INDIAN ARMY TO BUY MISSILE AND AIR DEFENCE GUNS FROM OVERSEAS
By Bulbul Singh
04 May 10. The Indian Army has entered the global market to buy self-propelled air defence guns, missile systems and medium range loitering missiles.
For the Medium Range Loitering Missile, Request for Information (RFI) has been sent to MBDA of France, Israeli Aircraft Industries, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.
The Indian Army wants to arm its infantry soldiers with the loitering missiles which can strike the target after hovering for 35 to 45 minutes over the target. In addition the loitering missiles will be required to send critical data of the target. The loitering missile is basically a combat Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.
Since India does not have an indigenous product in this range of armed
UAVs, the RFI sought details on the product’s cruising speed, maximum range at which it can engage a target, its loitering time, data link’s range, capabilities to hit and accuracy, attack from the top, abort an attack after locking on to target and re-designating a target during a mission.
After receipt of RFI, the Indian Army will then decide the Qualitative requirements, and then float Request for Proposal
Apart from seeking information on the radar cross section, the army has listed day and night camera payload, launcher, ground control station, data link system, and an inbuilt simulator as requirements for the missile system.
The loitering missile will also be mounted with anti-tank warheads.
The Indian Army is also buying self-propelled air defence systems to replace the Russian-made Tunguska missile air defence.
The Indian Army is initially procuring five regiments of the self-propelled air defence missile systems from the overseas market. The order will be increased.
Indian Army needs 104 systems of new air defence systems formed in five regiments along with 4928 missiles and 172,2600 rounds of ammunition on Technology Transfer basis.
The Indian government has sought details from overseas vendors on a number of parameters through a Request for Information (RFI) which includes ability for the gun to engage aerial targets flying at speeds of up to 350 miles per second, with an effective range of 2500 or greater than 2500 meters.
The Indian Army wants the gun to have an effective range altitude of not less than 1500 meters. The range of the missile should not be less than 5 kilometers, with a target speed of 500 metres per second.
The guns should also have night vision devices for crew, commander and driver and controlled temperature environment in the crew compartment and the driver’s cabin.
The Indian Army wants the guns to have the ability to move 50 kilometers cross-country in a day and in addition be able to operate for eight hours in a day without refueling.
The Indian government wants to procure the guns on Technology
Transfer basis to the nominated agency in India.