the belief expressed by several Chinese scholars and strategists that the US will not tolerate any challenges, either real or perceived, that may threaten its pre-eminent status in the international political order. As access and control of energy resources contribute greatly to a country’s power, many Chinese believe that the US will try to obstruct China’s development agenda by disrupting its energy supplies through imposition of embargoes or other obstructive action in the event of a conflict with the US – over Taiwan or over territorial ownership with US allies in the South China Sea. Beijing’s sense of insecurity has increased following the US strike against and occupation of Iraq in 2003. Therefore under the circumstance, China is trying to hedge this forced dependence on foreign energy supplies by adopting a number
China’s string of pearls around India
of strategies. These include forming strategic ties with energy producing countries and signing long-term bilateral deals with them, instead of relying on spot purchases of oil, acquiring overseas oil and gas blocks as well as stakes in oil firms with large hydrocarbon reserves. It is also currently engaged in constructing a number of strategic petroleum reserves (SPRs), which would eventually hold around 15-20 per cent of the country’s annual crude oil imports. It is also spreading its net wider in a bid to get its energy supplies from multiple sources. Although around 45 per cent of its current oil supplies come from the Gulf region, it is increasingly turning to Central Asia and Russia as well as Africa and Latin America for its supplies. For instance, in 2006, Angola surpassed Saudi Arabia as China’s leading source of oil imports, accounting for around half of the country’s imports from Africa. Beijing is also following a policy of building close energy relations with countries which have strained relations with the US, including Iran, Sudan and Venezuela, and has in turn been accused of protecting these states from international sanctions being imposed on them. Recently, China stymied US efforts to levy sanctions on Sudan, which supplies nearly 7 per cent of China’s oil. However, despite its attempts at diversifying its supply sources, Beijing is deeply aware that in the long run its dependence
on the Persian Gulf region for its oil supplies will increase, given that the world’s residual oil reserves are located there. More than half its oil supplies are sourced from that region and shipped through sea routes that are controlled by the US. These include the area around the Strait of Malacca, through which around 80 per cent of China’s oil supplies transit, as well as the Strait of Hormuz, through which 40 per cent of the world’s oil transits. Therefore, the issue of safe transport of its energy supplies – be it from producing countries or from its own overseas assets – continues to be a subject of concern for Beijing. It fears that in the event of a conflict with the US (over Taiwan or over territorial issues with South China Sea littorals) it may not be able to withstand threats to its oil supplies or even a blockade of its oil imports, given the US Navy’s control of the entire route from the Persian Gulf to Asia. Although most analysts dismiss the idea of a blockade, China has not forgotten the US embargo of Iraqi oil during Saddam Hussein’s regime, or the planned blockade of the former Yugoslavia in 1999 during the Balkans War, or plans to impose an oil embargo on North Korea in 1994. Chinese scholars take the possibility of US Navy intercepting its oil imports in the event of a conflict over Taiwan very seriously. Continued on page 14
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Policy
Maritime Terrorism
An international meeting of concerned maritime nations, under the aegis of the International Maritime Organisation, chalked out measures to tackle the threat posed by terrorism COMMODORE RAJEEV SAWHNEY
▸ ▸ ▸ The global merchant fleet
has also grown by 7.2 per cent to 960 million DWT to cater for this growth ◂ ◂ ◂ The Importance of Maritime Trade Globalisation has over the past decade resulted in an enormous growth in the quantum of world maritime trade. The 2006 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) review of world maritime transport has assessed that world seaborne trade grew at 3.8 per cent in 2005, at 7.11 billion tons of loaded goods. This trade has been driven by an average growth of 6 per cent in the volume of world exports, critical to the global economy. The global merchant fleet has also grown by 7.2 per cent to 960 million DWT to cater for this growth. There is widespread consensus on the need to ensure uninterrupted trade flows. Global dependence on hydrocarbon energy also predicates that these supplies flows are not disrupted. Most of this seaborne trade moves along somewhat predetermined routes, passing through a number of geographic ‘choke points’ that form the entry/exit routes to a region, areas in which vessels are particularly vulnerable to attacks by those who wish to disrupt these trade flows.
The Threat
The 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York re-focused global attention on the terrorist threat. Attention also was drawn to the possibility of maritime terrorist strikes. An analysis in the Standard in February 2006, stated that it would be relatively easy to cripple shipping along the Malacca Straits given that the 1,015-km channel is just 2.4 km wide at its narrowest point. An oil tanker could be used
▸ ▸ ▸ It would be relatively
easy to cripple shipping along the Malacca straits given that the 1,015-km channel is just 2.4 km wide at its narrowest point ◂ ◂ ◂
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Illustration: Ratan Sonal
H
ijacking of the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro by a team of Palestinian terrorists was the first recorded incident of maritime terrorism in recent history. They demanded the release of 50 members of the Palestinian Liberation Front incarcerated in Israeli prisons and gunned down a disabled Jewish American passenger. The 1985 incident drew the world’s attention to the vulnerability of maritime shipping from the menace of maritime terrorism. An international meeting of all interested maritime nations, under the aegis of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), drew up measures to tackle this threat. Four years of negotiations culminated in the “Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation, 1988”, also known as the SUA convention. This came into force in 1992 with the core purpose of ensuring that appropriate action is taken against persons committing unlawful acts against ships, like: • The seizure of ships by force • Acts of violence against persons on board ships • The placing of devices on board a ship which are likely to destroy or damage it
as a floating bomb against a major port such as Singapore. Any prudent security manager would be wise to put response strategies in place to ensure that such a possibility remains remote. Especially since numerous inputs are available to suggest that many terrorist groups are in fact acquiring maritime capabilities. Taped statements by two top leaders of alQaeda, post the 2001 Bali bombings, alluded to attacks on “economic lifelines”, obviously a threat to maritime trade. There is evidence of various terrorist groups having adopted the globalisation mantra by cooperating in the transfer of maritime expertise. The LTTE is the acknowledged pioneer in undertaking maritime terrorist activities, something that it has successfully demonstrated over the past two decades. US and Israeli assessments are that Jemaah Islamiyah and the Abu Sayyaf Group (both considered to have close links to alQaeda) have also developed maritime capabilities, provided by the LTTE. This acquisition of a maritime terrorism capability includes diving and mining training. It is also stated that al-Qaeda’s maritime-operations commander Abdul al-Rahim al-Nashiri’s capture in Aden in November 2002 passed on much of the expertise acquired by both groups. In the South Asian region, terrorism expert B Raman warns India and the international community of the threat from the LTTE’s capability to undertake maritime strikes. These developments are ample warning of the threats that are faced by maritime trade. The global economy’s vulnerability to supply chain disruptions has obviously also been assessed by terrorist groups possessing a maritime capability. This expertise could very well be used for terror attacks and must be catered for in any risk or threat assessment.
Recent Maritime Terror Incidents The recent history of significant maritime terrorist attacks in the Indian Ocean Region is ample testimony to the earlier arguments:• The suicide attack by a small boat masquerading as a harbour craft on the USS Cole on October 12, 2000 by the al-Qaeda in the Gulf of Aden, Yemen • Two years later, the MV Limburg, a supertanker was also attacked in the Gulf of Aden as it approached Yemen’s Ash Shihr oil terminal. Again, the modus operandi was a small boat being exploded close to the vessel causing substantial damage.
▸ ▸ ▸ Pirates operating in
Malacca would shy away from cooperating with terrorist groups as this could lead to a massive crackdown on maritime crime affecting their livelihood ◂ ◂ ◂ • On November 5, 2005, the Seabourn Spirit, a cruise liner was attacked by machine-gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades about 160 km (99 miles) off the coast of Somalia from two small vessels. The ship, escaped by changing course, increasing speed and using a hightech sonic weapon, the first recorded use of such a system. • The Somalian coast, a new hot spot for piracy and terrorism, has seen a number of ships being hijacked for ransom and random attacks on passing ships. • Katyusha rockets were fired at two USN ships docked in the Jordanian port of Aqaba. A group called Abdullah al-Azzam Brigades with links to al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility. • The bomb attack on the M/V Superferry 14 in Manila by the Abu Sayyaf Group in February 2004 caused the ship to capsize, resulting in more than 100 fatalities. • In 2001, a Jemaah Islamiyah plot was revealed, to attack visiting US naval warships in Singapore. • In February 2003, the interrogation of alQaeda’s Abdelrahim al-Nashiri, revealed that the group had intended to attack passing US warships and other ships in the Straits of Hormuz. The plan was to use small craft packed with explosives, operating from a “mother ship”.
Piracy and Terrorism: Is there a Link? Suggested links between maritime piracy and terrorism have been strongly refuted by those who emphasise that the core motives of the two are vastly different. Whilst pirates are purely driven by the profit motive, terrorists on the other hand aim to commit destructive acts so as to create fear in pursuance of their political goals. Analyst Zara Raymond argues that pirates operating in Malacca would shy away from cooperating with terrorist groups as this could lead to a massive crackdown on maritime crime affecting their livelihood. This seems to be borne out by the significant decline in piracy over the past two years since coordinated maritime air and surface patrols were initiated by the three littoral states. Whilst
this logic is valid, the possibility of terrorist groups requisitioning the pirates maritime capabilities, in return for pecuniary rewards, either for training or direct strikes, cannot totally be ruled out.
Possible Maritime Terror Scenarios
Having determined that the capability to undertake terrorist strikes at sea is indeed being acquired by some groups, what could be the possible scenarios for such strikes? Terrorist groups could aim to disrupt maritime trade, either by attacks on shipping or by directly targeting maritime infrastructure itself. Some of these scenarios include:• Blockage of a port by sinking of a ship in its approaches • Blowing up of a chemical or LNG tanker either within or in the close proximity of a port. In 2005, Vice Admiral Terry Cross of the US Coast Guard told media that the ease with which pirate attacks were taking place in the Malacca Straits could “alert terrorists to the opportunities for seizing oil tankers” and that “these could be used as floating bombs” (The Straits Times, April 18, 2005). • Mining of the approaches to a port or of a choke point • Use of a booby trapped tanker as a floating bomb to be detonated inside a port • Targeting of a maritime economic centre with Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) through the use of a ship or container to detonate a dirty bomb
Response Strategies Realisation of the seriousness of the maritime terror threat forced the initiation of a number of responses at a global level. Early detection and identification through an effective surveillance system is required for complete awareness of the maritime area of responsibility. This requires knowledge of the precise identity of each surface vessel and craft and their intentions. The major measures include:International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS): A comprehensive security system across the maritime supply chain, both ships as well as the port facilities. The main objectives of the Code are: • To detect security threats and implement security measures • To establish roles and responsibilities concerning maritime security for governments, local administrations, ship and port industries at national and international level • To collate and promulgate security-related information • To provide a methodology for security assessments so as to have in place plans and procedures to react to changing situations Automatic Identification System (AIS): It was introduced to aid security, making it easier for ships, ports and other authorities to identify approaching targets. This is a transponder system that transmits the ships identity, position and movements to any AIS monitoring station. Implementation is well underway and the system is being seen to be a boon especially to authorities controlling ports. However the threat to maritime infrastructure is not only from large ships but more so from smaller vessels amply illustrated by the Cole and Limburg incidents. Long Range Identification & Tracking (LRIT): To overcome the radar horizon constraint of the AIS system and permit tracking of vessels out into the ocean areas, IMO
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Container Security Initiative (CSI): To protect against the possible entry of WMDs, the US announced the CSI in January 2002. It uses advanced technology for detection of illegal cargo concealed in shipping containers, by prescreening them before these are shipped into US ports. Though CSI primarily caters for US homeland security, motivation to join CSI has largely been economic with the US being the largest trading partner for most nations.
Te c h n o l o g y
Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI): PSI was launched by the United States and ten other nations, including Japan and Australia, in May 2003 to address the problem of WMD proliferation, especially to terrorist groups and other nonstate actors. The important function of the PSI is to provide broader legal legitimacy to interdict vessels that are suspected of carrying WMDs, their delivery systems, or related materials. PSI is said to have been instrumental in uncovering the A.Q. Khan proliferation network.
▸▸▸ The Indian Government is
a mandatory requirement for fitment of AIS on all vessels larger than 100 tons. Coupled with the planned installation of a chain of AIS capable coastal radar stations, this would enable close monitoring of the maritime traffic along the coast. Only such measures would be able to monitor the vast numbers of shipping that operate in the seas around India, these include thousands of dhows that trade across the North Indian Ocean.
soon to make it a mandatory requirement for fitment of AIS on all vessels larger than 100 tons ◂◂◂ The Indian Context
With its long coastline of over 7,500 km and over 1,200 island territories, India is endowed with an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 2.013 million sq km. Post-delimitation of the continental shelf, its maritime zone would increase to 2.9 million sq km, almost equal to India’s entire landmass. The Kargil Review Committee’s (KRC) Border Management Task Force had concluded that proper management of borders is vitally important for national security. Huge seizure of arms at Kochi, Kerala in January 2007, from a ship bound for Karachi, reinforces this conclusion. The CNS commented that it is only a tip of the iceberg and could be part of a bigger terrorist operation. In May this year, whilst addressing a news conference at the Ezhimala Naval Academy, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said that maritime terrorism has become the biggest threat to the security of the nation and that the situation warrants constant vigil from the Indian Navy. Faced with the problem of the maritime domain being used by such anti national elements to clandestinely bring in guns and explosives, the Indian Government is soon to make it
Nuclear Powered Force
The Cost of Security Securing maritime assets, be it ships or infrastructure, does not come cheap. CSI itself requires participating ports to make massive investments in screening equipment and other measures, essentially required to clear containers which today comprise the majority of break bulk cargo. Ensuring compliance with IMO’s ISPS code also comes at a cost for port authorities. Expressed in absolute terms, the reported initial cost figures for respondent ports range between a low of $3,000 (Rs 1 lakh) and a high of $35.50 million (Rs 144 crore). As to the annual recurring costs, reported figures range between $1,000 (Rs 40,680) and $19 million (Rs 77 crore). These costs have been accentuated by the continuous efforts to shorten ship turn around times, especially for the container ships that feed the supply chains vital for industry. This cost logically requires to be passed on to users, the result has been the implementation of security costs ranging from $2.5 to $6.4 (Rs 102 to Rs 260) per container. Considering that millions of containers are transported around the world annually, the costs
of securing maritime assets against the terrorist threat are humongous.
Conclusion The interdependence between states that has resulted from globalisation would make combating maritime terror a common and shared concern. Thus gaining consensus on cooperation and information sharing should not be insurmountable. Whilst a number of measures have been implemented these require considerable investment, this may be beyond the capacity of some states. Providing the means to such states to implement the required measures would require to be addressed to ensure that all gaps are plugged. In addition, a cost effective measure would be to disrupt and degrade the land capability of terrorist groups would have the effect of preventing any development of a maritime capability. Effective surveillance, and intelligence gathering and sharing will help to prevent the acquisition of weapons and explosives by militant groups intending to carry out attacks in the maritime domain. A large-scale attack on a target at sea requires a considerable amount of planning, training and technology. The disruption of this process will severely degrade a group’s ability to carry out a large-scale maritime operation. It is obvious that the maritime terror threat is here to stay and considering global dependence on maritime trade preventive measures would be needed to avoid any disruption. The large sea areas to (The writer is Executive Director, National Maritime Foundation.)
US Navy
has proposed the mandatory introduction of the LRIT. Information ships will be required to transmit including its identity, location and date and time of the position. There will be no interface between LRIT and AIS and unlike AIS which is a broadcast system, data derived through LRIT will be available only to recipients entitled to receive such information. All countries who have signed the convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) will receive information of ships within 1000 nautical miles off their coasts.
powered carrier. It would, thus, be pertinent to examine as to how the nuclear carrier force is developing and where it is headed in the future.
The Genesis
Historically, many consider the year 1942 as a watershed in carrier borne operations. Almost 65 years to the date, between June 4 and 6 that year, the entire Pacific front was neutralised by the Americans. This pivotal battle of World War II (WW II) pitted the aircraft carriers of the US and Japan against each other. Within two days, Japan lost all its four aircraft carriers to the American carrier-borne aircraft, prompting a complete metamorphosis of thoughts among the naval fraternity. Naval planners were quick to seize the fact that a 200 to 300 nautical mile (nm) operating radius, over both land and sea, provided them with much more flexibility than the 15 to 20 nm range afforded by the battleship guns. Moreover, the sphere of influence of a carrier force extended much more inshore than was hitherto felt. Carrier-borne aircraft provided critical
1100 tons per aircraft (gross tonnage: 97,000 tons; number of aircraft: 85).
Nuclear Powered Aircraft Carrier Concurrently, propulsion systems too evolved, and as stated earlier, just about five decades ago, construction of the first nuclear-propelled aircraft carrier commenced. A nuclear-powered aircraft carrier imposes reduced demand on logistics, primarily because nuclear reactors do not require the carrier to sacrifice space for fuel, oil, or the need to refuel. As the carriers underwent a changed mission profile from that of being purely anti-submarine to a more composite force, the kind of aircraft embarked also changed. As more and more multi-purpose aircraft started adorning the flight decks, the carriers too underwent a change in nomenclature from CVA (attacks carriers) to CVNs (nuclear carriers), thus losing their attack designators. This was significant not only from the point of mere designators, but also the role and mission definition for these carriers. Assuming the position of the centrepiece of forces necessary for forward deployment and pres-
The keel of the first nuclear aircraft carrier, the USS Enterprise, was laid on February 4, 1958. Since then, advanced technology and design has added much muscle to these Super Carriers.
C O M M A N D E R V. S R I V A T S A N
T
he keel of the first nuclear aircraft carrier, USS Enterprise, was laid on February 4, 1958. Nearly five decades later, the follow-on ship— the USS Nimitz—became the first nuclear powered aircraft carrier to ever visit an Indian port. Her arrival at Chennai attracted some
adverse attention but this did not deter the sailors onboard this ‘super carrier’ from playing a friendly soccer game with the Manohan High School girl’s soccer team, besides other activities. The visit served to provide a fresh focus on not only the carrier as a potent platform, but also on the prospects of a nuclear-
air support, anti-submarine protection and air-toground support during amphibious operations. WW II, therefore, became the source for much of the carrier thinking and operations. The carriers of the WW II vintage were typified by their medium sizes. Barring a few exceptions, like the USS Essex that weighed around 35,000 tons yet carried 90 aircraft (approximately 390 tons per aircraft), the average tonnage of the ship per aircraft was typically about 600 tons. This was predominantly because of their role as ASW attack and escort carriers. Post-WW II, as the technology and design of the aircraft carriers matured, nations became more adventurous, and the conservative hulls weighed-in at about 700 tons per aircraft. It was, however, with the advent of the Cold War that the carriers acquired some serious muscle. As a result, one witnessed the spiralling of the ratio to about 950 tons per aircraft. This figure has been sustained even in the present day avatar in the form of the latest US carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, which averages about
ence, these started supporting and operating aircraft that engaged in attacks of airborne, afloat and ashore targets that threatened the free use of the seas. Gradually, these were also engaged in sustained operations in support of various other forces. In short, the carriers came to be viewed as the sole solution to the entire range of conflicts that a fighting force would be engaged in, and nuclear carriers clearly excelled in all the departments of the above mission profile. Cold War mindset dictated that the carriers would primarily be engaged in open-ocean war at sea. However, with the changed dynamics of the modern world, these platforms are viewed as potent weapons for controlling the sea lines as well as the “littoral zone”, the area from off the coasts to as far inland as necessary to establish a safety zone for the entry of other combat forces. It is now acknowledged that with the increasing proximity and density of population centres located near the sea, naval forces with their forward presence are capable of influencing world events. The carriers are central to this Continued on page 10
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Elettronica
The Italian EW specialist Elettronica S.p.A. is, according to the most recent sector rankings, the world’s fourth largest supplier of electronic defence systems.
NH-90 naval anti-submarine and surveillance helicopters operated by French, Italian, Dutch and German navies are fitted with Elettronica ESM systems
E
lettronica’s high performance solid state Electronic Warfare systems have been at the heart of platform defense on every recent generation of important European combat aircraft - including the Tornado, Mirage and AMX fighters as well as the EFA (European Fighter Aircraft) “Typhoon.” Elettronica most recently made news in India when, in February of this year, it announced together with the Russian Aircraft Corporation-MiG that the Rome-based company’s ultra-high performance self-protection jammers will equip the new MiG-35 craft on offer to the Indian Air Force as part of the MMRCA (Medium MultiRole Combat Aircraft) tender. But if protecting high-end fixed-wing combat platforms - fighters and special purpose aircraft - is an area of particular expertise for the company and accounts for over half of its annual revenues, the Italian company is seeing strong growth as well in the area of naval EW as well, beginning once again in the air: Elettronica ESM systems are mounted on the NH-90 naval anti-submarine and surveillance helicopters operated by the French, Italian, Dutch and German navies as well as Italy’s EH-101.
The power and performance available with Elettronica’s defensive technologies also suits them for ship-board use, where they have been mounted on the 7,000 ton “Horizon” class frigates built by a subsidiary of Elettronica shareholder Finmeccanica as well as the newest capital ship in the Italian Navy, the aircraft carrier “Cavour.” They are being fitted as well on the “Baynunah” class corvettes under construction in Abu Dhabi shipyards for service in the navy of the United Arab Emirates. Here they will help protect the naval craft policing some of the “hottest” shipping-lanes in the world. Elettronica has as well a role of primary importance in the FREMM con-
sortium between Italy and France for the joint development and construction of a new generation of frigates intended to patrol waters of strategic importance to these two great maritime nations. Perhaps as significant as the question of “what” Elettronica produces is the matter of “how” it goes about this. Beyond a mature relationship of technical
cooperation with Bangalore-based DARE, other recent collaborative initiatives launched by the Italian company - with Alpha Design Technologies, also of Bangalore and, in the Gulf with Abu Dhabi-based Baynunah Aviation Technology (BAT) - call for joint ventures which foresee the fullest degree of collaboration, including joint development and the prospect of export by the venture to third countries. This attitude was at the forefront in the company’s recent high profile presence at MAKS, the increasingly important Russian Aerospace Show. Elettronica has identified both India and Russia as strategic long-term partners, recognizing the importance and the strategic role of these countries as regional powers and emerging global players, Elettronica believes it has a lot to offer potential partners in world markets: “Our technologies are widely recognized as being extremely advanced, perhaps literally the finest in the world and certainly in Europe,” according to Mr. Candido Giannicchi, Elettronica’s Senior Vice-President Business Development India, charged with developing business in the Indian market, “At the same time, we don’t have to acquire absolute dominance over the relationships we develop. We work together to allow our clients to concentrate on obtaining the finest possible protection for their combat platforms on land, on the sea or in the air.”
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paradigm. Even though nuclear aircraft carriers are normally deployed near traditional potential conflict zones, they have demonstrated ability in being able to redeploy with alacrity to another locale should a crisis occur, and be ready to commence operations on arrival. This dexterity is what distinguishes a nuclear carrier from any other platform of the navy. Super Carriers, as these nuclear-powered aircraft carriers are often referred to, have primarily been the domain of the US. Most other nations operate more modest platforms. Aircraft carriers, despite their cost, give a country and its navy the unparalleled ability to project airpower without the requirement of the host nation’s support. This ability is what is shaping the acquisition of these platforms among many countries worldwide, including India. The typical composition of a composite air wing based on a nuclear carrier is indicative of the potency and lethality of this platform—one/two squadrons of fighter aircraft, a squadron of light-attack aircraft, a mediumattack squadron, an ASW squadron, AEW squadron, EW aircraft and a mix of helicopters for SAR, ASW and EW support. With the growing capabilities of the unmanned vehicles, serious thought is being put into having a squadron each of UAVs & UCAVs to replace their manned counterparts. However, this is still at an evolutionary stage, but the first adopters would definitely gain considerable advantage in operating and dovetailing operational concepts into the unmanned arena.
▸ ▸ ▸ Within two days, Japan
lost all its four aircraft carriers—to the American carrier-borne aircraft ◂ ◂ ◂
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With the intense growth in information technology, hardware and software designing coupled with increased computational power, future nuclear carriers would sport a leaner look in terms of the manning complement. This would be the direct result of increased automation for the performance of many of the tasks onboard. Replacement and/or substitution of a large number of electrical cables with an optical fibre backbone would make the onboard communications and information systems faster, more reliable, robust, scalable and adaptable to emerging technologies. Devices like the electromagnetic launch systems would make for reduced moving parts requiring lesser engineering maintenance and improved performance. The concomitant benefit would be increased sortie rates per day. It is opined that a substantial part of the support staff would also be reduced due to smart and intelligent systems, with substantially reduced failure rates during every cycle of operation. The Encyclopaedia of Ships lists the Imperial Japanese Navy’s Yamato Class carrier, Shinano, as the heaviest carrier ever built. At over 1,00,000 tons, it was large even by WW II standards. However, it suffered the ignominious distinction of having the shortest period in commission—a mere 10 days before it was sunk by US submarine Archer-Fish on November 29, 1944. The carriers of today, and the future, more specifically the nuclear version, represent close to about 4.5 acres of sovereign national territory afloat. Awesome power notwithstanding, these are also considered vulnerable without sufficient escort forces, lest they meet the same fate as the Shinano. This effectively translates to a very high cost of operation for a Carrier Battle Group (CBG). While earlier thinking on the escort force structure revolved around having nuclear-propelled surface and sub-surface combatants, too, this ideology has undergone a change purely
because of the economics involved. In the revised scheme of things, the focus has shifted back onto conventional platforms to make-up the full composition of the CBG. As India steps on the threshold of acquiring and operating nuclear submarines, it is natural that similar propulsion systems would be designed for the carrier and other combatants. While prudence might dictate learning from some of the other nations that have operated a full spectrum nuclear CBG, the scale of operations and mission economics peculiar to India might dictate a step otherwise. Advances in military technology, strap-on weapon and sensor packages, modular construction designs, and so on have all contributed to enormous expectation to make a nuclear carrier a self-sustaining composite platform in itself. Improved command and control systems, in tandem with highly sophisticated combat information systems, will improve the potency of the carrier manifold. Additionally, they will have in-house capability for countering all or any threat across all the three dimensions. Countermeasures for electronic warfare, missiles and torpedoes will become standard fits in the future. The enormous power required for operating these suites would be provided by an improved power generation and distribution bus that is set to witness a 150 per cent increase in the future. The balance force protection roles will be undertaken by a homogenous mix of high-performance aircraft, UAVs and helicopters. This would keep the number, size and composition of a nuclear CBG within appropriate scales of economical operation in the open ocean as well as a littoral environment—a profile that epitomises Indian Navy’s footprint of activities in this region. While carrying out a comparison of a nuclear powered vis-à-vis a conventional carrier force, one needs to consider such factors as flexibility of operation, such as the ability to steam at high
speeds for unlimited distances without refuelling; increased capacity for aviation fuel; increased capacity for other consumables such as ammunition; and the higher speeds of the advanced nuclear carrier over conventional carriers. Other considerations would include the availability of basing ports with adequate shipyard capabilities, and other supporting infrastructure. Last but not the least, the disposal of the spent nuclear fuel and other contaminated materials would also need thoughtful consideration. Although decommissioning of a nuclear carrier in the Indian context is well into the future, it must be borne in mind that as per estimates, it costs almost 20 times more to decontaminate, and dispose off a nuclear carrier as compared to a conventional carrier.
Conclusion A Carrier Task Force’s mission can be classified as four-fold: to provide a credible, sustainable, independent presence and conventional deterrence during peacetime; operate as the mainstay of all operations in times of crises; operate and support attacks on the enemy’s forces—both ashore and afloat, while providing protection to own forces; and, engage in sustained independent operation in war. With an area of interest extending from the east coast of Africa to the seas beyond the Malacca Straits, the strategic footprint of the Indian Navy straddles all forms of operations outlined above. It is a considered opinion that it is not a question of “if” but more a question of “when” the Indian Navy will endeavour to acquire the capability to build, operate and deploy a nuclear Carrier Task Force. Even though carriers and their aircraft are expensive, they remain an essential military tool for those nations that can afford them, and will continue to do so for the years to come. (The author is a Research Fellow with the National Maritime Foundation, New Delhi.)
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Acquisition
Modernising the Navy Imperatives & Strategy A clear enunciation of the nation’s maritime strategy has assumed significant importance
Photographs: SP Guide Pubns
V I C E A D M I R A L ( R E T D . ) P J A I T LY
W
ith India emerging as a formidable power, both in the economic and political sense, and the consequent enhanced role of the navy for maritime security, a clear enunciation of the nation’s maritime strategy has assumed significant importance. Keeping this imperative in mind, the Indian Navy (IN) is seen to be making an attempt to make its mark in the waters of the Indian Ocean and beyond in a structured manner. The first step in this process has
Helicopters of the Indian Navy take off on a mission (above right); Indian naval ships in formation during an overseas deployment (right); INS Viraat (below) at a joint exercise. INS Vikramaditya (ex-Gorshkov) is likely to join the Indian fleet in 2008.
been the promulgation of a, “trinity of documents”—the Maritime Doctrine, released in 2004; the Maritime Capability Perspective Plan, brought out in May 2006; and finally, the vision statement of the IN, highlighting the strategic guidelines for transformation, released in September 2006. The challenges before the naval leadership has now been to implement the theoretical course charted out in these documents by appropriate modernisation of the naval force structure which includes ships, submarines and aircrafts in its inventory, as also the shore infrastructure and human resources. The aim has been to build assets and capabilities required to influence areas beyond the littoral waters and extend the reach internationally. The key operational parameters highlighted in the transformation strategy include enhanced maritime surveillance capability and network centricity to link all assets in a common framework thereby enhancing maritime domain awareness.
The Maritime Capability Perspective Plan
The Maritime Capability Perspective Plan outlines the force structure of the navy till 2022 and highlights the types of platforms (ships, submarines and aircrafts) required to be maintained with state of the art technology weapons and sensors. The emphasis is on acquiring these through indigenous capabilities in the country. In pursuance of this plan, the force build up of the navy is being progressed primarily through the indigenous ship-building route, in a few cases with acquisitions from abroad to compensate for the immediate shortfalls in inventory or technology and capacity constraints of our
▸▸▸ Order books of the three
defence shipyards at present are very healthy with the construction of six submarines and about 27 ships in progress ◂◂◂
shipyards and industry. The plans have been drawn up keeping in mind the envisaged budgetary support required to maintain a force level of approximately 140 ships with a greater thrust on quality of the punch of the platform as opposed to mere quantity. Ministry of Defence approval exists for a 30-year submarine building plan with the goal of developing two separate lines for submarine construction in India. While the construction programme of six Scorpene class submarines is already underway at the defence shipyard, Mazagon Docks in Mumbai, plans are at a fairly advanced stage to start a second submarine construction line, likely to be in the private sector. The present order books of the three defence shipyards are very healthy with the construction of six submarines and about 27 ships in progress. These include, in addition to the Scorpene submarines, air defence ship, stealth frigate P-17, Destroyers P-15A, anti-submarine warfare Corvette P-28, offshore patrol vessels, fast attack crafts, and other auxiliary vessels. The shipyards have embarked on major modernisation plans to augment infrastructure and keep abreast of various technological developments in shipbuilding practices. The aim is to enhance capacity and productivity and reduce buildtime which has been a major area of concern in the past. On the foreign acquisition front, a landmark event was the signing of the contract for three follow-on Talwar class frigates from Russia. These ships will be equipped with indigenous sonar and communication suite as also Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos cruise missile. INS Jalashwa (formerly, the USS Trenton) acquired from the US has already joined the Indian fleet after extensive repairs at a US shipyard. Refit/refurbishing of the INS Vikramaditya (formerly, the Gorshkov) is progressing at the Russian shipyard; recent reports indicate a delay in project completion. She is now likely to join the Indian fleet by 2009-2010. Major shipbuilding projects in the pipeline include construction of Mine Counter Measure Vessels at Goa shipyard, fleet tank-
▸▸▸ The current MFRs are
capable of tracking 100 or more targets and engaging six to eight aerial targets simultaneously ◂◂◂ ers, survey vessels, submarine rescue vessels and another aircraft carrier at the Cochin shipyard. In light of the planned decommissioning of INS Viraat in 2012, the navy is pursuing early sanctions for another carrier to maintain the force level. It is expected that the order for this will be placed by 2010 with an expected delivery date of 2017. In addition to the ship construction programme, a comprehensive modernisation package is also being taken up on SSK/EKM class submarines, SNF and Godavari class ships to upgrade weapons and sensors fit during the medium refits. While the EKM class modernisation package is being taken up at Russian shipyards, work on the remaining platforms is progressing at Indian shipyards.
Technological Trends As evident over the last decade, the technology scenario has been highly vibrant and dynamic bringing in quantum leaps in technology, particularly information technology. The extraordinary advances achieved in satellite, sensors, communications and computers would lead to revolutions in warfare. The increasing use of fibre cables, increased channel rate and bandwidth as also the development in satellite and data link technology would enable high speed seamless communications at sea and on shore. Higher bandwidth interactions would enable widely distributed tactical commanders to be networked, thereby enhancing shared battle space awareness. There has been a paradigm shift in radar signal processing technology which has made it feasible for radars to perform more complex operations in addition to normal surveillance tasks. The Multi-Functions Radar (MFR) is, thus, capable of both surface and
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The Indian fleet is ready for a major upgrade in the next decade
Harriers on board the INS Viraat
air surveillance, surface and air targeting as also simultaneous multiple target tracking and guidance of several surface-to-air missiles (SAM) in flight to different air targets. MFR technology has also altered the very concept of ship design, reducing the plethora of antennae and target illuminators on board, and resulting in reductions of radar cross-section of ships. The current MFRs are capable of tracking 100 or more targets and engaging six to eight aerial targets simultaneously. The long-range SAM-MFR combination counters the predominant air threat by destroying the launch platform at extended ranges (70-120 km). The MFR has now evolved as the main surveillance and weapon control radar on all new induction platforms of several navies which include the F-124 (Germany), DD 21 (USA), Delta Class (RSN), KDX (Korea) and P-15A (India). The Indian Navy has remained abreast of these changes and has been inducting stateof-the-art weapon systems as replacements for obsolete technology on existing platforms and as a new fit for ships under construction. The last few years have seen the induction of sunrise technology in the navy. Integrated Platform Management Systems configured
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on P-17 ships would facilitate centralised operations, monitoring and control of all machineries (including propulsion, power generation and damage control) on board in a completely automated mode. Sophisticated early warning systems, both indigenous and imported, have given the fleet a highly potent capability. The induction of the surface-tosurface supersonic missile, BrahMos, on the SNF class and other newly constructed ships, will serve as a major boost to the fire power of the navy. For enhancing the surface-to-air missile capabilities, a long-range SAM programme, together with MFR, is being jointly developed between the Indian and Israeli industry for fitment on P-15A ships. While the new missile and radar systems have a fair share of technology transfer from abroad, the new generation sonar, communications and combat management system (CMS) have been developed and produced indigenously. Sonars HUMSA (new generation) and USHUS are being installed on P-15A ships and submarines (modernised EKM class) respectively, with some of the most advanced features in signal processing. The induction of indigenously developed sea mines is another major addition to the naval inventory. A new
The Indian Navy’s formidable firepower on display
▸ ▸ ▸ By 2010, the front line
inventory would comprise two aircraft carriers with associated fighter aircrafts and a host of newly built or acquired frontline ships ◂ ◂ ◂ generation CMS, modular in design with open system architecture has been developed for fitment of the P-17 and SNF class. As a key component of the IN’s grand vision of a fully net-centric navy, the new CMS has also been envisaged to incorporate much improved data linking capabilities. Besides the modernisation of ships and submarines, the navy is going for major upgradation of its aging aviation fleet. In addition to acquisitions of MIG 29K for operation from the deck of INS Vikramaditya, the proposals received from short-listed firms for maritime surveillance aircrafts is being evaluated and field visits to OEMs plants have been scheduled between July and September this year. Once this process is complete, the new long-range surveillance aircraft, on acquisi-
tion, will boost the reach of the navy in considerable measure. It will, therefore, be seen that the IN is vigorously marching ahead toward modernising her inventory. By 2010, the front line inventory would comprise two aircraft carriers with associated fighter aircrafts and a host of newly built or acquired frontline ships capable of undertaking blue water navy functions. The weapon and sensor fit of the Talwar class, P-17, P-15A classes of ships, along with the modernisation package of SNF, Godavari, EKM and SSK classes represent a quantum leap of technology induction in the IN comparable with most modern navies. The approach has been to build up indigenous capabilities for long-term maintainability and bridge the technology gaps through joint venture arrangements with reputed OEMs abroad. The navy will have to skillfully exploit the provisions in the “Offset Policy” to bridge the technology gaps in the indigenous capabilities. Needless to say, the budgetary support would have to increase substantially if this is to be achieved in a timely manner. (The writer is the former Chief of Material at Naval HQ’s.)
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Illustration: Ratan Sonal
Diplomacy
Indo-US Nuclear Deal Confusion or Fusion The process was taken forward with a joint statement issued by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President George W. Bush on July 18, 2005 in which they called for full civilian nuclear cooperation, dismantling nuclear denial regimes and for the first time allowing India access to nuclear fuel and technology LT G E N ( R E T D ) N A R E S H C H A N D
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n July 21, media reports were abuzz with news of a breakthrough in the bilateral agreement on civil nuclear cooperation between India and the US. In reality, the two sides had reached an understanding on a common text of the 123 Agreement, details of which were disclosed only on August 3. A formal announcement will only be made after the political process is completed. National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan led the Indian team while Nicholas Burns, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, headed the American side. This was the culmination of a process that, in a way, was initiated by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In a joint statement with President George W. Bush in 2001, Vajpayee had expressed the intention to cooperate in areas of energy and space. The process was taken forward by his successor. On July 18, 2005, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Bush issued a joint statement calling for full civilian nuclear cooperation, dismantling nuclear denial regimes and for the first time providing India access to nuclear fuel and technology. The progress on the deal has met with turbulence but Washington’s determination to go through with it is clear from the way it has been pursuing it, especially against the uncompromising backdrop of a non-proliferation regime.
Contentious Issues
Seminar Report
Four key clauses incorporated in the agreement are causing ripples of concern in India—fuel supply, reprocessing right, fallback safeguards and ‘right of return’.
Fuel Supply: The agreement reiterates assurances pertaining to supply of fuel provided in the March 2006 separation plan and commits the US to the “continuous operation” of any reactor it sells to India. Reprocessing Right: Going by its earlier experience of Tarapur, India has proposed to establish a separate facility for spent fuel and its storage under the safe guards of the IAEA. The agreement grants India “prior consent” to reprocess spent fuel produced by US supplied equipment and fuel. Fallback Safeguards: This is a key requirement of the US which states that in case the IAEA determines that safeguards are not being applied on the material supplied by the US, then Delhi and Washington must consult each other and agree on a suitable verification mechanism. India is certain that such a situation will never arise wherein the IAEA has to take such a decision. Right of Return: ‘The right of return’ is a requirement of US law under which the civilian nuclear programme will be terminated if India conducts a nuclear test and will also have to return all materials, equipment and fuel. To circumspect this condition of US law, 123 Agreement includes a specific clause that the purpose of the agreement is not to hinder anything India does with its strategic programme or to affect unsafeguarded or military nuclear facilities. One issue to which the US did not acquiesce on the grounds of legal and policy restraints was the inclusion of reprocessing and enrichment technology and components. Though India is not interested in importing fuel cycle technology,
it would like to acquire components for its safeguarded reprocessing activities. However, Delhi feels that the Nuclear Suppliers Group will not place any restriction on the sale of these items to India when it changes its guidelines.
Follow Up Actions The 123 Agreement is actually the first major hurdle. India and the IAEA will now have to conclude an India-specific IAEA safeguards agreement. It will also have to pursue the Nuclear Suppliers Group, who would meet and amend the NSG Guidelines for nuclear transfers, to enable nuclear commerce between India and NSG members. Both these steps are likely to take some time and only then would the agreement be put to updown vote in the US Congress. It is hoped that all these steps will be completed by end of this year.
Conclusion The main argument by India in favour of the IndoUS nuclear deal is the mitigation of India’s energy capability requirements. India has been one of the pioneers in applying nuclear technology for power production. However, despite its efforts spanning five decades, of the total power generated in the country only 3 per cent is nuclearbased. Also it is ranked 27th out of 30 countries that produce nuclear-based power. To sustain a growth rate of 8 to 9 per cent of the GDP, India will require large augmentation of its power production and 123 Agreement will contribute to it. The deal would also place India almost at par with nations that have acquired military nuclear capability legally.
Foremost among the other major benefits would be enhanced military cooperation between the two countries that will manifest in increased frequency and level of joint exercises, access to defence hardware and technology. Washington has been talking of a 1,000-ship navy to man international waters, which would undoubtedly include the Indian Navy. The four-day quadrilateral exercise from September 3 held virtually in the backwaters of China and involving the navies of India, Japan, Australia and the US gave an indication of things to come. The endorsement by the Cabinet of Container Security Initiative and Logistics Support Agreement will lead to greater naval cooperation between India and the US, and will lead India into the Proliferation Security Initiative. The advantages notwithstanding, there will still be a lot of opposition to the deal due to varying perceptions, petty politics or merely for the sake of disagreement, with headlines like “Text is pretext for delay” and “Hyde is reality behind Bush smokescreen” making it regularly to the front pages. While a recalcitrant Left has adopted a very rigid stand against the deal and is posturing to withdraw support to the Government, their stand seems more ideological than pragmatic as foreign policy can only be conducted with the supreme aim of the interest of the nation and not based on rigid ideology. The deal also safeguards India’s strategic interests against China and Pakistan who are obviously gloating over the Left’s resistance to it.
NAVARMS 07 Home Truths The stupendous economic growth and the technological prowess seen in the last decade needs to be translated into a strong, technologically self-reliant and sustainable defence sector as well LT G E N ( R E T D ) N A R E S H C H A N D
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Photographs: Sharad Saxena
n international seminarcum-exhibition on Naval Armament was held at Delhi from July 19-20 with the theme of “Indigenous ArmamentChallenges and Opportunities”. The seminar was conducted under the aegis of the Indian Navy and the CII, with the aim of giving impetus to harness the core competence and capabilities of the private sector in indigenous manufacture of armament and thereby taking the country closer towards
Defence Minister A.K. Antony addressing the gathering at Navarm ’07
achieving self-reliance in armament production. Sunil Bharti Mittal, President CII, while welcoming the Defense Minister and other delegates called upon the industry to “rise to the occasion and grab the opportunity” which has come their way due to opening up of the defence industry for private participation. He emphasised that the need of the hour was to forge a mutually rewarding relationship and make noteworthy contribution towards the common goal of nation building. The CNS stressed the need for evolving a strong industrial base in the field of weapon/armament systems as the country could ill afford the astronomical cost of import. He called upon the industry to participate not only in manufacturing of armaments but also to invest in R&D for the latest technological developments. The seminarcum- exhibition was inaugurated by the Defence Minister A.K. Antony, who in his address brought out that the stupendous economic growth and the technological prowess seen in the last decade needs to be translated into a strong, technologically self reliant and sustainable defence sector. He called upon the private sector to enter in to the defence sphere with a long term commitment,
not only adapting advance military technology but also develop their own. He exhorted the Indian private sector to combine their strengths and develop domain knowledge in defence technology to compete at international level. The main seminar was spread over five technical sessions as follows: Session I: Modern Trends and Technology Session II: User Needs and Concerns Session III: Role of Industry- Opportunities and Insight Session IV: Infrastructure Requirement of Users and Industry Session V: Maintenance and QA Philosophy
Session: I Computer and sensor technology. The ball was set rolling with a naval perspective on emerging trends in armament which covered the complete gambit of guns, missiles, torpedoes, mines and sensors. With the advancements in computation and sensor technologies, together with the advancements in MEMS and nano-technologies, the next two decades will witness the increased
availability of sophisticated automated systems for a wide range of naval applications. Automatic target recognition capabilities will steadily improve, use of digital beam forming technology in radars, sonars and optical systems will become common, and digital radars with significantly reduced size and weight will emerge and provide superior performance through extensive use of advanced digital signal processing techniques. Development of High Frequency Surface Wave Radar , Low Probability of Intercept Radar, Millimetre Wave Radar, Laser Sensors, Active and passive Sonar, Mine & Obstacle Avoidance Sonar etc will improve the sensor capability manifold. Weapons. Increasingly capable air-defence systems, anti-ship weapons, mines, torpedoes and soft-kill weapons are becoming available at lower costs. The offensive and defensive capabilities on naval platforms will, therefore, need to be suitably configured with hard-kill and soft-kill weapons operating in a networked environment with Co-operative Engagement Capability. Credible missile defence capabilities will need to include quick -reaction high-performance SAMs, high
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Guided Munition projectiles for larger calibre guns has shown great promise. The development of kinetic energy weapons such as the electro-magnetic rail gun assumes importance. Directed Energy, laser, high-power microwave and underwater weapons are some of the areas of future development. Weapon technologies will continue to strive for higher ranges, better accuracy, higher lethality and better mobility. There is extensive interest in high energy weapons such as laser beam devices which are finding wider applications but are still restricted because of their limitation of weight. To counter the antiballistic missile defences, stealth, active and passive decoys, trajectory shaping, terminal maneuvers will be introduced. This in turn will drive the need to develop higher energy propellants and lighter weight leading to all composite missiles. There will be a trend for supersonic cruise missiles with longer ranges like the BrahMos. Inertial Navigation System with a weight of 500 gms can be embedded (Top to bottom) Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta addresses the gathering; CII President Sunil Bharti Mittal at the coninto many weapon systems. ference and; Defence Minister A.K. Antony inaugurates the event Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) based INS with a system on chip processing capability is rate of fire close in weapon system guns and under development and will be available within 2 Directed Energy Weapons in the future. SAM sysyears. Development of Pulse Detonation Engines, tems would need to have high acceleration, agility, intelligence, ability to receive mid-course guid- divert attitude thrusters giving high terminal engagement capability is in progress. The use of ance and target recognition features to successelectro-optical seeker instead of the radar seeker fully engage modern and future aerial platforms. due to its inherent limitation of poor discriminaGuns have by and large reached a plateau in tion in brown waters was also brought out. The technology but research in Extended Range
China Shores Up Energy Reserves
Defence of Sea Lines of Communications
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Session: II This session covered the user requirement of surface launched, air launched and underwater armament apart from other connected subjects like requirement of standardization etc. The requirement of surface launched armaments remains restricted to guns and missiles (both anti-ship and air defence). The user need for air launched weapons can be addressed under three main categories based on the type of platform like fighters (Sea Harriers and MiG-29 K), Long Range Maritime Patrol (LRMP) aircraft (IL- 38) and helicopters (Sea King and Kamovs). The range of weapons is enormous, starting from air-to-air weapons, anti-shipping missile,various bombs (free fall, optically guided), chaff, flares laser-based weapons, warning devices, counter measures both active and passive, GPS-based weapons, missiles, bombs, smart munitions, airto-surface missile, anti-submarine underwater missile, acoustic guided anti-submarine bombs, torpedo and depth charge. BrahMos if cleared for firing from IL-38 will be a land mark achievement. Underwater armaments are predominantly used by submarines and are torpedoes and mines. It also carries decoys for evasion against torpedo attack. Of all these, the torpedo is indisputably the most complete weapon with complex sub-systems like propulsion, torpedo homing head (with acoustic or wake homing and built in counter counter measures), signal processing unit, gyros and control systems; and warhead operating. The modern torpedo is capable of destroying targets over 40 km away closing in at a speed of about 50 knots. Manufacturing its contemporary version with the latest features
incorporated would be a challenging task even for established torpedo manufacturers therefore a consortium approach would be more pragmatic. Mines are the most cost effective forms of naval warfare because they are relatively cheap, need no maintenance and size is small in comparison to their destruction potential. Mine design has advanced significantly in the last two decades with the introduction of smart processor based intelligent mines. Submarine fired decoys come in many variants like the bubble decoy or the mobile decoy. The most comprehensive decoy system is the Anti Torpedo Decoy System which automatically fires decoys when the noise of incoming torpedo is picked up on the Torpedo Detection Sonar. Indian Army’s perspective on “user needs and concerns” were covered very comprehensively by the speaker from the army. The necessity of development of a strategic partnership between the industry and defence which reflects the concept of “mutual benefit” based on “commitment” was clearly brought out. Expectations from the industry is quality, timely supply, competitive price, customer satisfaction, suitable customer service strategy and flexible distribution system. There was a presentation on standardisation of naval armament. Standardisation implies use of common components and subsystems across the spectrum of defence products and also adherence to prescribed standards during manufacture. As a large percentage of the armament is imported, the requirement of standardisation thus acquires even greater importance. The session ended with a presentation on simulation techniques and evaluation of naval systems, and the requirements for anti-ship defence.
SP’s was one of the key sponsors of the event
Continued from page 7
As a result, China is strengthening its navy to protect its oil supplies from potential disruptions, in the event of a conflict with the US over Taiwan or with Japan or any US ally, as well to tackle piracy in the South China Sea. Although some analysts believe that its fears of an embargo are unwarranted, many Chinese—and even some American analysts—believe that this is a possibility, and of special concern is its dependence on the Strait of Malacca. Moreover, the US’ strengthening of maritime security ties with both Japan and India, both of which have powerful navies, and its plans to set up a quadrilateral security meeting along with Australia, have increased Beijing’s insecurity. As a result, China is rapidly building up its naval capability to the status of a blue water navy as well as trying to strengthen relations with countries that have difficult relations with Washington ostensibly to increase its strategic advantage indicates that Beijing is preparing for such an eventuality. In November 2003, President Hu Jintao said that “certain major powers” were determined to control the Malacca Strait and called for adoption of new strategies to mitigate this vulnerability. It is also seeking to protect its sea-lines through the Indian Ocean and the Malacca Strait by establishing deep-water ports or bases—popularly known as a “string of pearls”—that extend from the Chinese mainland through the littorals of the South China Sea and Strait of Malacca across the Indian Ocean and on to the Persian Gulf through the Arabian Sea. These include upgraded military facilities in Hainan Island, an upgraded airstrip on Woody Island in the Paracel archipelago east of Vietnam, a container shipping facility in Chittagong, Bangladesh, several bases in Myanmar and a deep water port in Gwadar,
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option of soft kill for anti-ship missile defence was also brought out specially in the littoral region. Modern naval air defence systems are likely to operate in all area, all weather, day/night operation, which implies seekers with advanced signal processing adapted either to littoral or blue sea environments. The speaker from MBDA brought out as how their missile systems like Mistral, VL Mica and Aster 15/30 are capable of meeting the current and future air threat. The first session ended with a presentation on sea based ballistic missile defence which is a highly futuristic wish list for India.
Pakistan. Although China asserts that its interest in these ports/bases is purely commercial, that these form a significant aspect of China’s larger strategic policy cannot be ruled out. According to defence analysts, each “pearl” envisages building strategic relations with the littoral countries along its sea lines from West Asia to protect China’s energy and other security objectives. For instance, Gwadar provides China not only with a base from where it can monitor US naval activity in the Persian Gulf, Indian naval activity in the Arabian Sea and future cooperation between the US and India in the Indian Ocean, but could also allow the western regions of China to be linked to West Asia through the Chinese-aided Gwadar-Dalabandi railway and the refurbished Karakoram Highway. To further enhance its security of supplies, China is also building more oil tankers to reduce its dependence on foreign carriers. In 2006, Chinese tankers shipped only 16 per cent of the country’s oil, according to the Institute of Comprehensive Transportation, which is affiliated to the National Development and Reform Commission, making it vulnerable to transportation costs and other uncertainties such as war. Therefore, to ensure oil security, Chinese researchers believe that domestic tankers should account for at least 60 per cent of the country’s oil import transport capacity. There has been speculation that the Ministry of Communications has fast-tracked the building of 90 tankers. There has also been some concern regarding China’s modernisation of its armed forces, particularly its navy, replacing older destroyers and frigates with modern ones. However, the Chinese navy’s (PLAN) strength lies in its large and modern submarine force, most of them acquired from Russia. Nevertheless, analysts state that the PLAN is currently capable of defending only littoral SLOCs, although over the last few years
it has begun strengthening its position in the Indian Ocean. Besides its close relationship with Pakistan, China has also established a defence and strategic relationship with Yangon, and has also developed strong supportive relations with nations located along its SLOCs. However, Beijing realises that in the near to medium term at least, it will not be able to take on the US in the event of a conflict. Therefore to further enhance its energy supply security, China is constructing transnational oil and gas pipelines to avoid the sea routes. It has already constructed an oil pipeline from Kazakhstan and has plans for gas pipelines from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, as well as from Russia. In the east, it has commenced constructing a pipeline from Sittwe to Kunming in Myanmar, and is also planning a $7-billion (Rs 28,476 crore) pipeline to be laid across northern Malaysia, which would have the potential to divert up to a third of the oil being transported through the Strait of Malacca. Furthermore, it is studying the possibility of rerouting tankers through other straits in the Indonesian archipelago or around Australia although this would entail added freight charges. There are reports that Beijing is also planning to construct a canal or pipeline across the Kra Isthmus in southern Thailand which would provide an alternative and economical route to the Straits of Malacca, although doubts remain whether the project will be completed in the near future due to economic and technical constraints.
Conclusion
That energy security and safe access to its energy imports has been elevated to the status of a national security issue is clear from the fact that for the first time, energy was mentioned in China’s 2006 white paper on national defence. To sustain its high economic growth rate for its continued
Manpower Submarines Destroyers Frigates Amphibious Combat Aircraft Helicopters Marines
PLAN
255,000 58 27 44 76 792 78 10,000
Source:IISS, The Military Balance 2006
development and to maintain social cohesion, China’s leadership realises that in the foreseeable future, China’s energy demand—and, hence, imports—will increase. As the bulk of these supplies will have to be transported over sea, notwithstanding Beijing’s attempts at finding alternative overland transport routes, the security of its SLOCs will continue to remain an area of prime security concern. Moreover, as world oil reserves become increasingly concentrated in the Gulf region, the potential for competition, even conflict, cannot be ruled out in the medium to long term. In the short to medium term, evidence of a SinoUS jostling for influence can already be found in Africa. Also, maritime disputes with littorals in the South and East China Sea could pose a problem. China has reiterated time and again that its search for energy security does not pose a threat to any country. However, it is difficult to predict with accuracy whether once it achieves its expected potential in terms of economic and military power, it would seek a reordering of the established global political order or whether a more confident China would be more amenable to greater integration into the international system. (Shebonti Ray Dadwal is a Research Fellow at Institute of Defense Studies and Analysis.)
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Diplomacy
Malabar 07—Test of Mettle
Photographs: US Navy
Sea Harrier being refuelled on INS Viraat
The six-day naval exercise had 27 ships participating from five nations to conduct round-the-clock intensive work-up and complex exercises in all three dimensions—underwater, surface and air C A P TA I N V I N AY G A R G
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Australia’s HMAS Adelaide, India’s INS Brahmaputra and a Navy destroyer at the show
A Chetak prepares to take off from India’s Rajput class destroyer INS Rana
Attack submarine USS Chicago transits in formation Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 3rd Class Christopher Bast, from Temecula, California
Commander-in-chief of the Indian Eastern Fleet Rear Admiral Robin Dhowan delivers a speech
USS Kitty Hawk transits in formation for a joint photo exercise
A Sea Harrier takes off from the flight deck of Indian Navy aircraft carrier INS Viraat
n the biggest ever multinational interaction involving the Indian Navy Indian naval and air force (IN) in recent personnel listen to a brief times, Exercise Malabar was held off the coast of Okinawa, Japan from September 4 to 9. Malabar is the name given to an Indo-US series of naval exercises which commenced in 1992. Ships ranging from the size of a super carrier to frigates, aircraft and helicopters from the navies of five nations— the IN, US Navy (USN), Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF), Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) engaged in simulated war-games and combat manoeuvres. No less than 27 ships—eight from IN, 14 from USN, two each from JMSDF and RAN, and one belonging to RSN—met at sea, about 500 nautical miles east of Visakhapatnam early on September 4. Over the next six days, intensive work-up and complex exercises were conducted round the clock in all three dimensions (under-water, surface and air) that included dissimilar aircraft combat tactics, cross deck landings by aircraft and helicopters between various ships, strike and combat air patrols by fighters operating from aircraft carriers; air defence exercises, combined anti-submarine exercises with the nuclear propelled submarine USS Chicago, gun firing and opposed transit in the area of threat. In addition to this, counter mechanisms to combat other maritime threats that affect all countries, such as marine terrorism, piracy at sea, human, arms and drug trafficking, were also practiced. Shore-based aircraft TU142M of the IN and P-3C Orions from USN and JMSDF also participated in the exercise operating out of Chennai. For the first time ever, three aircraft carriers were participating in a Malabar exercise in which the IN and IAF pilots got an opportunity to familiarise and then fly in the top-of–the-line US fighter and strike aircraft F/A 18 Super Hornet. The exercise culminated with a “mock battle” in which all assets (irrespective of the nationality) were divided into opposing groups with matching capabilities. These rival forces enacted a virtual maritime threat and engaged each other in a simulated war. This was followed by a “hot wash-up” on one of the ships—an on-the-spot debrief and assessment about the exercise.
The Indian representation in the Malabar was headed by Rear Adm Robin Dhowan, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet , who assumed tactical command of units at sea for a number of exercise serials. The US ships were formed in two groups – Task Force 70 (USS Kitty Hawk plus seven) was led by Rear Adm Richard B. Wren and Carrier Strike Group 11 (USS Nimitz plus five) was commanded by Rear Adm Terry Blake. Senior officers from the navies and embassies of the participating countries witnessed the exercise at different stages. The prominent ones among these were Vice Adm R.P. Suthan AVSM, VSM, Flag Officer Commander-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command, Vice Adm Doug Crowder, Commander US Seventh Fleet, Vice Admiral Yoji Koda, Commander-in-Chief Self Defence Fleet of JMSDF and Rear Admiral Nigel Coates, Commander of Australian Fleet. These engagements and exercises enables the IN to gain and share operational and doctrinal expertise, transformational experiences, promote interoperability, and, enhance ‘maritime domain awareness’—areas that the IN lays especial emphasis upon. These exercises and deployments are an intrinsic part of the ongoing effort at ‘constructive engagement’ within the maritime field, being undertaken by the IN in concert with other instruments and mechanisms of the nation’s diplomacy. The writer is PRO, Indian Navy.
Editor’s note: China is reportedly apprehensive of this development and feels that the quadrilateral move on the high seas is harbinger of some sort of lose NATO type of arrangement which can interfere with its sea lines of communications used for trade and movement of oil through Malacca Straits, and in a larger scenario interfere with its designs on Taiwan. The above charge has obviously been dismissed and special efforts have been on to assuage China’s apprehensions. Australian Defence Minister Brendon Nelson visited China before coming to India in July and India’s Defence Minister A.K. Antony had stated categorically that this exercise is part of defence cooperation and India’s ties are bilateral and there are no plans for any multilateral ties. Washington, too, has been trying to avoid any issue that could trigger misunderstanding with China. Beijing has already conducted naval exercise “Aman 07” with Pakistan and other navies in the Arabian Sea.
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Show News
Futuristic War Systems Leading defence equipment manufacturing companies showcased their latest equipment at DSEi London bringing out once again the rapid technological pace that will decide the fate of future wars DOUG RICHARDSON, LONDON
Prominent displays also included those of Finmeccanica and BAE Systems Photographs: Alan Peaford
W
hile the Defence Systems & Equipment International (DSEi) exhibition held in London on 1114 September promoted a wide range of conventional military hardware, at the same time some of the exhibits gave a insight into the shape of future warfare. At the exhibition, the sight of the Swedish Visby-class stealth corvette Nyköping (K34) was a graphic reminder of how the shape of warships is changing. Intended to minimise radar cross-section, the ship’s sloped sides and appearance made the other warships look positively old-fashioned. Built almost entirely from fibre reinforced plastic material, Nyköping and her four sister ships are armed with a BAE Systems 57mm Mk 3 gun, four tubes for 400mm anti-submarine homing torpedoes, and have provisions to carry eight Saab Dynamics RBS15 Mk II anti-ship missiles. MBDA released first details of its proposed Fire Shadow loitering munition. Launched from a truck-mounted pallet, this would unfold its wings, start its ‘pusher’ propellor powerplant, fly to a target zone up to 150 km far, then orbit at about 10,000 ft to await a suitable ground target. The end product of a company private venture development programme, the Lockheed Martin Directional Attack Guided Rocket (DAGR) is a 2.75-inch or 70-mm unguided rocket fitted with an add-on guidance module incorporating a semi-active-laser seeker, an inertial measurement unit, guidance electronics, and canard control fins. Thales announced a new Starstreak II version of its hypersonic surface-to-air missile, but visitors to the stand found that the only hardware on display looked identical to the current round. In hardware terms, the new missile is identical to the existing version, but new software changes the behaviour of the weapon’s three dart ‘hittiles’. India was well-represented at the show by some companies and organisations. Confident that its trainers for the infantry and vehicle-mount-
ed versions of the Konkurs (AT-5 ‘Spandrel’) antitank missile system are about to be selected by the Indian MoD to meet a trading requirement, Zen Technologies displayed the infantry version and was inviting visitors to try their hand at firing a simulated Konkurs missile. India’s DRDO showed its Arjun tank in model form, a stark reminder to the host nation that while India is capable of designing a main-battle tank, the UK’s next generation of AFVs will be based on vehicles designed by other European nations. With an anticipated procurement of up to 30,000 vehicles, the British Army’s Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) programme is the largest armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) programme in Europe. By the end of 2007, the UK MoD is expected to select the winning design to meet its FRES Utility Vehicle requirement. The largest component of the FRES programme, is expected to be for about 2,000 8x8 wheeled vehicles.
▸ ▸ ▸ SP’s team makes a mark at DSEi, London A team from SP Guide Publications, led by Chairman and Managing Director Jayant Baranwal, participated in DSEi 2007. The company’s publications—SP’s Land Forces, SP’s Naval Forces and SP’s Aviation—received prominent display at key points of the venue, including the Media Center, and attracted much acclaim. Even before the first day was out, the journals were being picked up rapidly by curious onlookers and were prompting exhibitors to approach the team for details and introductions. Baranwal conducted interactive sessions with the CEOs of many leading companies wherein a brief exposure was offered on the business opportunities and Defexpo 2008. The team was also invited by the Ships Visits Bureau to visit the British Royal Navy’s HMS Kent, a Type 23 Duke class frigate, and the HMS Mersey, a logistic-cum-patrolling ship. The Royal Navy has a unique concept of outsourcing non-military tasks, like safeguarding the country’s fishing areas from poaching, and thus HMS Mersey is basically a civilian ship on deputation to the navy. The HMS Kent is the twelfth in line to bear this name.
SP’s Team at DSEi, London
A view of HMS Kent
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FRES UV is expected to enter into service around 2012. It will be followed by more specialised designs including a reconnaissance vehicle, direct-fire vehicle, engineer and bridgelaying vehicles, and a basic utility variant. With an eye on the UK Royal Navy’s (RN) projected Future Surface Combatant (FSC) programme, VT Shipbuilding showed a new Ocean Capable Patrol Vessel (OCPV) design to tackle patrol and minehunting duties. Based on the hull of the Project Khareef ocean patrol vessel (OPV) developed for Oman, this would be a diesel-powered ship of about 3,000 tons displacement, with a top speed of 25 knots. Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAVs provide a useful capability, but with a pricetag to match. For operators wanting a more costeffective solution, Ruag was promoting the Super Ranger as offering 70 per cent of the capability of a full-specification MALE platform. Powered by a low noise four-cylinder, four-stroke engine, it can carry a sensor payload of up to 150 kg. Further, Yugoimport-SDPR showed a full-scale model of the ALAS tactical missile. Powered by a small turbojet engine, this 50 kg missile carries a 10 kg warhead over a range of 15-20 km.
Starstreak is a short range Air Defence Missile of British origin which was displayed at DSEi
The exhibit that probably came closest to science fiction for many show visitors was Spelco’s Gryphon delta-winged backpack airframe. Intended for use by special forces, this strap-on unit converts a soldier into a small delta-winged aircraft with a glide ratio of 5:1. In no-wind conditions, the wearer can leave a transport aircraft flying at 33,000 ft and land about 40 km from the drop point. If fitted with a small turbojet engines, the unit could carry the soldier more than 100 km from the drop point. (The writer is editor of Jane’s Missiles and Rockets.)
Change of Guard likely Parent company Reed Elsevier has put the show up for sale, alleging conflict with the organisation’s medical division ALAN PEAFORD, LONDON
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he Defence Systems & Equipment International (DSEi) exhibition in London, continues to hold its place as the world’s premier defence show despite the political upheaval amongst its owners, Reed Exhibitions. The parent company Reed Elsevier has put the show up for sale after claiming conflict with the organisation’s medical division and its concerns about the defence industry. There is no doubt that the show will be a valuable asset to whoever buys it. This was the largest and most successful yet. Almost 25,700 individual attendees streamed through the doors of ExCeL in London’s Docklands between September 11 and 14 to see what 1,352 exhibitors, occupying 34,000 sq m of stand space, were showcasing. Organisers say most attendees visited the show on more than one day with a total of 46,987 visits recorded. Delegations from 49 countries including India as well as representatives of the United Nations attended this year’s event. The number of participating nations this year increased to 37 with Bulgaria, Lithuania, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey all taking national pavilions for the first time. Other long-term exhibitors, such as the US had increased the size of their pavilions. The whole spectrum of the defence industry—from global prime contractors to small specialist suppliers—was represented and many companies enjoyed successful product launches and contract signings.
That Reed Elsevier protesters had little to complain about as this year’s show also reflected an increased level of resource and innovation being channeled into humanitarian applications such as mine detection and demining equipment (112 exhibiting companies), medical, medevac and air ambulance products (76 companies), search and rescue capabilities (73 companies) and disaster planning (36 companies). For the aerospace sector, it was UAVs that most caught the eye. In Europe, French manufacturer MBDA said at DSEi that it expects to sign a delayed strategic partnering agreement with the UK Ministry of Defence next year to formalise the creation of its Team Complex Weapons group, which will be responsible for the development, manufacture and support of the bulk of the nation’s future missile systems and other key armaments. The largest European defence contractor took time at the show for some soul searching. EADS must look to the lessons of Airbus’s Power8 restructuring process as it targets increased efficiencies and better productivity from its military businesses, said Stefan Zoller, Chief Executive of the company’s Defence & Security sector. Dates for the next DSEi show at London’s docklands have already been determined as September 8-11, 2009. By then the show will be under different ownership—but already exhibitors are lining up.
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Acquistion
he Indian and French navies recently completed ‘Varuna 07’—a sea and air military exercise from September 11 to 19 off the Somali coast in the Gulf of Aden. Various manoeuvres, such as approaching ships by air and sea, commando projection, air-to-surface exercise as well as a maritime patrol, were conducted to increase the interoperability of the two navies. The French Navy participated through six Mirage 2000 and two Pumas helicopters based at Djibouti as well as from those placed under Alindien’s (the Admiral com-
manding the Indian Ocean maritime zone) command, a maritime patrol aircraft, a corvette Commandant Blaison and the frigate La Motte Picquet. From the Indian side, the navy put up the destroyer Rajput, guided missile frigate Beas, supply ship—the Jyoti—two helicopters as well as several commando units. ‘Varuna 07’ is a continuation of the annual exercise ‘Varuna 06’ held in March and April 2006 off Goa. The French then participated through the aircraft carrier group Charles de Gaulle. This exercise is consistent with the Garuda biennial exercises carried out last February by the Indian and French Air Force squadrons. Indo-French military partnership has strengthened since the Indian Prime Minister and French President signed a comprehensive defence agreement between the two countries in 2006. ‘Varuna 07’ is a step towards fostering further co-operation between the two countries.
Photographs: Indian Navy
Marine commando is going for operation from INS Beas
INS Jyoti target for commando operations
Boat for commando operations being lowered
French helicopter Puma lands on INS BEAS for commando operations
Helicopter Puma flying alongside the INS Rajput
Photographs: Indian Navy
Diplomacy
Varuna ’07
Jalashwa in India
The Indian Navy’s latest acquisition is the first ship to be transferred from the US, besides being its first Landing Platform Dock SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
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ommissioned on June 22 at Norfolk in the US, the Indian Navy’s latest acquisition INS Jalashwa reached Visakhapatnam on September 12 under the command of Captain B.S. Ahluwalia, a helicopter pilot. On board was a crew of around 27 officers and 380 sailors. Received with enthusiastic accolades from senior officers of the command and families of the crew to the rousing strains of the Navy Band, the ship will be incorporated into the Eastern Fleet under the Eastern Naval Command and bearing the motto ‘The Fearless Pioneers’. Jalashwa——Sanskrit for hippopotamus—is an amphibious assault ship that can embark, transport and land various elements of an amphibious force to support operations ashore. INS Jalashwa is the second largest ship in the Indian Navy’s inventory and is equipped with a Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM-8) along with Sea King helicopters,
radars and rapid firing guns to undertake amphibious operations, maritime surveillance, special operations, search and rescue, medical support and also humanitarian relief. An unique feature is the ‘Well Deck’ housing the LCM-8. The ‘Well Deck’ can be launched by flooding it and operating the hinged gate at the rear end of the ship. Further, the ship’s cargo space enhances its capacity for carrying equipment. Originally called the USS Trenton, it was the 11th ship in the Austin-class of Amphibious Transport Docks and the third in the US Navy to bear the name. Commissioned in March 1971, Trenton took part in numerous humanitarian operations, including the evacuations of American civilians from Liberia in 1996 and from Lebanon in 2006. In addition, in 1991, Trenton was responsible for evacuating the US and Soviet ambassadors and 193 foreign nationals from Somalia. During her final
deployment in 2006, the ship took part in maritime security operations off the Somali coast of eastern Africa. Trenton was decommissioned on January 17 in Norfolk, Virginia.
The ship’s statistics Awarded: May 17, 1965 Keel laid: August 8, 1966 Launched: August 3, 1968 Commissioned: March 6, 1971 Decommissioned: January 17, 2007 Builder: Lockheed Shipbuilding Co., Seattle, Washington. Propulsion system: Two boilers, two steam turbines Propellers: Two Length: 569 ft (173.4 m) Beam: 105 feet (32 m) Draft: 23 ft (7 m) Draft: Ballasted—34 feet (10.4 m) Displacement: 16,900 tons approx. Speed: 21 knots Well deck capacity: One LCAC or one LCU or four LCM-8 or nine LCM-6 or 24 amphibious assault vehicles (AAV) Armament: Two 20mm Phalanx CIWS, two 25mm Mk 38 guns, eight .50-calibre machine guns
This is the first ship to be transferred to India from the US, besides being the first Landing Platform Dock (LPD) to be acquired by the Indian Navy. Capable of embarking over 1,000 troops, the ship is fully equipped with extensive medical facilities, including four operation theatres, 12-bed ward, laboratory and a dental centre. Unlike regular warships, this one has a flight deck for helicopter operations from which four medium helicopters can operate simultaneously. This deck can also be used to operate vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft like the Sea Harrier, under special circumstances.
INS Jalashwa has a flight deck that can be used for vertical take-off and landing aircraft
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▸▸▸ In Brief
Converteam North America lands $183 mn contract The DDG 1000 Program has awarded Converteam North America contracts as the High Voltage Single System Vendor for the first Zumwalt Class destroyers for the US Navy. The deal includes contracts from Northrop Grumman’s Ship Systems sector in Pascagoula, Mississippi and General Dynamics’ Bath Iron Works shipyard in Bath, Maine. “Valued at $183.15 million (Rs 732.60 crore), these contracts verify Converteam’s position as the most experienced electric propulsion integrator for Navy platforms in North America,” said Converteam’s DDG 1000 Program Director, Paul Thompson. “This project is a natural progression in a series of other significant project wins for us including US Coast Guard Cutter Healy, the T-AKE class (nine vessels under contract), LHD-8 and LHA-6,” he added. Executed in the US, Converteam’s DDG 1000 team will be providing highly complex power generation, power distribution, and propulsion systems on board the dual lead ships of these revolutionary vessels.
Oto Melara on Turkish patrol boats Oto Melara has achieved another important success in the field of naval guns. The Finmeccanica company signed a contract with the Turkish shipyard Daersan for the supply of 16 twin 40/70mm naval gun systems to the Turkish Navy to be installed on board the new 57-meter patrol boats built by the Turkish shipyard itself. The value of the contract is more than 53 million euro (Rs 299.82 crore) and includes technical assistance and a first batch of spare parts. The supply will be concluded within 2014.
Top US Naval commander cites future needs Maintaining the US Navy’s sea and air deterrent and recruit-
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US Navy’s new maritime strategy The US Navy will unveil a new maritime strategy next month that will address the demands of a globalising world, a top military official said recently. Navy Vice Admiral John G. Morgan, deputy chief of naval operations for information, plans and strategy, spoke to a group gathered at the Ronald Reagan Building for a conference on National Security Strategy and Policy. He told the audience that during the International Seapower Symposium in October in Newport News, Virginia, the Navy would present a new maritime strategy to some 91 heads of allied navies, Marines and coast guards. The doctrine, which took some 16 months to complete, is the Navy’s first attempt to document a seapower strategy since the 1980s. “If you contrast the last time we made an effort to write a maritime strategy in the 1980s, you’d agree that the world today looks a lot different,” he said.
Thales contracted for OPVs for Omani Navy VT and Thales Nederland signed a contract for the supply of sensors and other equipment to be installed on the offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) VT is building for the Royal Omani Navy. Recently, VT Shipbuilding International in the United Kingdom and Thales Nederland signed a contract for the supply of radar, ESM, combat management and communication equipment that will be installed on the three OPVs of the Khareef class that are currently being built by VT Shipbuilding for the Royal Navy of Oman. The first OPV is scheduled for hand over to the Royal Navy of Oman by VT Shipbuilding mid-2010; the first set of Thales
systems will be delivered to VT Shipbuilding in 2008.
SP Guide Pubns
▸ ▸ ▸ Indian Navy evaluates reconnaissance aircraft
Chinese navy ships visit Portsmouth
Two Chinese Navy ships made a rare call at Portsmouth Naval Base last month for a four-day goodwill visit, bringing almost 500 naval personnel from the People’s Republic of China. It is the first visit to Britain by Chinese warships for six years, and forms part of a visit to Europe by the ships which are among China’s most up to date—the 5,800-ton Luyang-class guided missile destroyer Guangzhou and the 20,500-ton replenishment ship Wei Shanhu. They entered service in 2004. The ships were under the overall command of Rear Admiral Su Zhiqian, Deputy Commander of China’s South Sea Fleet of the People’s Liberation Army–Navy.
NATO maritime force circumnavigates Africa A Force of NATO ships will make a historic 12,500 nautical mile circumnavigation around Africa on a two month deployment from August to October this year as part of NATO’s commitment to global security. Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, one of NATO’s four standing maritime forces, sailed from the Mediterranean on August 4, to the west coast of Africa and the Niger Delta. The final phase of the deployment will include exercises in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia.
Converteam, DCNS in exclusive partnership Converteam, the international developer of systems and customised solutions for the conversion of electrical energy and DCNS, Europe’s leading player in the world market for naval defense systems, recently announced that they have entered into a cooperation agreement to jointly develop a new generation Pod called Inovelis. This new generation Pod—an outboard propulsion solution placed under ship hull—is based on a pump jet concept, which represents a real technological breakthrough, validated by tests. Inovelis will bring significant advantages in terms of simple technology (the pump jet concept has already been sea proven); availability and maintenance; and increased power, smaller size and reduced operating costs (fuel savings.) “Inovelis combines the benefits of a totally new POD and of Converteam’s technologies such as induction motors
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he Indian Navy is mulling the purchase of an interim maritime patrol aircraft to replace its Tupolev Tu-142Ms until newer designs become available. The Indian Navy has completed evaluations of maritime patrol aircraft (MRA) in the US and Spain in support of its urgent requirement to replace its retiring fleet of eight Tupolev Tu-142s. A four-member navy team led by a one-star officer observed trials in July on MRA derivatives of the Airbus A-319 by EADS Spain and the Boeing P-8A Poseidon in the US, official sources said. But since neither of MRA derivatives exist, the flight trials involved simulations with leased Boeing 737 and A-320 platforms on representative flight profiles and mission system evaluations. The P-8A MRA is scheduled to fly in late 2009 with initial operational capability set for 2013.
and PWM electronic drives. The markets targeted by this new Pod are cruise liners and ferries and certain heavy carriers such as container ships or LNG tankers,” said Pierre Bastid, Converteam President & CEO.
class—and it expects to spend almost $11 billion (Rs 44,000 crore) to design and construct the USS Gerald R. Ford, the lead ship of the class. New technologies are to improve the carrier’s performance and reduce crew size. The Navy requested authorisation of CVN 78 in its fiscal year 2008 budget. GAO was asked to
Missile firing shows defence capability A Royal Australian Navy FFG-7 class guided missile frigate has successfully conducted the inaugural and first-of-class firing against an unmanned aerial target of the new generation Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM). The frigate HMAS Sydney fired a missile against a Kalkara unmanned airborne target on August 20. The missile was successfully launched and controlled in flight, resulting in the destruction of the target. The missile was fired from the Vertical Launch System recently installed in HMAS Sydney as part of the FFG Upgrade Program.
Lithuanian Navy to get night surveillance equipment The Lithuanian Armed Forces recently signed a contract with electronic engineering solutions company Fima on night surveillance thermographic equipment (thermal imaging systems) purchase for the Lithuanian Navy. Three thermovisors will be provided, the first two will be introduced before the end of 2008, and after a year, the third one. Thermovisor is a device for sea and coastal surveillance and for object identification at night and under bad weather conditions. According to the head of Fima Guard Solutions Department Giedrius Zaicevas, the equipment was selected for the army with regard to peculiarities of Lithuanian geography and climate. Thermovisors will be installed in the sea and coastal surveillance posts of Lithuanian Navy and along with the present radiolocation equipment will be integrated into the joint Lithuanian Sea and Coastal Surveillance System.
Navy faces challenges constructing aircraft carrier The US Navy is investing over $3 billion (Rs 12,000 crore) to develop technologies for a new type of aircraft carrier—the Ford
Northrop Grumman
The US Navy has exceeded its original budget by more than $4 billion (Rs 15,940 crore) for the 41 ships under construction. Cost growth is not just a problem for lead ships of a new class but also for follow-on ships. A business case requires a balance between the concept selected to satisfy warfighter needs and the resources—technologies, design knowledge, funding, time, and management capacity—needed to transform the concept into a product. Neither LPD 17 nor the Littoral Combat Ship programmes was framed around an executable business case; rather, the programmes pushed ahead without a stable design and without realistic cost estimates, resulting in higher costs, schedule delays, and quality problems.
ing and retaining enough qualified sailors to man the fleet are among the US Navy’s top challenges in the years ahead, the officer nominated to lead that force told a Senate panel recently. Admiral Gary Roughead, selected by President Bush to become the next chief of naval operations. The admiral is the current commander of US Fleet Forces Command, which organises, mans, trains and equips US naval forces for assignment to combatant commanders. “Maintaining our current readiness gives us the ability to be an effective force anywhere in the world,” Roughead told committee members at his confirmation hearing. Building tomorrow’s Navy requires responsibility, accountability and an obligation “to clearly and thoughtfully define how we will fight and what we need—not want—to be able to do that,” he told committee members.
Sinodefence.com
US Navy’s shipbuilding programmes
assess the Navy’s ability to meet its goals for developing the new carrier. Specifically, this report assesses the extent to which technology development could affect the capability and construction of CVN 78, the status of efforts to achieve design stability, and the challenges to building CVN 78 within budget. To accomplish this, the work includes analysis of test reports, development schedules, and ship progress reviews; interviews with Navy and other officials; and examinations of cost estimates and our own past work.
Latvian naval force to receive mine-ship Last month, representatives of the National Armed Forces (NAF) Naval Force (NF) took possession of the ALKMAAR-Class minehunter vessel M05 Viesturs from the Dutch Navy in the Dutch city of Den Helder. This is the second of the five minehunters Latvia has procured from the Netherlands. The Agreement on procuring five Alkmaar-Class warships from the Dutch Navy was signed between the Latvian and Dutch Ministries of Defence on August 24, 2005. The NAF NF took possession of the first minehunter—M04 Imanta— from the Netherlands on 7 March.
Northrop Grumman package delivery to Navy Northrop Grumman Corporation and the US Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command, along with members of the governmentcontractor team, celebrated the delivery of the first mission package for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) at ceremonies last month in Panama City, Florida. This first package is for the mine warfare
mission, and is one of the three initial warfare packages being developed for the LCS. Mission packages allow the LCS the flexibility to support three mission areas: mine, warfare, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare.
Northrop Grumman awarded contracts for maintenance work Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded two contracts from the US Navy for maintenance and modernisation work on aircraft carriers based in San Diego and Yokosuka, Japan. The company’s Newport News sector is the prime contractor for the work. Northrop Grumman, the nation’s sole designer, builder and refueler of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, was awarded a one-year contract with four one-year options to manage the continuous maintenance of the USS Nimitz, USS Ronald Reagan and other nuclear aircraft carriers at North Island in San Diego. The potential value of the contract is more than $120 million (Rs 480 crore) and will include planning, engineering, maintenance and modernisation work.
Navy dedicates paediatric wing to children of Handwara A 15-bedded Paediatric Wing (PW) at the District Hospital was inaugurated and dedicated to the people of Handwara by the CNS, Admiral Sureesh Mehta, on July 28. The state-of-the-art PW is equipped with the latest medical equipment that can be utilised not only for newborns but also other patients. The PW at the District Hospital Handwara was constructed and made ready with modern medical amenities in a record time of one year. A corpus has been created for the routine running of the hospital. This ward is a symbol of navy’s efforts to pay homage and immortalise the memory of those 21 children who lost their lives in a tragic incident on May 30, 2006.
Goa shipyard launches Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel The Goa Shipyard Limited will build a 105 m Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV) for the
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Oceanographic ship for India launched at Muggiano Sagar Nidhi, an oceanographic vessel ordered for the National Institute of Ocean Technology, Chennai was launched at Fincantieri’s Muggiano shipyard (La Spezia). Present at the ceremony were the Indian Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Kapil Sibal, and other dignitaries. The 5,000-ton ship is 104 m long and 18 m wide. The vessel will provide cutting edge technology for the study of marine environment. Equipped with the latest technology for scientific studies, the ship will be used for oceanographic and hydrographic research, including water, ice and core sampling of the sea bed. It will also be possible to operate Remotely Operated and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles.
Thales and Rosoboronexport sign MoU During the IMDS exhibition, Rosoboronexport, expert in the domain of exporting and importing of military systems and technologies; and Thales, the leading international electronics and systems group, signed a MoU
to develop technical, industrial and commercial co-operations between the two groups which allows the opening of co-operations in the naval domain.
Royal Navy unveils Raytheon’s long-range submarine launched missile The Royal Navy has released images of its latest high tech ‘smart’ new Block IV Tomahawk long-range land attack missile in a live firing trial off the US’ coast. The 5,200 ton attack submarine HMS Trenchant used one of her torpedo tubes to launch the advanced new long-range missile, which then flew over the Gulf of Mexico, striking a target hundreds of miles away with pin-point accuracy. During test fight the missile reached heights of 10,000 ft (3 km) and speeds of 500 miles an hour (805 kmh). Linked to satellite communication systems, the enhanced weapon will improve the long-range precision punch of the Royal Navy. With up to a third greater range than the current missiles they can hit targets over 1,000 miles (1,609 km) away, can be re-targeted in flight and even send back images of the battlefield to boost intelligence gathering.
Raytheon awarded initial installment on navy communications contract Raytheon Company has been awarded an initial installment of $27 million (Rs 108 crore) for satellite communications (SATCOM) terminals in support of a Space and Naval Warfare Systems contract potentially worth $38 million (Rs 151 crore). Under the firmfixed-price contract, Raytheon
▸ ▸ ▸ Annual Coast Guard Commanders Conference
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he Annual Coast Guard Commanders Conference (XXVIth), presided over by Defence Minister A.K. Antony, was held at Delhi from September 19 to 21. Inaugurating the conference, Antony lauded the role of the young service that has successfully overcome all challenges. Underlining the urgent need to strengthen and consolidate the overall capabilities of the Coast Guard in order for it to meet the emerging threats to the country’s maritime zones, he emphasised that it was vital to keep the country’s vast maritime zones under round-the-clock surveillance by employing surface and air efforts. The Indian Coast Guard expansion plan, he added, is essential for the country’s economic and national security, and the setting up of additional coast guard stations at Jakhau, Pudducherry, Beypore and Kakinada is the most appropriate step in this direction. Earlier, Director General Coast Guard Vice Admiral R.F. Contractor made a detailed presentation on the state and operational preparedness of the force. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta and Defence Secretary Vijay Singh also attended the meeting.
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Photographs: Sharad Saxena
Indian Coast Guard (ICG). The AOPV, named ICGS Samrat is the biggest vessel designed and being constructed by the GSL and will have berthing facility for an Advanced Light Helicopter. It is totally indigenous and will be built by GSL using state-of-the-art technology. The vessel will have a range of 6,500 nautical miles and reach a speed up to 24 knots. It will be armed with a 30 mm gun that will be fired through a fire control system.
Vijay Singh takes over as Defence Secretary On July 31, Vijay Singh took over as the new Defence Secretary. He joined Indian Administrative Service in 1970 and was allotted Madhya Pradesh Cadre. Singh worked in various capacities in Madhya Pradesh between 1971 and 1982. He served in the Government of India between 1982 and 1987 as Director and Coordinator for festivals of India in the US, France, USSR and Japan. He again served with the Madhya Pradesh Government between 1987 and 1996, and returned to Government of India as Financial Advisor, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Additional Secretary in the Ministries
of Chemicals and Fertilizers and Information and Broadcasting from 1996 to 2004. Singh was Chief Secretary, Madhya Pradesh from October 2004 to January 2006. He was Secretary, Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare from February 2006 to July 2006. Prior to his appointment as Defence Secretary, Singh held the charge of Secretary, Road Transport and Highways in the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways. Vice Admiral Bedi heads Western Naval Command Vice Admiral Jagjit Singh Bedi took over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command from Vice Admiral Sangram Singh Byce at an impressive ceremonial parade held at the Naval Air Station Kunjali on July 31. Prior to this, Vice Admiral Bedi was Flag Officer Commandingin-Chief, Southern Naval Command (as reported in SP’s Naval Forces Issue 3 of 2006). Vice Admiral Bedi was appointed Honorary ADC to the President of India on May 1. Vice Admiral Damle takes over Southern Naval Command Vice Admiral S.K. Damle took over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command from
Assistant Editor Arundhati Das Senior Tech Group Editor Lt General Naresh Chand Sub-Editor Bipasha Roy Contributing Editor Lt General V.K. Kapoor Air Marshal V.K. Bhatia CONTRIBUTORS
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India Admiral Arun Prakash Vice Admiral P. Ganesh Vice Admiral P.J. Jacob Vice Admiral R.B. Suri Rear Admiral Raja Menon Cmde Rajeev Sawhney Dr W Lawrence Prabhakar
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1. Director General Coast Guard Vice Admiral R.F. Contractor (right) looks on as Defence Minister A.K. Antony meets one of the Coast Guard commanders 2. Antony with Contractor 3. Antony flanked by Defence Secretary Vijay Singh (left) and Contractor 4. All the participants pose for the camera
Europe Alan Peaford, Doug Richardson, Andrew Brookes (UK) USA & Canada Lon Nordeen (USA) Anil R. Pustam (West Indies) West Asia/Africa Helmoed R. Heitman (South Africa) Chairman & Mg Director Jayant Baranwal
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Design SP Guide Publications Team Published quarterly by Jayant Baranwal on behalf of SP Guide Publications P 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 prior written permission of the Publishers.
Network Centric Systems will deliver nine extremely high frequency follow-on terminals to the US Navy. These terminals are a vital element in the Navy’s SATCOM program and precede the Navy Multiband Terminal awarded to Raytheon earlier.
L-3 Communication awarded Naval Sea System Command contract L-3 Communications have recently announced that its Government Services, Inc. (L-3 GSI) subsidiary has been awarded a modest, five-year $74.7-million (Rs 297 crore) Foreign Military Sales con-
tract by the Naval Sea System Command to provide support for the Program Executive Office, Ships’ PMS 325F in the area of counter-narcotics and boat and crafts programme requirements.
Vice Admiral J.S. Bedi on July 28. Commissioned into the Indian Navy on December 19, 1970. Admiral Damle joined the fighter stream in the Fleet Air Arm after initial training with the Indian Air Force. He is a qualified flying instructor and has flown various types of aircraft in the navy and air force. During the span of his naval career, he has commanded the missile corvette INS Hosdurg, missile frigate INS Gomati
and the aircraft carrier INS Viraat. An alumnus of the National Defence College, Delhi, Admiral Damle has held many important appointments, including Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Fleet. He was the Chief of Personnel at Naval Headquarters prior to his present appointment. Chief of Personnel Vice Admiral D.K. Dewan, AVSM, took over as Chief of
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▸ ▸ ▸ Appointments The CNS Admiral Sureesh Mehta takes over as Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta took over as Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) from the outgoing Chairman General J.J. Singh. In a solemn ceremony held on September 28, at the Defence Headquarters, General J.J. Singh handed over the baton of ‘Chairman COSC’, to Admiral Mehta. A former resolution placing on record a rich contribution made by the outgoing Chairman was also passed in the meeting. A large number of senior officials from the army, navy and the air force attended the ceremony.
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Jayant Baranwal
Personnel (COP) on July 26. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and has specialised in gunnery. He is also a graduate of the Joint Staff Course, Paris and the Royal College of Defence Studies, London. His previous posting was as Controller of Personnel Services at IHQ MOD (Navy).
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