India’s K5 SLBM Program picks up speed
DRDO is readying for the maiden test of its long range Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile SLBM K5 that can deliver nuclear warheads of more than one tons 5,000 kilometers away. K5 Primarily to be armed on the new S4 and S4* Class SSBM ballistic missile submarines which are Extended versions of INS Arihant and IN S Arighat Class of the first generation SSBN.
The K5 missile was sanctioned in 2015 and the program picked
up speed after Indo Chinese tension and also due in anticipation of S4 moving
from dry docks to into the water from next year. K5 is supposed to be the
second missile to be equipped with multiple independently targetable re-entry
vehicles MIRV technology that can hit multiple targets or can be used to hit
the same targets from multiple projectiles to overwhelm the air defense units.
India already has developed a 750 kilometers range K15 and
3,500 kilometers range K4 and K5 will be the latest addition to the K family,
while developmental clearance for K6 was granted two years back.
DRDO also has plans to test Agni V with Multiple
Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles (MIRV) later this year to validate MIRV
technology.
Reports of Chinese S400s on India’s Borders Deemed ‘Grave
Threat’
Amid signs of a stalemate in talks between China and India
over their dispute at the Ladakh border area, India's main federal opposition
Congress Party warned that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s reported
deployment of Russian made S400 air defences systems at the border seriously
challenged Indian security interests.
This is the first time that they have deployed the S400 at
the border. It is a grave threat to us and the government must take all steps
to ensure that the border standoff is resolved", spokesman Pawan Khera
said. If confirmed, the S400 would be one of the latest weapons systems
deployed to reinforce the PLA’s Western Theatre Command facing India, Other high-end
assets include Type 99A tanks, J16 and J20 heavy fighters, and H6 bombers.
Although China deploys many similar systems to the S400,
notably the S300-PMU2 and HQ-9B,
India has no modern long range air defence systems of its own.
With Chinese S400s having received new 40N6E missiles from
Russia, they can engage targets 400 kilometers away allowing them to target
aircraft and missiles deep into Indian territory. India primarily relies on MiG-29
fighters to guard its Ladakh border, although a small number of Rafale jets
with superior sensors and of much more capable Sukhoi-30MKI aircraft, are also
deployed. None of these have modern stealth capabilities or are considered
capable of challenging the S400, particularly as the Chinese operated system is
backed by more modern fighters including the J16.
Tejas Mk1A: First Flying Testbed Rollout Soon
HAL chairman and managing director R Madhavan recently
confirmed that the Tejas Mk1A will take to air by March 2022, One of the FOC
Tejas Mk1 aircraft that has been designed to be used as Flying Testbed for the
Mk1A program is presently under undergoing fitment of the Israeli supplied ELTA
ELM-2052 AESA Fire Control Radar and the ELL-8222WB self-protection jammer
mounted on an external pod.
Mk1A Flying Testbed Rollout will happen at the end of this
year and plans are to demonstrate most of the technologies next year after the
completion of initial flights planned in March 2022. HAL plans to use Mk1A Flying
Testbed for the next 18 months from the day of its first flight to validate
most of the upgrades and changes that have taken place in the aircraft before
it is cleared for production by mid of 2023.
Single seater Tejas Mk1 is planned to be handed over by March
2022 while some will be retained and used in enabling integration of indigenous
Astra Mk1 and SAAW weapons system that is currently underway.
Loyal wingman: Rise of low cost, modular, uncrewed aircraft
globally and in India
India along with many countries are counting on mixed teams
of manned and unmanned combat aircraft to conduct aerial dogfighting
autonomously and ground strike in the next few years as Loyal wingman programs
are on the rise globally that can help identify and overwhelm enemy air
defenses, or draw fires away from crewed aircraft.
India is working on uncrewed low-cost, attractable aircraft
Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior powered by a modified PTE-7 engine of
the HAL is looking at 2024-25 for the development and demonstration of the
first loyal wingman concept coming out of India. Each CATS Warrior uncrewed
CATS Warrior will be paired with a crewed partner /mothership to serve as
powerful force multipliers that will both amplify and optimize the advanced
capabilities of crewed aircraft.
CATS Warrior will be equipped with a mission-specific payload
such as sensors, weapons, or electronic warfare capabilities that will enable
some CATS Warrior to be equipped with air to ground weapons while others are to
be equipped with Short-range ASRAAMS for air-to-air weapons. CATS Warrior can also
be equipped with a payload to act as a relay communication transmitter to the
crewed partner /mothership that will fly at a distance.
HAL plans to use a Twin-seater Tejas MAx (Mothership) as a
crewed partner /mothership that will have a dedicated Drone Station Officer
(DSO) that will be equipped with a Remote Drone operator who will be sending
communications to the CATS Warrior and also has capabilities to take over some
of the drones. CATS Warrior are to be equipped with some levels of artificial intelligence
that will also enable them to evaluate target assessments based on the new
emerging threats and also ensure that Tejas MAx (Mothership) is protected even
when the escort team is overwhelmed by rival air defense or by manned jets.
CATS Warrior will greatly change future air battles but
challenges remain how levels of artificial intelligence can be developed and
how human-machine learning capabilities are developed. Challenges also remain
in ensuring secure communications are maintained over larger areas of the
battlespace.
Three more Rafales fighters arriving from France to land in
Gujarat’s Jamnagar tonight
The Indian Air Force will be further strengthened amid the
ongoing military standoff with China as three more Rafale jets took off from
France and will touch down in Jamnagar, Gujarat on Wednesday. The three new
fighter jets will increase the count of Rafale jets to 29 out of the total 36
India had ordered as part of the 60,000 crore deal inked in 2016.
Three Rafales jets will do mid-air refuelling over the Middle
East by a friendly Air Force. After that they will be landing at the Jamnagar
air base. These Rafales are the first to be coming from France since Air Chief
Marshal VR Chaudhari took over as the Chief of Air Staff earlier this month.
The planes coming from France would be distributed between
the Golden Arrows squadron in Ambala and the 101 squadron in Hashimara, West
Bengal.
The Centre had signed an inter-governmental agreement with
France in September 2016 for the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a
cost of around 58,000 crore. The first batch of five Rafale jets arrived in
India on July 29 last year.
The next three Rafale jets are set to reach India by the
first half of December and they would be joining the operational squadrons by
January 26. The 36th and final Rafale would, according to the plan, include
special enhancements that would make it more lethal and capable.
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