The Indian Army has issued a tender to support its program for the restoration and life extension of in-service T-72 main battle tanks (MBTs). According to a request for information (RFI) issued by the Indian Army on November 21, the program – named ‘Overhaul II of Tank T-72‘ – is carried out to ensure restoration of the T-72 to “as good as new condition”.

The program seeks to “neutralise effects of age, usage, and restoration of T-72 to near-zero hour [and] zero km state of operational readiness”, the RFI said.

The T-72 restoration process comprises “stripping of the tank, removal of assemblies, stripping of the repairable assemblies, inspection of the components of repairable assemblies, and replacement of assemblies [that are not repairable] with new ones”, the RFI added.

The process also includes “100% replacement of parts that have limited shelf life such as gaskets, seals, rings, bearings, fasteners, washers, and so on; testing of assemblies; integration in tanks; and quality assurance”, the RFI said.

The program, according to the Indian Army, includes rectification of major/minor weld defects and worn-out portions of the T-72 hull; replacement or revalidation of rubber parts, metal pipes, and engine sub-assemblies; and replacement or revalidation of cooling, fuel, lubrication, air induction, exhaust, and transmission systems components.

Indigenisation of Ammunition

Rising conflicts globally have posed challenges and disrupted supply chains. The ongoing war in Ukraine and before that the Ladakh stand-off made it imperative that a clear road map for ammunition procurement and long –term requirement should be in place.

The efforts to secure supply chains and avoid any impact on operational preparedness has led to finalisation of the long-term requirement for a decade and a clear road map for ammunition procurement has been put in place. About 85% of the ammunition requirement has been indigenised, from both the public and private sectors.

The aim is to build up ammunition stocks to desired levels, minimise imports and achieve self-sufficiency in the country, have multiple sources of supply, and possess indigenous manufacturing capability. First step is to indigenise all import-dependent ammunition — major platforms with long-term requirement.

Indigenisation of more than 30 variants, amounting to about Rs 16,000 crores as part of import minimisation, is under way and five or six variants of ammunition have been identified for production through the Indian industry, which will expand the indigenous vendor base. Subsequently, next-generation high-tech ammunition based on research and development is being identified for in-house development.

Bulk of the ammunition is being met by the Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and the rest by the Indian industry. Less than 10% is met purely through direct imports and there is also some amount of legacy platforms in small numbers that are in the process of being phased out.

Under the three rounds of emergency financial powers granted by the Defence Ministry, the armed forces had undertaken major procurement and stocking of spares and ammunition. The fourth round of emergency procurement was completed recently and it ensured enough stocks of critical ammunition and also helped offset delays to some extent in deliveries of spares, components and ammunition since the war in Ukraine broke out in February 2022.

Most of the Indian Army’s armoured fleet is of Russian-origin and the air defence has several legacy systems. Currently, about 10 to 12 ammunition categories in over 30 variants are being indigenised on priority and these are undergoing field trials.

With several Indian private companies now in the race to manufacture ammunition in the country, the ammunition stocking through indigenisation efforts will help Army’s operational preparedness to meet future threats.

Pinaka Rockets for Rs 2800 Crore Approved

In a bid to augment the Indian Army’s arsenal, the Defence Ministry has approved a Rs 2,800 crore proposal for buying around 6,400 of two types of rockets for Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher systems, designated as Area Denial Munition Type-2 and Type-3.

The Indian Army will procure the rockets exclusively from indigenous sources and two main contenders include the Economic Explosives Limited of Solar Industries and the Munitions India Limited– a key ammunition-producer created by the corporatisation of the erstwhile Ordnance Factories.

The indigenous Pinaka weapon system has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation. The weapon system is one of the first few Indian military systems exported to foreign nations, including Armenia. Private sector companies Larsen & Toubro, Tata Defence and Economic Explosives Limited involved in the project have set up production lines for the Pinaka system that are being supplied in bulk to the armed forces.

The army has a requirement of 22 regiments of the Pinaka MBRL as part of larger artillery modernisation plans. Pinaka regiments of the Indian Army include launchers with automated gun aiming and positioning systems and command posts.

70,000 More Sig Sauer Assault Rifles

The defence ministry has approved the purchase of more than 70,000 Sig Sauer assault rifles, giving its personnel a significant increase in firepower for use in terrorist operations and other missions.

The purchase of over 70,000 of Sig Sauer assault rifles is estimated to cost over Rs 800 crore. The military originally decided to purchase these rifles because it desired a weapon with a greater range. Among a number of contenders, the SiG 716 assault rifle was selected due to its superior calibre and longer range. Additionally, it is said to be more deadly than the AK-47 and its variations in the service, as well as the INSAS rifle.

In February 2019, 72,400 SiG 716 rifles (7.62 x 51mm calibre) were purchased from SIG Sauer of the US; 66,400 of them were for the Army, 4,000 for the Air Force, and 2,000 for the Navy. The American-made assault guns, which are being deployed by personnel in the Kashmir valley and the Ladakh section of the China border, have already resulted in over 70,000 indictments by India.

To improve its conventional and anti-terrorist capabilities, the Indian troops have also received a sizable quantity of Russian AK-103s. The AK-203, which is now being made at an ordnance facility in Amethi, will also soon be available to the Indian troops.

Handheld Thermal Image Devices

The Indian Army is in the process to induct around 10,000 Hand Held Thermal Imager-Uncooled (HHTI-UC) devices, for which the Request for Information (RFI) has been issued.

As per the RFI sought from the vendors, it requires the “HHTI-UC with latest technology parameters to enable soldiers to carry out surveillance up to 3,000 metres.” The surveillance device should enable day and night surveillance with a combination of high-resolution optical viewer, digital (low light) and thermal (uncooled) sensors.

The surveillance device should facilitate judging distance of area under surveillance using laser range finders, acquisition of magnetic bearing using DMC and provide own location to users employing inbuilt satellite navigation systems, including NAVIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation).

The surveillance device should weigh less than 3 kgs and facilitate recording and storage of minimum three hours of SD videos with removable storage devices. It should also enable seamless wired or wireless connectivity of minimum up to 50 metres with standard interfaces.

Once the vendors respond to the RFI, “Tentative date of issue of Request for Proposal (RFP) is June 2024. The total quantity required is approximately 10,000,” the RFI says. The procurement will be “in a phased manner, the desired quantity should be delivered within six months to twenty four months from the day of advance payment”.

The vendors should confirm in their response their capability of delivering requisite quantity of HHTI-UC within the stipulated time frame. Vendors are expected to forward the required documents and details by December 26 this year, the RFI said.

As per the RFI sought from the vendors, it requires the “HHTI-UC with latest technology parameters to enable soldiers to carry out surveillance up to 3,000 metres”. The surveillance device should facilitate judging distance of area under surveillance using laser range finders, it said.

AI-Enabled Gun-Mounted Scope

An indigenously-developed scope that can be fitted on any small weapon and turn it into a smart weapon is being tested by the Indian Army. The smart scope is powered by Artificial Intelligence that can detect humans up to 300 metres and also extensively boost border and close combat operations. Using AI algorithm and sensory data, it can tell the shooter when to fire. It had an 80-90% accuracy when tested for 100-300 metres

The smart scope is currently at its prototype stage, but a miniature version can be made too. The scope can help achieve one shot one hit capability and easily turn a soldier into a marksman. The scope first detects the target and makes a red bounding box, after which the camera checks for alignment using the laser and finder. Once the target box turns green, the shooter is alerted that he can fire.

The scope currently has only day firing capability, but it can be turned into night firing device too. The day camera has 50mm lens and 30X zoom.

The post Army to Overhaul T-72s, Infantry Capabilities appeared first on IMR.

The ministry has ordered Rs 700 crore worth 72,400 Sig Sauer rifles in 2020, but is clearly not keen to procure the same number of SIG716 7.6251 mm rifles again due to the operational problems faced by the forces deployed in Jammu and Kashmir. A senior official in the ministry indicated that the SIG rifles might work well in America but there might be compatibility issues in India due to different operating conditions.

The department’s second thoughts also stem from complaints about issues arising from incompatibility between Indian ammunition used in US assault rifles, informed military sources said.

From the first batch, the army got the most guns (66,400), the Indian Air Force (IAF) got 4,000, and the Indian Navy’s special forces were armed with two thousand remaining weapon systems.

The post India cancels repeat orders for 72,400 SIG 716 assault rifles appeared first on IMR.

The DPB has cleared the purchase of 29, 760 image intensifiers to go with the Sig Sauers for the jawan on the line of control, fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir or even in Ladakh on the line of actual control. The image intensifier deal will be worth Rs 1410 crore.

To replace the INSAS rifle and the still effective AK-47 Kalashnikovs, India had initially purchased 72,400 SIG Sauer assault rifles for frontline troops. Thereafter, an additional 72,000 were bought. The image intensifiers are likely to be very useful for night fighting.

Also cleared by the DPB were 40 fire control radars for the Army’s air defence. The Rs 1600 crore deal involves the development, testing and production of these radars indigenously, again as part of the Atmanirbhar process. This is part of a slightly long-term process that aims to build defence production capability, including in the private sector.

The post Image Intensifier Sights cleared for Sig Sauer Rifles appeared first on IMR.

The requirement of these weapons for the infantry is huge with over 380 infantry and 63 Rashtriya Rifles battalions. The Army requires around 9.5 lakh assault rifles, 4.6 lakh CQB carbines and over 57,000 LMGs.

ALSO READ: Army Modernisation : Frontline Troops Get SIG 716 Assault Rifles

Emergency procurements from abroad to meet critical operational requirements are underway. Bulk of the requirements will be met by `Make in India’ projects with foreign collaboration.

Assault Rifles

The contract for the second lot of 72,000 SiG Sauer assault rifles from the US is set to be inked by December. That would make it a total of 1.4 lakh SiG Sauer rifles. Simultaneously, the Army wants the ‘Make in India’ project to manufacture over seven lakh Kalashnikov AK-203 rifles, at the Korwa ordnance factory in Uttar Pradesh with Russian collaboration, to take off as soon as possible. The 7.62×39 mm caliber AK-203 rifles (with an effective range of 300-meter) will take care of the remaining requirement.

The manufacture of AK-203 rifles through the joint venture (JV) between OFB and Rosonboronexport-Kalashnikov, which was set up in February 2019, was stuck due to costing issues.

Light Machine Guns and Carbines

The deliveries of 16,479 Israeli Negev 7.62X51 mm LMGs will begin from January 2021 under a Rs 880 crore deal inked in March 2020. Indian companies have already been shortlisted for the subsequent project to manufacture the rest of the LMGs in India.

The RFP (request for proposal) to manufacture 4.6 lakh CQB carbines in India will also be issued in early 2021, after an earlier FTP procurement to buy 93,895 such carbines from UAE firm Caracal was scrapped. Caracal is still in the race. It has offered to invest 49 per cent in a Joint Venture with a domestic manufacturer with full technology transfer  for 93,895 CQB carbines.

ALSO READ: The Small Arms Market Scenario in India

After going through the technical evaluation under the tender, the Indian Army had chosen the CARACAL’s CAR 816 to arm the Indian soldiers, after it emerged as the lowest bidder when commercial bids were opened on Oct. 4, 2018. The next day, the Emirati company was handed over a draft contract, but there was no progress since then.

In January 2018, the current fast-track procurement of the 93,895 carbines had been approved for tendering by the Defence Acquisition Council, in a deal that was said to be worth at least Rs 2,000 crore ($270 million in today’s currency conversion).

The Army had first asked for new assault rifles and CQB carbines in 2005, while the case for LMGs was initiated in 2009. The long-drawn procurement projects were repeatedly scrapped due to graft allegations or unrealistic technical parameters.

The post ARMY MODERNISATION – Acquisition of Small Arms Fast-tracked appeared first on IMR.

This proposed purchase follows an order for 72,400 assault rifles placed with the US last year, and is expected to be made by invoking a key clause in India’s arms buying rules that governs speeding up purchases to meet urgent requirements, said one of the officials cited above.

India signed the previous order worth Rs 700 crore in early 2019 and the deliveries of all the rifles have been completed. That order was also made through the fast track procedure (FTP) prescribed in India’s defence procurement rules.

The Sig Sauer rifles are being bought to meet the army’s requirement of a total of 8 lakh assault rifles, said a second official. The new assault rifles will gradually replace the flaw-ridden 5.56mm INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) rifles inducted around 22 years ago.

The remaining requirements of the army will be met through a Make in India project for the local production of AK-203 assault rifles at Amethi’s Korwa, and this procurement is in its final stage with a committee ironing out pricing issues, said a third person.

The FTP can be invoked in cases where “undue/unforeseen delay” in buying weapons is seen to be adversely impacting the military’s capacity and preparedness.

According to rules, weapons sought under the FTP should already be in the military’s armoury, have been trial evaluated or be in service in foreign militaries so that the time required for evaluation is minimised.

India has also ordered more stocks of Excalibur precision guided munitions from the US for its artillery guns, while Russia assured swifter delivery of weapons and ammunition during defence minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Moscow last month.

Source link

The post Army To Order 72,000 Sig Sauer Assault Rifles – Indian Military Review appeared first on IMR.

New Delhi: The Print magazine has reported that two latest Israeli assault rifles — the Arad and the Carmel — are set to be manufactured in India.

The assault weapons are to be produced under the ‘Make in India’ initiative in Madhya Pradesh, where a plant had been set up in 2017 by Israel Weapons System (IWI) in a joint venture called PLR Systems.

While Punj Llyod originally held 51 per cent shares in the joint venture, it was bought over by a company called Fouraces System India Private Limited with the Indian conglomerate facing debt issues.

The joint venture is aiming for contracts from the Special Forces of the Army, Navy and Air Force besides the central armed police forces and the state police, sources said.

Interestingly, PLR systems, now run by Col Ajay Soni, already manufactures number of small arms like the Tavor series, the mainstay of the special forces, in India along with others like the Galil sniper rifle, Uzi Pro submachine gun, Masada pistol and the Negev Light Machine Gun (LMG) with indigenous content ranging from 40-60 per cent.

The Army had last year contracted American Sig Sauer 7.62x51mm assault rifle, SIG 716, under a Fast Track Process (FTP) for 72,400 units after a long quest to change its INSAS rifles.

These rifles are to be used by the frontline troops while it has selected AK 203, a 7.62x39mm rifle, to be built in India under a joint venture between state-run OFB and Russian Kalashnikov Rifles, for the rest of the force.

“The plan is now to manufacture the Arad and Carmel, which are the latest offering from the IWI, in India through the joint venture,” a source in the know of the development said.

The sources said unlike in other cases where Make in India happens based on orders from the country, the PLR Systems are manufacturing the arms in India and then offering them for trials.

The company has already delivered various units to forces under the Home Ministry and the plan is now to offer Carmel and Arad.

Carmel and Arad

Carmel is a multi-purpose, modular, 5.56X45mm caliber assault rifle for modern warfare, which has been supplied to many customers around the world.

According to IWI, the rifle can be easily customised, depending on the operational needs, military or law enforcement tasks — vehicle patrol, CQB (close-quarters combat), undercover missions, short and medium combat engagement, diverse police operations, VIP protection, and more.

It is meant to be a fully ambidextrous platform, equipped with military standard 1913 Picatinny rails on all sides to allow compatibility with any available sights, devices or accessories.

Arad is an M4-type Assault Rifle, intended for all kinds of combat scenarios with its ability to change calibers. The rifle can be changed to shoot two different caliber bullets — 5.56 and 300 BLK.

The sources said the joint venture is also looking at export of the products it manufactures in India.

ARAD Assault Rifle

CARMEL Assault Rifle

Source link

The post Israeli Assault Rifles Arad & Carmel Set To Be Manufactured In India appeared first on IMR.