Protecting the CRPF convoy from Maoist IED's

Protecting the CRPF convoy from Maoist IED's

Last week, Maoists attacked a CRPF convoy with IED's and executed the Soldiers. The truck who carried the CRPF soldiers blown by pieces, those injured soldiers executed by the maoists, and the weapons used by the soldiers also looted by them. The CRPF used private truck to move from the base, even the soldiers is in civilian dress to make them safe from the Maoist threat.

Usually the standard operating procedure of moving the troops from one base to another, carried out by mine protected vehicles only, however the maoists plants much higher amount of IED's which can even rip off the MPV's too. So the CRPF uses the civil dress and hire private truck for any transport, which makes the truck safer from maoists that they think it could be some sort of civilians.

Reports said, the Maoists planted the IED on the road more than 10 days ago, that they expected CRPF must use this road to transport the troops. and the IED was triggered from just few meters away using wired detonator. Which can be hardly countered by IED jammers too.

This is not something new, that Maoists doing this in regular interval in north eastern region, months ago they did the same in Dantewada by killing the CRPF jawans who also used the private truck for transport. Seriously there is a need of changing the SOP. which allows safe transport to the CRPF. It's clear the MPV's are not useful, Private trucks are also not useful, Some reports also suggests the movement of CRPF soldiers is gathered by the Maoists before attacking the truck.

There is some sort of countermeasures to safeguard the troops, which comes from sniffer dogs to air cover. Usually NATO forces in Middle east and Ukraine in Eastern Russian borders faced huge amount of IED threat, however they managed safe transport from one position to other. Where they use wide range of systems to protect them from IED's.

Remotely operated IED's can be easily countered by IED jammers, which can be fitted in any kind of mobile platforms, they came into small portable version or an dedicated vehicle for wide area protection. Usually most nations prefers the IED jammers for convoy protection. However in India there were no good IED jammers for Military and para military, while they can be used only for VIP convoy protection.

IED jammers are the only good option to outcome from such massive amount of IED attacks. However if the IED's are activated by wired devices like the Maoist used in last attack couldn't help. So they need mine ploughers. Mine ploughers are good in desert conditions and battlefield but not used for cross countries, since it will damage the public roads.

Another good option is using dedicated mine clearing vehicles, such as Husky and RG 33 vehicles, who can lead the convoy, Here CRPF uses one or two vehicles, providing dedicated mine clearing vehicle to each and every vehicle is not a feasible option. So it's better, providing them with proper air transport for small scale movement and using land based convoy's for large transport.

The Arab coalition in Yemen encountered by a huge IED threat posed all along the highway, however only one or two vehicles lost into the Houthi IED's. where more than ten thousand of transport mission successfully accomplished using dedicated IED clearing vehicles.

One more is, reports suggested that Soldiers who injured by the IED attacks was killed by Maoist using fire arms. which means they ambushed the convoy and executed the Soldiers. here too a air cover is better for providing close escort to the convoy's, Those helicopters comes with thermal imaging and Infrared systems to detect enemy's in close range, who alert the ground vehicle about the threat nearby.

So it's better providing close air cover with small IED jammers in the convoy is the only available solution to outcome from Maoist IED's. 

No Air support provided, CRPF loses two Jawans

No Air support provided, CRPF loses two Jawans

      The CRPF's elite commando Cobra engaged in a severe fire fight against maoists, the fight started in Sukma early morning yesterday, There were serious injuries to the CRPF soldier's as one of the Cobra SI takes a bullet in a chest, who immediately need medical assistant, The IAF Mi 17 called in for the medical evacuation support.

The Mi 17 didn't comes to close to the battle zone, where CRPF men fighting against maoists in dense forests, The helicopter waited in a helipad 15km off from the zone, due to the heavy gunfire IAF won't risk to lose the helicopter in dense forests. The wounded CRPF SI being evacuated by men on foot to the helipad.

Earlier, last year ministry of home affairs agreed to use the guns fitted in the helicopters, even they can be used if the maoists fired on the helicopter, The Mi 17 guns are heavy normally it carry's 12.7mm cannon's, which can fire multiple rounds over the threat, a good assist from the air which helps the ground forces a lot.

Hours later, the situation becomes worse, four more CRPF jawan's critically wounded and there is no possible evacuation by foots, The IAF Mi 17 tried to land close to the battle zone, Due to the heavy gun fire IAF aborted the landing and flew to nearby helipad.

This shows, the Air force didn't allowed to use it guns and rocket pods even for self defense. The promise earlier made also a paper promise only. The Mi 17 can carry two 12.7 mm heavy machine gun pod's and two rocket pods. without proper orders IAF won't use them.

Possibly one fully armed Mi 17 is enough to assist the forces who fighting on the grounds, 2000 rounds of 12.7 mm and  50 rockets enough to slash off any militia forces like Maoists and Naxal's. However IAF didn't allowed to do so.

Earlier night reports circulated that, two CRPF jawans martyred, and fourteen others heavily injured during the fire fight against Maoists, and the fight still going on.

If the government didn't want to use the air power against the internal threats, then they can buy a squadron of CSAR ( Combat Search and Rescue ) helicopters to assist them in medical evacuation only. Sadly IAF don't have any CSAR helicopters, except some Mi 35 helicopters, which can also used as combat rescue missions,

IAF plans to use armed Mi 17 against Maoists

IAF plans to use armed Mi 17 against Maoists

IAF Mi 17 v5 with two side mounted 2x12.7mm gun pods and Rocket launchers

    The Indian air force gets an official order from the home ministry and defense ministry to use helicopter gun ships for self defense when fighting against Maoist insurgents. So far the Mi 17 used for dropping commando's in dense battle field, carryout reconnaissance missions and medical evacuation. However they never allowed to use the guns or rocket pods fitted in the Mi 17 to provide close air support to the friendly forces. From now after heavy pressure from the state police and CRPF, the government agreed the proposal of using helicopter gun fire support for self defense.

     The Indian government deployed more than one lakh para military soldiers from CRPF, BSF, and ITBP along with additional of some 2,00,000 state police in Maoist prone states like Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Maharashtra and Odisha. with air support from IAF helicopter Mi 17 and small UAV's. The CRPF special forces like COBRA and some other state police special forces also deployed for special operations.

    Maoist is an extreme insurgent group who ask separate nation for their own peoples with the support from Chinese and other communist movements. They were armed with small fire arms and .50 caliber guns and RPG's along with the usage of high powerful IED's and bombs whicn even take out armored personnel carriers . That makes the Maoists one of the heavily equipped terrorists forces in India. They yet to get MANPAD's however they soon get such sophisticated missile system from Chinese supply line.

    Earlier in January 2013, The Maoists forces gunned down a low flying Mi 17 Helicopter. The Helicopter bound to evacuate a wounded para military personnel inside the hot zone. The Mi 17 successfully performed the mission and about to take off. The Maoists saw the Helicopter and fired on the helicopter. Bullets hits the Helicopters tail and windshield. Which makes the Helicopter forced to land for precautions. The IAF pilot decided to land the helicopter in a safe zone and tries to escape, and he did it.

     The IAF pilots informed about the helicopter's emergency landing to the nearby army outpost. The command sends Soldiers and special forces to rescue the Pilots and other soldiers and safe guard the helicopter. The troops successfully moved out the Helicopter from the hot zone. after maintenance the same helicopter returned to duties within months.

12.7 mm and 20mm gun pods ideal with Mi 17 V 5

    Meantime the home ministry issues strict order to do not use the helicopter's guns and Rockets. The Maoists attacks the low flying helicopters many times. However they never gunned down. Due to this orders It's hard to perform counter insurgency missions deep inside the Maoists red zone like Odisha and Chattisgarh. Earlier Mi 17 versions don't have the gun pod and rocket pods. however the newly deployed Mi 17 do have arms can be retrofitted.

    The Mi 17 can be configured with rockets pods and 12.7mm and 7.62 mm Heavy machine gun pods each with thousand rounds in the wings. The Mi 17 v5 had six hard points three in each side. Usually the IAF Mi 17 v 5 carry's rocket pods to destroy fortified targets and light armor vehicles. However the Maoists don't have such fortified or armored systems. So using the machine guns are way too effectively against the Maoist. Adding two 12.7mm two 7.62 mm along with two Rocket pods is the best suitable fire power against the Maoist. The Mi 17 can be configured with door mounted machine guns too.

    During in a interview Additional DG (anti-Naxal operations) R K Vij told that "Maoists have often fired at Mi-17s (helicopters). We have lost personnel and people, but we have never retaliated. The law has never stopped us from retaliation. We have conducted exercises. Garud commandos of the Indian Air Force practised firing from Mi-17. We are not sitting ducks, we can also attack them. It will help us handle the situation better."

Door mounted 7.62mm HMG in Mi 17

  “On October 13, three IAF helicopters flew over a specified area of Bijapur and practised strafing. Senior officers of the IAF and anti-Naxal operations of the state police participated in the exercise,” Vij said. So from now IAF would carry out air raids if Maiots try to harm any aerial activities conducted by the armed forces.