Indian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

The government will investigate the two apparent lapses made by security forces that seemed to have occurred during the Pathankot terrorist attack: One, the failure to detect the infiltration of the heavily armed terrorist group, most probably members of the Jaish-e-Mohammed, well-trained and ready to die, across the Punjab border and two, their entry into the Pathankot air force station undetected.

At the same time, an internal assessment within the government has appreciated the fact that civilian casualties were fully avoided and so was any damage to the high value air assets like fighter aircraft and helicopters.

At first glance, the casualty figures of seven security personnel killed looks high and unacceptable, but a closer scrutiny shows up that only two security personnel -- a brave, unarmed DSC (Defence Security Corps) soldier and an IAF Garud commando -- were actually martyred in direct combat with the terrorists.

Four other DSC men were unlucky to have been caught out unarmed and unprepared while they were in a cookhouse. The terrorists chanced upon them and killed four of them instantly.

One of them was so brave that in an act reminiscent of Constable Tukaram Omble's bravery during the 26/11 attacks, restled a terrorist, turned his weapon and killed him before being eliminated by the remaining terrorists. This man -- reports have said it was Jagdish Singh -- deserves the highest award for his gallantry.

And so does Garud Commando Gursewak Singh, who confronted the terrorists at a crucial junction and prevented them from proceeding towards the technical area where the air assets are located before being martyred.

Lieutenant Colonel Niranjan Kumar's death during clearing operations was unfortunate and once again demonstrates that bomb disposal is a highly risky and unpredictable operation even in the most benign circumstances.

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The army is interested in procuring 100 more units of the Daksh robot, India’s first indigenously manufactured remotely operated vehicle (ROV), which is capable of handling and disposing of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Expressing happiness over Daksh Bassi said, “We are happy that the robot is completely indigenous and can be repaired and serviced easily. We are happy that R&DE (E) and the three manufacturers have incorporated our suggestions and made Daksh a better product.’’

According to Bassi, IEDs had become the bane of the armed forces in terror-affected areas and Daksh would be deployed in northern and eastern India to handle such contingencies. “We will exploit the full potential of Daksh in the field and give feedback to
the manufacturers, so that changes and improvements can be made in future robots of the same type,’’ he added.

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Armed Forces and other security agencies in the country will now have enhanced hazard detection capabilities as the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO’s) indigenous robot Daksh has not just become lighter, faster and rugged, but has also been equipped with Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) hazard detection mechanisms. Daksh, which has been developed by DRDO’s Pune-based lab Research and Development Establishment, Engineers (R&DE) located in Vishrantwadi, is primarily designed to detect and recover Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). It was inducted in the Indian Army around 2011.

A senior DRDO scientist said, “When Daksh was inducted into the Army, they already had imported Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs). The performance of Daksh has been at par with the imported ones. In some aspects, it is even better. As per our information, as many of 40 IEDs have been neutralised in the insurgency-affected areas in the North-East India with the help of Daksh so far. But from the beginning, we were aware of the limitations of this robot. One of the most important was the speed, another was its weight.” As per the information given by scientists from the R&DE, the newer version of Daksh is made of aluminium alloy as against the older version, which was made of steel. “The use of new material has not just reduced the weight but has also made it more rugged. Use of custom-made motors has increased the speed by three times as compared to the older version,” said Mridukant Pathak, a scientist with the R&DE. The new Daksh has been integrated with DRDO’s Unmanned Areal Vehicle (UAV) Netra, and the integrated system is being called CBRN Remotely Operated Platform (ROP). “In case of a radiation hazard, the radiation detection unit fitted on Netra can be flown to the affected area. Netra model being used for this platform has an increased range of four kilometres and double the flying time. The new-age warfare will be way different from the conventional one and we need to have capabilities to detect CBRN attacks. Now that these capabilities are indigenous, we do not have depend on foreign suppliers,” said another DRDO scientist. “This system will not just be useful for the armed forces, but also the paramilitary forces operating in areas where the nature of conflict is different. There will be demand for this new version of Daksh from the security agencies. The manufacturing of these units will be done by Pune-based Bharat Electronics Ltd and three private companies on the Transfer of Technology (ToT) basis,” said Alok Mukherjee, assistant director of the R&DE. -

Jamal Khan, the Commandant of the Institute of IED Management of the Central Reserved Police Force (CRPF) located in Talegaon near Pune said, “The faster, lighter version of the devise will definitely have an added advantage. The enhanced capabilities will certainly be useful in the backdrop of changing nature of warfare in insurgency affected areas, especially with increased threat of dirty bombs, which use radioactive material.” -

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FORBIN said:

Obviously posting only for the pic... but i have yet see some ideas for a Russian T-50 navalized, to see...

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aksha said:

pathankot ops over
in pics

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taxiya said:

are those headgears helmets? if they are, I can imagine the "wall" being steel/composite protection, but I don't think the top is protected. Look at the soldier in the middle, it looks like just fabric.

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I have been asked by quite a few about the “odd”, “different”, “unique” and “strange” helmet worn by Indian Army (and police units).

These helmets are called “Patkas”. Originally these helmets had been designed for the Indian Army’s Sikh troops who had found past generations of Indian Army helmets uncomfortable to wear for extended periods of time. The helmets have a a ballistic strip manufactured from a high-density, die-pressed phantom steel providing protection against fragmentation munitions and low velocity bullets- the helmets are said to offer impressive protection against the 7.62mm bullets of Ak-47s at close range. Cushioning material is used in the inner lining of the Patka helmets for additional comfort

These helmets have since been adopted by all Indian Army (and Police) units deployed for Counter Insurgency operations.


It remains to be seen if the Indian Army intends to replace the Patka under their F-INSAS (future soldier) project.


Features offered by patkas
* Protection against 9mm FMJ and fragments all around the circumference of the head.
* Forehead portion measuring 250×75mm Indian ball lead core rounds and Ak47 7.62×39 rounds
* It weigh upto 1 kg to 1.3kg (depending upon the immunity required)
* Capable of using with NVG’s, Radio sets, Binoculars, Range finders etc..
*provided with softinner layers for trauma reduction and comfort when wore.

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the CRPF

aksha said:

those helmets were designed keeping sikh soldiers in mind, and from all reports they offer superior protection than the other ballistic helmets used by the indian army.
the penalty being higher weight





Patka with battle damage, anti militant ops in kashmir, THE SOLDIER WAS SAFE from what I heard, other than maybe a headache

the patkas are combat proven in Kashmir

also gives comfort from the cold in the north




but the Indian army uses other ballistic helmets as well
varies from regiment to regiment

the CRPF

IN CT OP's the patka functions well, but
when mortar fire et al is involved I cannot say much.
but @TerraN_EmpirE can tell you best, he's the expert

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Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R K Dhowan today said the

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will in future build all types of ships including those designed for warfare indigenously in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” initiative.

The Admiral was addressing a gathering here after the commissioning of the second indigenous stealth Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) corvette INS Kadmatt, built by M/s Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) at Naval Dockyard here. “Commissioning of Kadmatt is a another milestone in self -reliance of Indian Navy,” he said adding “now Indian Navy is builders navy not buyers Navy.”

The Indian Navy has planned, in another 15 years, to strengthen science and technology and build warships indigenously in association with the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) and public sector shipyards and private companies, he said.

Speaking to mediamen, he said ‘Kadmatt’ will take part in international fleet review scheduled here from February 4-8. “Commissioning of Kadmatt will add a new dimension to the ASW capability of Indian Navy and in particular, the Eastern Fleet. The multifarious missions that can be undertaken by the ship truly reflect the enhanced multi-dimensional capability of the Indian Navy,” Dhowan said.

He said the unique feature of the ship is the high-level indigenisation incorporated in the production. About 90 per cent of the ship is indigenous. The ship has been indigenously designed by Indian Navy’s in-house organisation, Directorate of Naval Design and constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited, Kolkata. DND is Navy’s Design Organisation undertaking indigenous design of all surface combatants, he added.

‘Kadmatt’ is the latest indigenous ship after Shivalik class, Kolkata class and INS Kamorta wherein a plethora of weapons and sensors have been integrated to provide a ‘Common Operational Picture (COP)’.

The ship has many state-of-the-art equipment which include the rail-less helo traversing system and foldable hangar door for integral ASW helicopter which not only increases the strike capability of the ship but also enhances the detection capability manifold.

Dhowan said the ship’s weapons and sensors suite is predominantly indigenous and showcases the nation’s growing capability in this niche area.

The ship also boasts of an advanced 3D Medium Range Air/Surface Surveillance Radar developed by DRDO and produced
by Bharat Electronics.

The radar has an integrated IFF system co-mounted on a planar array antenna capable of tracking air/surface targets hundred of kilometers away and differentiates between friendly and enemy units.


The ship is also designed to carry an anti-submarine helicopter which not only increases the strike capability of the ship but also enhances the detection capability manifold, he said.

The ship has a potent strike capability with guns, close-in weapon system, heavy weight torpedoes and anti-submarine rockets.

Very soon the ship will also be fitted with vertically launched Surface to Air Missiles to neutralise enemy missiles, a release said.

The ship will be manned by 13 officers and 180 sailors with Commander Mahesh Chandra Moudgil at the helm as her first Commanding Officer. It would be an integral part of the Eastern Fleet under the Eastern Naval Command. As an ASW corvette, the ship carries on the legacy of her predecessor INS Kadmatt (P78), which served the Indian Navy for 24 years from 23 December 1968 - 30 November 1992, Dhowan said.

Earlier, he inspected the guard of honour, took salute and also unveiled the ships’ plaque.


Flag Officer Commanding-in Chef, Eastern Naval Command Vice-Admiral Satish Soni said the Indian Navy has had a long association with the GRSE, which delivered the first warship INS Ajay in 1961.

Chairman and Managing Director of the GRSE Rear Admiral A K Verma (retired) said with the latest technology the shipyard had been constructing 95 warships and has already delivered 62 of them to the Indian Navy. Large number of naval officers including retired officers and other attended the function.

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With the successful firing from the Goan coast of the Indo-Israel Long Range Surface To Air Missile (LRSAM) - a weapon which can neutralise aerial threats upto 100km from a ship - the floodgates have opened. It is learnt that the navy plans to equip as many as 23 top warships, slated to serve the navy for the next 50 years at least, with this protective shield. These include aircraft carriers, destroyers and frigates.

The largest among them will be the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya when it is time for its mid-life upgradation (MLU), the two indigenous aircraft carriers being designed and built, the three Delhi-class of destroyers (built under Project 15), three Kolkata class destroyers (Project 15A), four Vishakhpatnam class destroyers (project 15B), three Shivalik class (Project 17) during MLU and seven frigates under Project 17A.

Next month will mark a decade to the first step taken in providing naval ships an unprecedented cover from aerial threats. That milestone would have been crossed, fruitlessly, but for the tightly-scripted program which fructified today at 8:15am, off the Goan coast from the INS Kolkata. However, the program was hardly bereft of its hiccups and a colourful background.

LRSAM, as it began, would have consisted not more than three systems and about 100 odd missiles. The range - protective bubble the missile provides to the ship it is fired from or the convoy intended to secure - too would've been far lesser than the approximately 100km (farthest) and 500m (shortest) demonstrated successfully. Delays in the project, attributed to the technical hiccups faced by both partners, gave sufficient elbow room to their planners to 'push' for upgrading the system to ensure it remained contemporary. "If your food is going to take time in preparation, it should at least be hot and tasty when served," is how an officer put it.


Contract was signed between India's Defence Research and Development Laboratory and Israel's Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). To the Indian side came the responsibility of developing the rear section of the missile whereas the lion's share, which included the front as well as the Multi Function Surveillance and Threat Alert Radar (MF-STAR) went to the latter. It was to be delivered for the INS Kolkata by 2010. However, neither was the ship ready by then nor was the missile.

"Two causes, apart from external factors, made us take time. First the DRDL had difficulty in developing the rocket motor and the Israelis found the same in coming up with servo control systems," explained a source.

Following the successful test in Israel on November 10 2014, a plan was chalked out. Under this, first came the Harbour Acceptance Trial (HAT) where the INS Kolkata integrated with its systems all the components of the system including MF-STAR, sensor but not the missile. This phase lasted from August 16-27 this year. When this was smoothened, next came Sea Acceptance Trials (SAT) which took place between October and November. "Everything short of firing the actual missile happened. We even flew the MiG29K as an intruder aircraft to see if the LRSAM could track and take it on and it did. Then came the white run, just a few days ago," said a source. This was when even a missile was fired along with the MiG29K flown in.

Finally, on December 28, about half a dozen LRSAMs were taken on board, most operational, few inert. These were the missiles which gave the navy its most advanced cover till date.


While some more tests will be performed in the coming days, six months from now, the INS Kolkata, INS Kochi will get its set of missiles making these modern ships complete in their capabilities to take on aerial threats.


As of now, the navy uses the Barak 1 as its primary shield. It grants ranges of up to 9km.

A senior admiral termed it 'practically, among the best systems in the world'. He said, "The Israelis announced their intention to work on Barak 8 and we too were looking at something in that range and thus the decision taken to collaborate." While there were a number of missile systems available, only a few could take on a plane, a missile or a sea-skimming missile flying metres above the sea surface - this was the one. "The LRSAM has displayed its ability to negate 'nodding' - a phenomenon which takes place when a tracking radar is unable to lock on to the target flying at a significant pace close to the surface - which makes it such a good system," he added.

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