1. Indian Navy gets two MH-60R choppers from US
Tags: Defence
The US has started the supply of MH-60R multirole helicopters to India under foreign military sales at an estimated cost of USD 2.4 billion.
Important facts
Recently, US officials handed over the first consignment of two MH-60R helicopters to the Indian Navy at the Cochin International Airport.
India will receive the third helicopter in August 2022.
India has signed a deal to buy 24 MH-60R helicopters from the US for its navy. The deal will be completed by 2025.
In 2019, the US approved the sale of 24 MH-60R multi-mission helicopters to India under its Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme.
About MH 60 Romeo
MH 60 Romeo is a multi mission helicopter.
It is built by Sikorsky Aircraft.
It is considered one of the most advanced maritime helicopters in the world.
Three crew members are needed to fly it. It can also carry five passengers.
The US Navy uses it.
This helicopter can be used for multiple missions including Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW), Search-and-Rescue (SAR), Naval Gunfire Support (NGFS), Surveillance, Communication Relay, Logistics Support .
It is equipped with a Sonobuoy launcher and Raytheon AN/AQS-22 Advanced Airborne Low-Frequency (ALFS) Dipping Sonar for submarine detection.
Once the submarine is detected, it can destroy it with its Mk 46 and Mk 50 torpedoes.
It uses the AGM-119 Penguin and AGM-114 Hellfire missiles against warships and ships.
2. India's first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant handed over to Indian Navy
Tags: Defence
Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) handed over the country's first indigenously built aircraft carrier (IAC-1) 'Vikrant' to the Indian Navy on 28 July.
INS Vikrant
INS Vikrant, also known as Indigenous Aircraft Carrier 1, is an aircraft carrier built by Cochin Shipyard Limited for the Indian Navy.
It is the first aircraft carrier to be built in India.
It has been named 'Vikrant' as a tribute to India's first aircraft carrier, Vikrant.
The Indian Naval Ship Vikrant played an important role in the 1971 war.
This warship has been built in India at a cost of about Rs 20,000 crore.
The 262-metre-long carrier has a full displacement of around 45,000 tonnes which is more advanced than its predecessor.
It is powered by four gas turbines with a total power of 88 MW and has a maximum speed of 28 knots.
The project was executed in three phases of contract between the Ministry of Defence and CSL, which were concluded in May 2007, December 2014 and October 2019 respectively.
Other Aircraft Carrier in India
INS Vikrant (1957)
This is the first-ever aircraft carrier warship of India and was decommissioned in 1997.
This aircraft carrier was purchased from the UK.
It did important work for India against the Pakistan Naval Force in the Indo-Pak War of 1971.
INS Viraat
It was bought from the UK, this carrier served the country for 30 years before it was officially decommissioned in 2017.
Prior to INS Vikramaditya in 2013, it was a major center of the Indian Navy.
It weighed about 29,000 tons and had 26 aircraft.
INS Vikramaditya
It is the current serving aircraft carrier of India.
It was made by the USSR and Russia.
He currently serves as the Chief of the Indian Navy.
3. Rajnath Singh announces setting up of Tri-Services Joint Theatre Command
Tags: Defence
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on 24 July announced the establishment of a joint theatre command of the three services to enhance coordination among the armed forces.
Important facts
Keeping in view the joint operation seen in Operation Vijay in Kargil, the government has decided to set up a Joint Theatre Command.
The Kargil war underlined the dire need to achieve jointness and self-reliance in the defence sector.
The establishment of a 'Joint Theatre Command' is one of the steps being taken to achieve self-reliance in defence.
About Joint Theatre Command System
The objective of the 'Theatre Command System' is to bring about synergistic coordination among the three branches of the Armed Forces.
Its objective is to bring different commands for Army, Navy, Air Force under a single command under the leadership of a single Commander.
In addition to operational synergies, theatre command systems would also contribute to more streamlined costs and a combat force.
In addition, theatre command systems are intended to focus more on resource allocation and help reduce redundancy.
Joint services commands in India
There are two joint services commands in India, one is Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) and the second is Strategic Forces Command (SFC).
Established in 2001, the ANC is based in Port Blair and is headed by officers of the three services in turn.
The command covers India's strategic interests in Southeast Asia and the Straits of Malacca.
Theatre commands in other countries
The United States was the first country to implement a theatre command system with six geographic and four functional commands
Russia also started with the reorganization of its defence forces in 2008 and has four theatre commands.
4. India and Japan conduct maritime partnership exercise in Andaman Sea
Tags: Defence
Recently a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) has been conducted between the Indian Navy and the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force in the Andaman Sea.
Important facts
The exercise aims to enhance interoperability, streamline shipping and communication processes.
The exercise is part of the ongoing efforts between the two navies towards ensuring safe international shipping and trade in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
The two countries have been conducting regular exercises in the Indian Ocean region to strengthen maritime ties.
Participant
INS Sukanya - an offshore patrol vessel of the Indian Navy
The Sukanya - class patrol vessels are large, offshore patrol vessels.
The Sukanya class of ships are named after notable women from Indian epics.
The Sukanya class has larger hulls, although they are lightly armed as they are mainly used for offshore patrols of India's Exclusive Economic Zone.
J.S. Samidare - A Murasame-class destroyer of the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force.
J.S. Samidare (DD-106) is the sixth ship of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF)'s Murasame-class destroyer.
Other maritime exercises between India and Japan
Japan-India Maritime Exercise (JIMEX)
Malabar Exercise (India-US-Japan-Australia)
Major maritime exercises of India with other countries
Thailand - Indo-Thailand Coordinated Patrol (India-Thai CORPAT)
United Kingdom - Konkan - Shakti
Indonesia - sea power
Singapore-Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX)
Qatar-Zair-Al-Bahr
5. ‘Swavlamban’ – Indian Navy’s Maiden Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Seminar
Tags: Defence
The first seminar 'Swavalamban' of Naval Innovation and Indigenization Organization (NIIO) was held in New Delhi from 18-19 July 2022.
Important facts
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present on the occasion as the chief guest. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was the Guest of Honour.
The Prime Minister unveiled the 'sprint challenges' during the seminar 'Swavalamban'.
'SPRINT (Supporting Pole-Vaulting in R&D through iDEX, NIIO and TDAC) Challenges' is aimed at giving a boost to the usage of indigenous technology in the Indian Navy.
The objective of the seminar is to engage Indian industry and academia towards achieving self-reliance in the defence sector.
A major pillar of self-reliant India is the defence sector achieving self-reliance.
Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation
It was launched in 2020 by the Ministry of Defence to fulfil its requirements relating to technology.
The objective is to foster innovation and indigenisation for self-reliance in defence in keeping with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
It will establish dedicated structures for end users to interact with academia and industry.
It aims to induct at least 75 new indigenous technologies, products into the Indian Navy and the collaborative project is named SPRINT.
6. India's defence exports increased seven times in the last eight years
Tags: Defence
PM Modi informed that India's defence exports have increased seven times in the last eight years.
Important facts
India had achieved defence exports worth ₹13,000 crore and of this 70% was from the private sector.
India’s defence imports have decreased by about 21% in the last four to five years.
India is moving fast from being the “biggest defence importer to a big exporter”.
India’s Defence Exports
India has put up a range of military hardware for sale which includes various missile systems, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), helicopters, warships and patrol ships, artillery guns, tanks, radars etc.
More than 30 Indian defence companies have exported arms and equipment to countries like Italy, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Russia, France, Nepal, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Israel, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Bhutan, Ethiopia etc.
From 2016-17 to 2018-19, the country's defence exports increased from ₹1,521 crore to ₹10,745 crore, showing an astonishing growth of 700%.
Steps taken by the Government to boost defence production
Simplified defence industrial licensing, relaxation of export controls and grant of No Objection Certificate.
Specific incentives introduced under the foreign trade policy
Defence Production & Export Promotion Policy 2020
The government had issued two "positive indigenization lists" which included 209 items that could not be imported.
The government has also announced two dedicated corridors in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh to act as clusters of defense manufacturing.
The vision of the government
To achieve a turnover of $25 billion, including exports of $5 billion in aerospace and defence goods and services by 2025.
7. INS Sindhudhvaj submarine decommissioned after 35 years of service
Tags: Defence
The Navy's Kilo-class submarine, INS Sindhudhwaj, was decommissioned at Visakhapatnam on 17 July after 35 years of service.
Important facts
The Navy now has 15 conventional submarines in service.
The Chief Guest of the ceremony was Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command.
The event was attended by 15 of the former Commanding Officers, including Commander S.P. Singh (Retd.) and 26 Commissioning crew veterans.
About INS Sindhudhvaj
Inducted into the Navy in June 1987, Sindhudhwaj was one of the Kilo-class submarines acquired from Russia between 1986 and 2000.
Kilo-class submarines are called Sindhughosh-class.
They are diesel-electric submarines that displace 3,000 tons, can dive to a depth of 300 metres, have a top speed of 18 knots, and can operate alone for 45 days with a crew of 53.
The insignia of this submarine is a grey nurse shark.
Its name means the one who bears the flag on the sea (Indus).
It was the first submarine to be equipped with multiple indigenous security and communication systems.
INS Sindhurakshak sank in Mumbai in August 2013 after a catastrophic explosion, killing all 18 sailors.
INS Sindhuveer was transferred to the Myanmar Navy in March 2020 as a goodwill gesture.
INS Sindhudhwaj is the only submarine to be awarded the CNS Rolling Trophy for Innovation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Indigenous sonar USHUS, indigenous satellite communication system Rukmani and MMS, inertial navigation system and indigenous torpedo fire control system were operated on it.
Sindhudhwaj also successfully carried out mating and personnel transfer with Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel.
8. Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation Seminar in New Delhi
Tags: Defence National News
Two-day Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) Seminar -Swavlamban held in New Delhi on 18-19 July.
Important facts
The seminar was organised at Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the seminar.
The Prime Minister unveiled the 'Sprint Challenge', which aims to promote the use of indigenous technology in the Indian Navy.
As a part of 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', NIIO in association with Defence Innovation Organization (DIO) aims to induct at least 75 new indigenous technologies/products into the Indian Navy.
The name of this collaborative project is SPRINT (Supporting Pole-Vaulting in R&D through iDEX, NIIO and TDAC).
Sessions dedicated to innovation, indigenization, armament and aviation will be organized in the symposium.
The second day of the symposium will witness access to the Indian Ocean region in line with the government's vision of SAGAR (Security and Development for All in the Region).
As a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, NIIO, in association with Defense Innovation Organisation, aims to induct at least 75 new indigenous technologies and products into the Indian Navy.
Aim of the seminar
The seminar aims to engage Indian industry and academia towards achieving self-reliance in the Defence sector.
The seminar will provide a platform for leaders from industry, academia, services and government to come together on a common platform with ideas and recommendations for the defence sector.
9. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched indigenously built Y-3023 Dunagiri
Tags: Defence
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched a Project 17A frigate named Dunagiri on 15 July 2022 from Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited, Kolkata in the Hooghly River.
Important facts
The fourth vessel of the P-17A frigate class has been named after a mountain range in the state of Uttarakhand.
It is a P-17 Frigate (Shivalik) class ship equipped with modified stealth features, advanced weapons and sensors and platform management system.
Doonagiri, a modified version of the erstwhile Doonagiri (Leander) class ASW frigate, served 33 years from 5 May 1977 to 20 October 2010 and witnessed various challenging operations and multinational exercises.
The first two ships of the P-17A project were launched at MDL and GRSE in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
The third vessel (Udayagiri) was launched this year on 17 May 2022 at MDL.
The launch of this fourth ship in such a short span of time is proof that the country is moving towards self-reliant shipbuilding with a focused approach.
The P-17A ships have been indigenously designed by the Directorate of Naval Design (DND) of the Indian Navy and have successfully designed various indigenous warships in the past as well.
This is the result of the country's tireless efforts towards 'Self-reliant India' and under this 75 percent orders for equipment and systems are being placed to various indigenous firms including MSMEs.
10. INS Vikrant successfully completes 4th phase of sea trials
India's first indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC) Vikrant successfully completed the fourth phase of sea trials on 10 July before being inducted into the Indian Navy next month.
INS Vikrant
INS Vikrant (IAC-I) is the first aircraft carrier built in India by Cochin Shipyard (CSL) in Kochi, Kerala for the Indian Navy.
It is the first Vikrant-class aircraft carrier.
It is also known as the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier 1 or IAC-1.
INS Vikrant can carry a total of 30 aircraft (fighters and helicopters).
It is powered by four gas turbines and can reach speeds of 30 knots (about 55 kmph).
Its endurance is 7,500 knots at a speed of 18 knots (32 kph).
The shipborne weapons include Barak LR SAM and AK-630, while it has MFSTAR and RAN-40L 3D radars as sensors.
The ship is largely based on Russian technology.
The aircraft carrier, built at a cost of around Rs 23,000 crore.
The warship is ready to operate MiG-29K fighter jets, Kamov-31 helicopters and MH-60R multi-role helicopters.
It is 262 metres long, 62 metres wide and it has a height of 59 metres. Its construction began in 2009.
