Saint Antony blesses Kerala with defence projects

Following the examples of former Union ministers Lalu Prasad Yadav and Mamata Banerjee, Defence Minister AK Antony is on a spree to set up defence projects in his home state Kerala as the election approaches. Antony is quietly turning Kerala into a defence hub. Nearly a dozen of defence projects are being set up in the state. 

Antony - India's longest continuing serving defence minister in the country is quietly turning Kerala into a defence hub with nearly a dozen defence projects being set up in the state. In contrast only two projects have been in the other states – Nalanda Ordnance Factory in Bihar (the decision for which was taken during George Fernandes term) and Indian National Defence University (INDU) in Gurgaon.

On Saturday, Antony inaugurated Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd’s Strategic Electronic Factory at Kasargod (Kerala) and Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy inaugurated the production facilities at the same function.  This factory will produce advanced avionics for Aircraft and Helicopters.

According to sources, the factory – whose first phase will cost Rs. 66 crore – has been set up on the initiative of the Kerala Government. The state government allotted 196 acres of land for setting up the new unit. Presently the factory has taken up production of Airborne Special Purpose Computers like Mission computer, Display Processor, Radar Computers, Open Architect Mission computer etc. for Sukhoi SU-30, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) and MiG-27 fighter jets’ upgrade have been taken up at this factory.

In the phase-II – when the investment is likely to go up to Rs. 200 crore - the factory will undertake manufacturing of avionics for the 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) yet to be purchased by the Indian Air Force. “The expansion of this factory will also lead to growth of ancillary industries which in-turn will generate secondary employment opportunities and enhance skill-set in this area,” the HAL officials added. 

Two day earlier on November 15^th, the Defence Minister also inaugurated another complex for the integration of supersonic cruise missile BrahMos in Thiruvananthapuram – which already housed one integration facility. The new facility aims at doubling the production of the missiles with the IAF placing an order for 200 air version of the missiles worth Rs. 6,000 crore.

Antony had also lashed out at the Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy during the inauguration of the BrahMos complex as the Defence Ministry cannot risk bringing new defence projects in the state due to infavourable industrial environment. Despite that the Defence Minister has managed to confer the most “favoured” state with seven major defence projects inaugurated in the state since the beginning of his term in 2006. The projects will definitely give him political mileage in the state.

Public sector undertaking Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML) has set up its 4^th manufacturing unit at Palakkad. And the project is likely to entail an investment of Rs. 260 crore to manufacture Tatra vehicles and other military automobiles and was expected to create 200 jobs that would eventually go up to 1,000.

Another public sector major Bharat Electronic Limited (BEL) has set up third support centre at Kochi’s Infrastructure Development Corporation (KINFRA) after Mumbai and Visakhapattanam.

Antony, also a former Chief Minister of Kerala and an astute politician, had commissioned a Coast Guard Academy at Azhikkal in 2011 in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attack for training the security force personnel. The academy is expected to train 500 cadets for search and rescue mission and respond to maritime contingencies. 

In January 2011 itself he sanctioned Rs. 600 crore National Institute for Research and Development in Ship Building (NIRDESH) at Kozhikode. NIRDESH envisages helping the indigenous ship-building industry. The Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) also has some major warship construction orders – like the construction of the first indigenous aircraft carrier. 

The Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala was also commissioned by Antony even though the project has been in limbo for the last 20 years.

CCS clears Rs. 8,000 crore purchases of BrahMos, tank ammunition

In a bid to address the “critical hollowness” faced by the Indian Army especially in the form of depleting tank ammunition, the Cabinet Committee on Security on Thursday cleared purchase of 10,000 Invar missiles from Russia worth Rs. 2,000 crore along with the acquisition of BrahMos missiles for the Indian Air Force (IAF), valuing around Rs. 6,000 crore. 

A file photo of the Sukhoi fighter jet with BrahMos air version at display at DefExpo-2012

The shortage of tank ammunition was brought to the light in a letter to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by the former Indian Army Chief General VK Singh. The former Army Chief had written that the force was left with only 3-4 days of ammunition in case of an emergency. On Thursday the CCS headed by the Prime Minister cleared the purchase of 10,000 Invar missiles for the Russian-built T-90 tanks at an estimate cost of around Rs. 2,000 crore. 

Under the proposal, the 10,000 Invars will be brought off the shelf from the Russian manufacturers whereas 10,000 more will be licensed-produced by Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) under Transfer of Technology. Invar is fired from the gun barrel of T-90 tanks that are going to be mainstay of the Indian Army’s armoured corps in the years to come.

The CCS also gave its nod for the procurement of the air-version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile that has the capability of hitting within a range of 290 km. The BrahMos acquisition for the IAF also includes funds for retrofitting of the missiles with the Russian-built Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets. The integration of missile – co-developed by India and Russia – will be done by the Indian aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).

Presently two Su-30MKI fighter jets are being equipped with the air version of BraMos and the test are scheduled to be conducted by December end.

BrahMos hits bulls eye from INS Teg

Statement issued by BrahMos

 

"The Indian Navy successfully flight tested BrahMos supersonic cruise missile in combat mode from guided missile frigate INS Teg off the Goa coast today on the 07th of October 2012, at  0700 hrs .

File photo of vertical launch of BrahMos from a warship

The missile performed high-level maneuvers at two given points in a scenario of evading detection by enemies’ radars and successfully hit the target ship at a distance of 290 kms . The decommissioned target ship was completely devastated by the huge kinetic energy of impact. By the time naval helicopter reached the target point the ship was completely on fire.

INS Teg is the first ship of the  three follow on of Talwar-class (Project 1135.6) frigates namely 'Teg', 'Tarkash' and 'Trikand' . All the three ships will be equipped with 8 vertical launched BrahMos missile system as the prime strike weapon. The frigates are being built by the Kaliningrad-based shipyard Yantar in Russia, for the Indian Navy.

Indian Navy commissioned INS Teg on April 27, 2012 after the successful Installation Test Firing of BRAHMOS in the Baltic Sea on 30th November 2011.  

The advanced warship has been fitted with an upgraded multi-role combat suite to make it one of the most potent platforms of the Indian Navy.

The new missile frigates are designed to accomplish a wide range of maritime missions, primarily hunting down and destroying large surface ships and submarines.

The vertical launch configuration of BrahMos enhances the stealth capabilities of the ship as the missiles are under deck and not exposed. The Universal Vertical Launcher (UVLM) being used in these ships is also a unique design, designed and patented by BrahMos Aerospace. The same also ensures maneuvering of the missile in any direction after launch, independent of ship movement providing the surprise attack concepts to the ships.

The warship has been built as part of a contract signed between India and Russia in July, 2006. Two other frigates of the class – INS Tarkash and INS Trikand – are at different stages of construction at Russia’s Yantar shipyard.

The Yantar Shipyard is also building three similar ships of 1135.6 class for the Russian Navy."