The Need of Maitri SAM

The Need of Maitri SAM

The Maitri VL of MICA Naval and Land based System ©Livefist

          The alternate name known for Maitri is Akash MK II, Improved Trishul, VL Mica or famously known as Maitri. It's been a long pending project which was constituted to mainly equip the warships with advanced SR SAM capability which would engage the sea skimming anti shipping missiles and to replace the aging Soviet era missiles in use with the Army and Air force.

           The Indian Naval platform is the largest defence sector covering the large coastal areas of India. Indian navy has a number of Surface ships. These ships have been equipped with various offensive missile suites but these systems have been aged and can no longer engage the tech advanced modern systems.

 These systems can engage hostile targets and destroy the targets at the touch of a button but the system our naval platform lacks is an reliable missile defence systems. Our platforms are currently using the decade old arm launching Kub SAM's which were imported from Russia. The Kub SAM is a radar guided missile which is able shoot down hostile planes and fighters but not the fast moving missiles. For the purpose of shooting down these missiles, navy relies on the CIWS but even these systems are decades old.
 

            The recently inducted Kolkata class destroyers, Talwar class frigates have all lacked a reliable defensive system. These platforms have failed to be equipped with the crucial LR SAM and SR SAM defensive systems. They are currently guarded by the outdated AK 630 CIWS, Kolkata class carry's four and the Talwar class carry's two AK 630 or two Kashtan CIWS batteries, the Talwar are also equipped with the 24 cell Shitil-1 SAM system which can be effective only in the Anti air missions and not for engaging anti sea skimming missiles.

      In the next upcoming up gradation these platforms will be equipped with the more advanced Barak 8 systems. Barak 8 is a new generation Indo-Israeli developed LR SAM which can be used for Anti Air and Anti Sea skimming threats. But the need for the navy would be a SR SAM. The western country naval platform comes with CIWS, SR SAM and MR SAM as the defensive package.

 The Indian naval platforms are being designed with the same package. Frigates are mainly being designated as Air warfare destroyer, which would be mainly designed to escort other naval ships from enemy ship borne and submerged platform threats. This would mandate the Talwar also to need a combination of CIWS, SR and MR SAM.

         While this is a long requirement, Navy has opted for Israeli made Barak 1 system which can be better for similar role but lacks in range, the Barak 1 is capable of engaging targets up to 12 kilometers only. Navy have installed these missiles on all Shivalik class frigates. 

Barak 1 on board the Aircraft carriers acts as the ships primary PMDS, but it's again riddled with the problems of direct import. Too tackle this navy is looking for a JV under which Maitri SAM’s would be procured. The Maitri SAM’s are based on the advanced MBDA MICA air to air Missile.

    Here plans for massive induction of Maitri were drawn for Army's SR SAM requirement. But the requirement was fulfilled with the use of the remodeled SA 6 KUB missile which was later named as Akash system. Army has already issued a tender to acquire anti missile SAM like SOSNA system from Russia.

 The requirements of the Air force are to be taken care of by procuring about 18 batteries of SpyDer SAM. The SpyDer SAM will be directly imported from Israel which will have anti missile capabilities also. Air force has already placed orders for quite a few number of Akash systems too. For the role of a SR SAM the Air force may still opt for Maitri.

           Under a Joint Venture for Maitri there are many agendas Indian and France sides can be benefited with, the MBDA has promised to provide technologies of small seekers which would be used in Air to Air missiles and QR SAM's. The Astra designed by DRDO had failed to obtain the same technology from the Russians and was designed based on the Russian R77 missiles. Russians failed to provide a full ToT for the seeker technology.  

   MBDA has agreed to share the Technology of Terminal homing Guidance, but India has already acquired this technology but the ToT can still strength the knowledge Indian firms have mastered in this field. With a JV we can produce a number of SAM using our local facilities. Clubbing the Barak 8 LR SAM along with Maitri SR SAM which shares a VLS technology with anti missile capability can boost our defensive capability with more advanced systems in the Region

The entire Land based Stand alone  Maitri System ©MBDA

VL of MICA IR and EM Testing ©MBDA

Chart of Maitri Engagement ©MBDA

Editor Karthik Kakoor

Indian Research Center in Antarctica

Indian Research Center in Antarctica 

            

         

The Modern Bharathi Research Station in Antarctica

Location Info of Three Indian Bases

         India Setup-ed it's first Polar Research Center in Antarctica by early 1983. before that Indians Explored the Antarctica, and further Claiming the Land  India Build a Floating Base above the ice with the Help from Indian Army. where Indian Army Built the First Base for Science Research Center and Named Dakshin Gangotri. The Indian Science Team also spent a Whole Winter there in the Base during the Construction Days. Some Eighty one Member team with Indian Army Built the Base within eight Months.and Become Operational.

India Have right now Three Bases in Antarctica 

• Dakshin Gangotri (1984)
• Maitri Station        (1988)
• Bharati Station      (2012) 

All three of them Currently Operational and Still Research Programs are Regularly Conducted

Dakshin Gangotri

The First Dakshin Gangotri Station

       Dakshin Gangotri is the First Indian Research Base in Antarctica. Built in the 1983 and Becomes Fully Operational by 1984. The Station can be runs without any Human But sometimes Scientists come and Watch the Stations in Regular Periods. also Known as Autonomous Research Station.The Entire station fully computerized to collect and analyses in real time. The Research center Divided into two major parts one is the Resupply and Power Module another is Laboratory. The whole Center generates Power from the Sun by Placing Solar Panels 

         The Primary Mission of the Base is RF (Radio Frequency) Tests, Observing the Physical Oceanography, Conducting tests for Fresh water Technology, Biological Characteristics of Water, geology, Glaciology, Geomagnetism which is used for Study Earth's Electro magnetic Field and it's effects.

        Improving the Station we Construct another small  Field Station in the Top of the Hills which can be directly link to Indian Mainland with the use of Satellite Communication thus provide communications of Indian crew both in Station and their families in India. the Field Station becomes operational by 1984.

          Further Improving we also Constructed a Automatic Image Capture Systems which can take images of Sun spot activity current weather scenario and Directly send it to the Base station. A radio meter also installed Radio meter to measures the wind Velocity and Solar intensities. Another small Station also constructed to house and Repair  snow Vehicles and skidoos can be used for Scientists.These Additional Features are constructed by 1985 

          later 1988 the station submerged in the water where those ices were melted. the crews and Mission Team abandoned the station and tried to Restore it. after some heavy works the station becomes operational by next year. But India won't risk anymore and uses the Base for Resupply to New Antarctica bases.

Maitri Station 

Maitri Research Center

        Maitri is the Second Base constrcted in the Antarctica after the Collapse of Dakshin gangotri in 1988. compared to Dakshin Gangotri Matri is Build up in a nearby Hill. The Steel pillars gives additional strength to the Building. The Maitri can be 100 kilometer far from the Sea shore. The station houses advanced Human living Structures like Living dining  Lounges etc. The Satellite Communication gives uninterrupted Voice Video and Data service to the Crew.   

        The New station have features  like  Medicine Testing and meteorology. The station get fresh water from the nearby Lake  Named Lake Priyadharshini. 

Bharati Research Station 

The Bharathi Research Station

        This is the Third research center which comes operational by three years ago (2012). The Bharati performs Research Programs like  Oceanographic studies to Monitor Ocean Changes and sea level Changing, Researching about Continental Break ups which mainly causes massive Earth Quakes. Those the Primary Missions for the Bharathi Station.

      The Connectivity is done by Satellite feed which can run 24x7 at High data Transmission rate which allows the Station always connected with Indian base Station Hyderabad.