IAC-2 Soon, Akash Prime Test, Tapas user evaluation trials

User evaluation trials of India's TAPAS UAV has started

India's Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial Surveillance (TAPAS), medium height long perseverance automated unmanned flying vehicles have finished a series of flight tests and are moving towards user evaluation trials. Eight models of the TAPAS UAV have been made up to this point and the UAV has finished 143 Flight tests. Final design configuration will be made in June-July. UAV is currently going through design validation stage.

Flight user validation trials will probably begin in October 2022. HAL has cleared that they are ready for development of five TAPAS for trials by the. Aeronautical Development Establishment will integrate the initial two UAVs. The next three UAVs are to be integrated by HAL. This is to assist HAL with getting expertise in the TAPAS UAV Platform and HAL will also be the recipient of ToT for future production of TAPAS UAVs.

IAC-1 Aircraft Carrier ready for handover, IAC-2 will be prepared in next five years

Cochin Shipyard Limited Director recently confirmed to the media that the INS Vikrant is set to go for the last leg of its ocean tests & trials after which it will be formally given to the Indian Navy by end of May. INS Vikrant will be inducted into the Indian Navy in August around Independence Day. The last leg of tests & trials will see, touch & Go landings on the warship, by the Mig-29K, and later take off and landings from its deck. In the past, Mig-29K was set in the warship with the assistance of cranes to study the deck and hangar movements onboard the warship.

https://youtu.be/NHRp4StzIl0

Cochin Shipyard Limited which took nearly 13 years from laying foundation to the delivery of the indigenous INS Vikrant, has said that the sister class of INS Vikrant will be ready in the next 5 years assuming the Navy plans for IAC-2 having 45000 tons displacement capacity. Initially Indian Navy needed IAC-2 to be of 65000 tons displacement capacity but later on Navy downsized its necessities to just a 55000 tons Extended Vikrant Design to save time and cost in its manufacturing, since most of the subsidizing for the program will come from the Indian Navy, since Ministry of Defence isn't interested in IAC-2 right now and favours SSN program.

Upgraded Aakash Prime missile successfully test fired

Another variant of the Aakash rocket was effectively tried at the Pokhran field firing range in Jaisalmer, under the Make in India initiative on Wednesday. The rocket test was fruitful & successful by all norms. The new variant of the rocket fired from surface to air hit the pseudo enemy targets. The testing of Aakash was going on since consecutive three days, with supervision by DRDO and armed force officials.

DRDO had rolled out a few specialized improvements to the Aakash and tried it throughout the previous three days at the Pokhran firing range. This missile has been made particularly for the Military and IAF. New advanced features have been added to the Aakash prime and its capabilities are being checked in this hot weather. On Wednesday, it was fired from a truck based vehicle and it met all parameters set before testing of the missile. Akash can be fired from any where, be it permanent place or from a vehicle. These missiles have been manufactured by Bharat Dynamics and by the DRDO.

Why Akash Missile Beats BrahMos & All Others As India’s Most Sought-After Export Weapon ?

Why Akash Missile Beats BrahMos & All Others As India’s Most Sought-After Export Weapon

Developed by DRDO, the Akash missile system has a range of 25 km and is capable of targetting fighter jets, cruise missiles, drones, and other aerial assets. The missile was inducted in 2014 in Indian Air Force and in 2015 in the Indian Army.

The biggest advantage of India’s home-grown Akash missile system is that it can work at “all places” unlike other surface-to-air missiles (SAM) that work only in particular altitudes and climates, former DRDO scientist Ravi Gupta asserted.

Achieving a major milestone for the ‘Make in India’ initiative, the Narendra Modi government on December 30 allowed the export of its Akash air defense system besides constituting a committee for faster approvals for the same.

“After its induction in the Services, interest is shown in Akash missile by many friendly countries during International Exhibitions/Def Expo/Aero India. The Cabinet approval will facilitate Indian manufactures to participate in RFI/RFP issued by various countries,” the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

“Besides Akash, there is interest coming in other major platforms like Coastal Surveillance System, Radars and Air platforms,” it added.

Media reports suggest that many friendly nations including Vietnam and United Arab Emirates (UAE) have shown interest in buying the surface to the air missile system.

The UAE possesses one of the most advanced air defense systems including the Russian Pantsir-S1 system for medium-range and American PATRIOT system batteries. It also deploys two US-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems capable of targeting intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Citing US-based Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, Al Arabiya English said that ” the UAE possesses the most advanced missile defense assets in the Gulf region [and it is] the only country outside the United States to deploy a THAAD battery and the first Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country to deploy the Patriot PAC-3.”

What is so special about Akash Missiles?

While Vietnam could be the first overseas customer of Akash, would the UAE be still interested in procuring the Indian missile system given that it has far advanced weaponry in its arsenal?

The kind of versatility that Akash offers is an advantage over other systems.

There is much more to exporting systems than just their capabilities. “For example, the consistency in supply lines. When India went to war in 1965, [and during] Kargil war and others, imported defense systems that were bought at exorbitant prices created difficulties for us, At the time of war, they all started creating problems like stopping the supply of spare parts and ammunition.

India has been a major importer of arms which has proved to be a disadvantage on the battlefield. Countries aren’t allowed to use imported systems against the systems of the adversary if they are purchased from the same country.

“Look at what happened after Balakot. After India shot down Lockheed Martin’s F-16 fighter using their vintage Mig-21, the company was up in arms as it was a huge commercial setback for Lockheed Martin.

“It is like deliberately and voluntarily twisting our arms if we keep on importing the defense systems. The whole point of purchasing a system is to defend the country in the event of a war and the country should be able to use it the way it wants.”

But What makes India different as a defense exporter ?

India’s business ethics are well known around the world.

India has very bright future for defense exports. Besides low labor cost and abundance of resources, another advantage is India’s diversity in terms of climatic condition, topography, and temperatures. They cover pretty much all conditions of battle zones in the world. The battle zone conditions in India are far more diverse and stringent.”

Elaborating on Akash’s capabilities in comparison to other missile systems on the export market, Kumar noted that it has been designed from scratch. “From the very basics of missile design, the system has been developed. Not just the missile, the entire air defense system including the command control systems, software, logistics is indigenous.” This allows India to fine-tune it in a cost-effective manner according to the needs of the buyer.

Unlike other surface-to-air missiles (SAM) that work only in particular altitudes and climates, Akash’s biggest advantage is that it can work at “all places.” Example, if Arjun tanks need to be exported, they have been tested in the Thar desert as well as the high altitude cold climate.

Every country that has designed such surface to air missiles systems, they have designed it according to their requirements and the topography and climatic conditions of their own country.

The export version of the short-range, surface-to-air Akash Missiles with 96% indigenization will be different from the system currently in service with the Indian armed forces, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh announced on Wednesday.

Four points that favor Akash and other export-worthy systems from India in comparison to their competitors are :

1. The systems are developed for diverse conditions that can withstand extreme conditions anywhere in the world which makes them “most reliable and sturdy.”

2. Since the system is fully indigenous, India has the capability to fine-tune it to any of the buyer’s requirements in a cost-effective manner with a high degree of effectiveness against the adversary.

3. India is generally considered as a reliable partner and a seller with a high degree of business ethics and commitment.

4. India doesn’t try to interfere in other country’s internal affairs, which many other countries do when they sell their defense systems. There are so many countries who sell their system with riders. We don’t put any unethical riders so long you aren’t attacking me, you are free to use the system as per your needs.

These things are “very strongly” in favor of Indian defense exports.

Modi Govt Approves The Export Of Home-Grown Akash Missile To Push ‘Self-Reliant India’

Akash Missiles: Modi Govt Approves The Export Of Home-Grown Akash Missile To Push ‘Self-Reliant India’ 

India’s Akash Missiles have hogged the limelight as the Modi government has approved the export of the indigenously-developed Akash missile system to friendly nations, in a move to push its ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) policy.

The export version of the short-range, surface-to-air Akash Missiles with 96% indigenization will be different from the system currently in service with the Indian armed forces, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh announced on Wednesday.

Singh said a committee for faster approvals has been set up to focus on exporting high-value defense platforms as India aims to achieve a target of $5 billion of defense export and improve strategic relations with friendly countries.

India has long been in talks with Vietnam to sell the indigenously-developed missile system. With this decision, Vietnam may soon be getting the Akash missile system.

Wednesday’s cabinet decision has come a week after the virtual summit between Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Indian PM Narendra Modi. The two sides intensified military cooperation by signing several agreements, much to Beijing’s discomfiture.

Designed and developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Akash missile system with a range of 25 km can target fighter jets, cruise missiles, drones, and other aerial assets.

Earlier this month, the Indian Air Force had conducted 10 test-firings of the home-grown Akash missiles at the Suryalanka test range in Andhra Pradesh.

The missile system has been currently deployed along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh where Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a standoff.

The missile is currently being upgraded with “seeker technology, reduced footprint for weapon system elements, 360-degree engagement capabilities and high altitude/low-temperature operation”. This will enable the system to take down targets with greater ease and at high-altitude locations.