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.

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CCS to consider 22 attack choppers deal in July

Another defence deal is going to fall in the kitty of US, as the Indian Air Force (IAF) has chosen the American Boeing’s AH-64D Apache Longbow Block-III over the Russian Mi-28N Night Hunter for supplying the 22 attack helicopters and the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) is expected to give its nod shortly. 

The trial report of the two was submitted to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in 2011, and according to sources, the Russian entry into the tender lost out on technical reasons. The IAF will be purchasing 22 attack helicopters worth $ 1.4 billion, including of training, support and spares.

“The Russian entry lost as it was found to be non-compliant on as many as 20 parameters,” officials said.

Both the helicopters were tried in deserts and at high altitude airbase in Leh.

“The proposal will come up for consideration in the CCS next month,” sources added.

The Ah-64 D Apache is a four-blade, twin engine attack helicopter with a tail wheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for two-man crew.

The 22 helicopters deal is part of the IAF’s revamping of its rotary wing fleet – primarily consisting of Chetak/Cheetah and Russian Mi series helicopter. The Apaches will be the first US helicopter in the IAF’s inventory and will replace Mi-35 attack helicopters of Russian vintage.

Besides this, the US contender Chinook CH-47 is the frontrunner with the Russian Mi-26 helicopters for the heavy-lift category. The deal is worth $ 2 billion and the force intends to buy 15 of these units.

Even as the US lost out the big-ticket deal for supplying 126 fighter jets to the IAF, the Indo-US defence deals have been on the rise in the past. The two countries have signed defence deals valuing more than $ 10 billion in the last 5 years. Deals worth many more billions are in the offing. The major deals include acquiring six more C-130 J Super Hercules aircraft, four more P-8I long range maritime reconnaissance aircraft, Javelin anti-tank guided missiles, Jaguar engine upgrades, M-777 ultra-light howitzers and AH-64D attack helicopters.