India-Australia drills targeting submarines seen rattling China

India-Australia drills targeting submarines seen rattling China

   India and Australia will focus on anti-submarine warfare in their first ever joint naval exercises, signaling a growing strategic relationship to counter China's increased activity in the Indian Ocean.

   The war games starting Sept. 11 off India's Visakhapatnam port in the Bay of Bengal will include exercises to protect a tanker from a hostile attack submarine. The area is near waters where China deployed a nuclear-powered submarine for the first time last year, as well as the Sri Lankan port where another unit surfaced twice. That caused a diplomatic uproar.

   There's the "potential for increased security tensions in the Indian Ocean," said Captain Sheldon Williams, defense adviser at the Australian High Commission in New Delhi. "We sit right in the confluence of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. We have a significant responsibility for its security. That's how we're looking at it now."

   The drills -- first discussed a decade ago -- come as global powers vie for greater influence. The Indian Ocean's sea lanes account for nearly half of the world's container trade, including 80 percent of China's oil imports.

   "We're seeing a genuine power play in the Indian Ocean," said Rory Medcalf, head of the National Security College at the Australian National University in Canberra. "Indian security cooperation with the U.S. and its allies is increasing, which rattles the Chinese."

   Australia is dispatching Lockheed Martin's P-3 anti- submarine reconnaissance aircraft, a Collins submarine, tanker and frigates, Williams said. Among assets India will deploy are Boeing's P-8 long-range anti-submarine aircraft and a locally manufactured Corvette, said navy spokesman Captain DK Sharma.

   A month later in the same waters, India and the United States will conduct drills that U.S. Ambassador Richard Verma described as the most complex yet between the two nations. Japan has been invited to join.

   China made strides into a region India considers its traditional sphere of influence, building ports in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and an oil pipeline to Myanmar's coast. President Xi Jinping has also lobbied the Maldives, Seychelles and Sri Lanka to join a maritime version of his Silk Road trade rejuvenation project.

   Most alarming for India, though, has been China's deployment of submarines near its shores. A  nuclear-powered submarine patrolled the Gulf of Aden on a two-month anti-piracy mission last year, according to Indian media reports citing an advisory from China's Foreign Ministry to India's embassy in Beijing.

   A Chinese submarine also popped up in Sri Lanka's Colombo port for "replenishment purposes" in September and November. India says another Chinese submarine docked in May and July in Pakistan.

   Those moves are prodding Prime Minister Narendra Modi to align India more closely with the U.S. and a "rules-based" approach for maritime security. That order's threatened by China's attempts to assert territorial claims in the South China Sea with the construction of artificial islands and runways.

   While Australia doesn't take sides in the South China Sea dispute, it's concerned about China's land-reclamation activities, Williams said. "Certainly, the tension that that causes is not good for anyone, particularly the potential militarization of those areas," he said.

   China doesn't appear to be backing off. Beijing's leaders want to complete a free-trade deal with Sri Lanka by year's end and announced more than $350 million in aid money last month.

  "India alone cannot assure the security of the Indian Ocean, even if it regards the Indian Ocean as its backyard," the China Daily said in an editorial. "If the Pacific Ocean is big enough to accommodate China and the U.S., so is the Indian Ocean to accommodate India and China."

Article Published in  Chicago Tribune

The submarine hunter of IN - Boeing P8I Neptune

The submarine hunter of IN - Boeing P8I Neptune

     Named the Posedion these are truly the masters for objectives hiding underwater. Charged with the crucial mission of detecting and destroying any lurking threats in the water. These aircraft are the ultimate machines for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) missions. Introduced to replace the aging   Boeing P3 Orion ASW aircraft, the P8I Posedion has scoured thousands of sq.kilometers in search of lurking Chinese and Russian submarines. Clubbed with the latest set of sensor suites and highly advanced sono-buoys this platform is a nightmare for submarines.   

      The P8I Neptune are now an integral part of all ASW missions of Indian navy, these aircraft are a shot in the arm for India's ASW capabilities. These ultimate ASW aircraft were procured by the Indian navy as a replacement to the aging Russian long range Tu 142 ASW platforms which were the main ASW platform. The Neptune's were procured under the FMS deal and Boeing was selected to supply India with 8 ASW aircraft and another 4 aircraft if India would use the 'follow-on' clause.

        Boeing was awarded a US $2.1 billion order for equipping Indian navy with 8 ASW aircraft based on the 737 airframe. Signing the deal, India became the first international customer for the Boeing P8I. These aircraft were to be fitted with Indian sub-systems and were also to fitted with the latest ASW technology developed by Boeing. India's leading military equipment manufacturer BEL provided the Data link and IFF systems, DRDL and DRDO developed a MAD system. The P8I were to be equipped with light weight torpedo's, Harpoon anti-shipping missiles, mines and sono-buoys. These sono-buoys would be the key in detecting under water submarines. 

     P8I's are also equipped with the highly advanced  AN/APY 10 radar which can help in detecting long range surface and underwater threats. The radar can be used in  color weather, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) under which the aircraft is capable of detecting, imaging and classifying surface targets at long ranges, periscope detection, and navigational modes. The aircraft is capable of flying for more than  4 hours and all long detecting and monitoring waters for any activities.

     Indian navy currently operates 7 P8I Neptunes which are based at INS Rajali. Indian navy received the seventh aircraft in July and is slated to receive the last and final aircraft by the end of this year. DAC headed by the defense minister has cleared the follow on order for another 4 aircraft and the delivery of these aircraft is slated to being with a year after the deals are concluded.

      Indian navy currently operates the Do 228, IL 38 SD, Tu 142 MKE and 7 P8I for ASW missions. The IL38 and Tu 142 fleet have been in service for more than and are slated be replaced by a  Medium Range Maritime patrol aircraft, which will undoubtedly be the Boeing P8I aircraft. Indian navy currently has an requirement of more than 24 Long range MMA, the orders currently placed have fulfilled half the requirement of the navy. The navy is expected to issue a new tender shortly for another 12 ASW aircraft .

     

Editer - Karthik Kakoor

DAC Meet July 2015

DAC Meet July 2015

      

      The Defense Acquisition council Chaired by Defense Minister Parikar cleared more than $4 billion worth of defense equipments suggested by Navy, Air force and Army, as same as  previous Meets  this time too Navy gets more amount, by spending much money to buy another batch of P 81 Neptune from Boeing USA, also deals include Survey vessels too cleared, all these cleared deals will be sent towards the CCS- Cabinet Committee on Security for making Contracts if Finance ministry agrees to fund such Programs.

P 8 I for Navy

    As details emerged earlier about the additional number of P 8 Purchase, the DAC clears navy's proposal of buying four more P 8I maritime as second batch, the Navy required nearly 24 such long range multi mission ASW Aircrafts to monitor the long sea shores from both Chinese and Pakistani underwater and surface threats, as per plans the Navy bought 8 P -8 I from US company Boeing, a derivative version of US Navy's P 8 Poseidon, Boeing delivers all the 8 ordered aircrafts right in time without any negligences,  The Indian Navy crew also satisfied about the P 8 I's performances, also they went for next batch of four more P 8 I in the current five year plan. the four new P 8 I costs nearly $1.5 billions include spare, support and ammunition packages, Navy also plans to buy another two batch of P 8 I Neptune from Boeing in Future.

Other Cleared Projects for the Navy

     The DAC also cleared the Navy's proposal of build four large survey vessel valued more than $400 millions, all those survey vessels will be build in Indian Shipyards with foreign assistance, this is the fourth time DAC clears the Survey vessel program of the Navy, it seems whether CCS or FM contentiously rejecting the DAC's proposal of the Navy's requirement.

    The Navy also suggested the DAC to pass the requirement of adding all small Navy ships into Navy's network centric system, which runs with dedicated satellite, who is recently commissioned and under operational, but it was connected with large Naval warships only, but can't integrated with small ships like interceptor Boats, High speed vessels and small other Navy assets, adding a special system in those small ship makes it work with the Navy's Network centric system, the deal valued nearly $ 10 millions.

   Navy also asks the DAC to clears another $6 million to install RFID chips in all Naval assets include land based bases and Naval ground vehicles and Surface ships, this allows the Navy to identify the exact information about the current status of the System in one click.

    The Navy operates Five Kora class corvette's, all armed with 16 number of Kh 35 Anti Shipping missiles, who uses the Radar guidance which is fitted in the Ship, uses the Russian made MR-352 Pozitiv-E (Cross Dome) for Surface and Air search for Possible incoming Targets and uses the Garpun-Bal and MR-123 radars for Fire control, while the Mid life upgrade of those Corvette's need modern Air Search and Fire control Radar,  the Navy asks the DAC to clears some $ 6 millions to replace those Radars into modern one.

   Navy also ask the DAC to clears Brahmos Training facility dedicated for Ship borne sailors to get trainings in such systems to ensure their battle skills more powerful, instead of wasting missiles as test firing for Training purposes, DAC clears nearly  $0.5 millions for Navy's Proposal of building land based Brahmos training facility.

     Another major Navy's proposal was Mid Life upgrade of Navy's front line destroyers  and Frigates, Recently Russia proposed a upgrade of Indian Naval ships who uses Arm launching Shtil system into Multiple launch VLS Shtil's , as Navy's many Ships using the vintage arm launching technique to launch the Interceptor missiles, Navy looks the bright option to upgrade the ships with multiple launching VLS Shtils,

    In first phase three Delhi class destroyers and six Talwar class frigates would be upgraded into multiple launch VLS Shtil systems, DAC Clears $500 millions to upgrade those Destroyers and frigates with new generation SAM launching system.

 

    But all these DAC Cleared proposals should be cleared by CCS and FM before going to make a contract with the Supplier or Builder.

For Air force

    for Air force Same saga Repeats, Air force gets only less value of Deals compared to the Navy, DAC Clears Air force proposal of Buying and integrating ACMI pods in Existing MiG 29 and Hawk fleets, the Air force uses the ACMI pod in the Su 30 MKI to study and Training Pilots into real combat situations with real aircrafts, Su 30 MKI uses the US made ACMI pod. a short note about ACMI pod from US Airforce website

The ACMI pods, which look similar to the typical air-to-air missile in dimensions, collect data as the aircraft negotiates training scenarios in the 67,000-square-mile Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex while participating in RED FLAG-Alaska. Back on the ground, the information is dissected and used to debrief the crew on what they did well and what they could improve on - education being the key.

   DAC clears Air force proposal of buying such ACMI- Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation system with $4 million price tag.

    DAC also clears Air force requirement of building a Ground based simulator based on the Upgraded Mirage 2000 interface. the deal values not given,  these are the two deals cleared for Air force.

For Army 

     The DAC clears army's proposal of replacing vintage Russian made Zu 23 and Swedish made L 70 AAA guns from Indian Army's air defense unit, the Army likely float a Tender under make in India category to buy modern advanced systems like Sky Sheild or Mantis C-RAM ( Counter Rocket Artillery Mortar )  systems, where Punj  Lloyd, TATA and L&T collaborating with foreign companies to build such systems in India, the deal estimated nearly $2.5 billions for some less than 500 units, those Guns comes with automatic fire control systems,and requires less crew to operate.

   Also a special unit of the Indian Amry gets a New generation ground based Electronic Warfare system, which is used to intercept and Jam enemy communications and  Radio frequency's. the deal valued nearly $4 millions.

    DAC also clears Army's requirement of buying some 14,000 units of multi-spectrum camouflage net, used to cover and Hide, moving Strategic targets like Radar, SAM batteries and Tanks from Enemy's reconnaissance planes and satellites. the Army already have similar systems in huge numbers it seems new nets or additional numbers of camouflage net , and the contract value is also unknown.

     DAC also clears to buy huge number of Modular Charge system used to supply Direct current to the Field Artillery and communication systems, which gives powers from Diesel Generator to the Artillery unit by using the Modular Charge system to control the Electricity flow. the deal valued nearly $10 millions.

    DAC also clears a deal to acquire micro lite UAV's from foreign manufacture to train the NCC cadets in surveillance field, depsite backdrop of failed indigenous effort.  the deal value unknown. 

Coast Guard Dorneir Do 228 Missing off Chennai Coast

Coast Guard Dorneir Do 228 Missing off Chennai Coast 

A coast guard Dornier on a routine surveillance off the coast of Chennai, the Dornier lost it's contact with the Base station around 2100 hrs (9.00 pm)  last night. 

The Air surveillance Radar  installed on Trichy Tracked the Dornier off the Coast of Chennai outside some 95 nautical miles ( some 175 kilometers ). the last contact to the Radar is 2123 hrs, 23 minutes laster since the last contact. 

Navy and Coast guard received the information of missing Dornier Surveillance flight and rushed  it's Ships and Aircrafts for carryout Search and rescue mission. 

So far four Navy Ships along with some five Coast guard off shore patrol vessel begins the search south off Chennai coast, where the Last Contact was received, Aircrafts from  INS Ranjali naval base also carryout SAR missions to find out the missing aircraft. as of now one P 8I Long range Naval surveillance aircraft also pushed into Search and Rescue mission off Karikal coasts. 

The Missing Do 228 is newest in it's kind, Inducted into Indian Coast Guard last year, the Aircraft flown by Highly experienced pilots and crew's, Spokesperson Sitanshu Kar reported. 

Just a Month earlier , March 26 a Indian Navy Dornier Do 228 crashed off the Coast of Goa. killing two of it's crew including a women Officer, one of the officer rescued by a Fishing boat. 

Dornier Do 228 is a Multi purpose Turbo prop plane used by all services, Navy and ICG using it for communication and Surveillance, tracking and Anti submarine purposes, Designed by a German firm, with the ToT HAL building the Aircraft in India, more than  hundred of Do 228 in operational under Indian armed Forces.


 Updates 


10th June 2015 

Survey Ship INS Sandhayak with Portable equipments, used to search under waters arrived the Last known Position of ICG  Dorneir Aircraft.

Navy sends two P8 I long range maritime patrol aircraft for round a clock search, which can detect under water objects.

Indian Navy also sends a Submarine from Vishakapatinam Naval base fr underwater search, which is expected to arrive within a day.

The Search Area extended to  70 Nautical miles, from Mahablaiburm to Karaikal Coast.

The Tamil Nadu civil police send a request to the fisherman to check possibilities of the missing  Aircraft along TN coasts.

11th June 2015

Total of twelve Major Ships from Coast Guard and Indian Navy in the Search of missing ICG Dorneir Aircraft. also more number of Patrol Boats pushed for the SAR mission.

The Tamil Nadu Coastal Security Forces also carried out Aerial Search using it's para Motors, they also dispatched good numbers of Patrol Boats to help the ICG to find the Missing Aircraft.

12th June 2015

 The Hydrographic survey vessel Reached the Spot and conducting search, the Ship can gather signals from the Missed Aircrafts beacon, also can detect any kind of Transmission from the Missing Aircrafts, even it was in deep sea.

The TN coastal police carried out Search mission last day more than 90 minutes using the Paramotors, searching coastal area's over Marshy and Mangrove.

INS Sindhuvijay a Indian Navy Submarine expected to arrive the Spot by 13th July.

The ISRO Team also joined the search using the Remote sensing satellites.

Two Ocean science Study center's Help also sought, and ICG requested National Institute of Ocean Technology Chennai, to deploy their Research vessel Sagar Nidhi for augmenting the subsurface search.

 Another Team of M/s Omcar Foundation from Tanjore TN helping the Coast Guard to  undertake underwater photography and acoustic Survey.

13th June 2015

The search mission continues the fifth day, the Search mission almost reached 110 hrs since the ICG Dornier lost contact.

A multi Colored sheen of oil in concentric circles was sighted which indicated oozing oil. the sample of oil has been sent to the laboratory for analysis, yesterday also something like oil founds in the sea which was analyzed and found a Aviation fuel.

The Survey vessel INS Sandhyak undertaking sub surface search, detected intermittent transmission of 37.5 Khz, Likely to be from the Sonar Locater Beacon (SLB) of the missing aircraft. the transmission is around the position where the Air Traffic Control (ATC) radar had lost contact of the aircraft.

INS Sindhuvijay is likely to arrive in the area late in the evening for further agumentation of sub-surface search.

NIOT ( National Institute of Ocean Technology Chennai ) has sends its research vessel Sagar Nidhi which expected to arrive the spot by tomorrow.


ICG also sought help from Reliance India Limited to field it's Multi Support Vessel with Remotely operated Underwater Vehicle for underwater search.

14th June 2015

Search continued on the Sixth day, still no trace of the Missing Dornier, The Navy Ships and Survey vessels almost explored the possible Transmission beacn sound's place. But still no informations.

The Submarine INS Sindhuvijay arrived the Spot, and conducted submerged search and listening for Sonar beacon signals still no trace.

The TN police continued the Search with Paramotors, they too have no trace of the Missing Dornei.

15th June 2015 

Search continued on the seventh day, since the Dornier lost contact,

Still no informations from the lost Dormier off South Chennai Coast.

wife of Captain subash one of the Pilot in the Dornier, pledges request to the PM to find out her Husband

@PMOIndia 8 days since my husband Subash Suresh pilot of CG791 missing. Request your attention #FindSubash pic.twitter.com/PAt8HEHq3m

— Deepa subash (@deepa_subash) June 15, 2015

16th June 2015

Search continued on the Eighth day, Still no trace

No improvements reported.

The signal which was received is very abnormal also nit clearly transmitting

17th June 2015 

Search continued on the ninth day since the ICG Dornier lost with Three crew, still no trace.

Some reports says it's under the sea at the depth of some 700 meters.

18th June 2015  

No trace of the missing Dornier, Navy requests another Multipurpose research vessel from Reliance, The American made advanced Research vessel Olympic Canyon Expected to arrive the Spot by Tomorrow to conduct the underwater search, where the ROV can take Hi Resolution photos even under some 1000m depth

19th June 2015

Search continued on the eleventh day, still no traces and Updates from the Ministry spokesperson,

20th June 2015

from Spokesperson,

Sea bed profiling by NIOT Research Vessel Sagar Nidhi in the most probable area has not yielded any significant leads.

 Submarine INS Sindhudhwaj was again deployed in the area on departure of RV Sagar Nidhi.'

The submarine triangulated a source transmitting in Band II (8 – 40 Khz) in area.

Multifunctional Support Vessel (MSV) 'Olympic Canyon'  has begun underwater search since 19 June in the most probable area. The ROV of Olympic Canyon is capable of conducting underwater search besides capturing the video footage of the area.

4 ICG and IN ships are continuing search in the extended area. Aerial search is also being undertaken by CG aircraft.

21th June 2015

No Reports or Information about the lost Dornier, Still Maritime forces searching the Lost CG Dornier.

22th June 2015

The Navy starts analyzing underwater pictures taken by Reliance Research vessel Canyon, the ROV takes picture and video's in underwater. Navy says it takes one or two days to analyses the Pictures.

Also Reliance says, It will not bill the Coast Guard for using it's vessel for Searching the Lost Dornier,

23th June 2015 

It's more than 15 days since the contact was lost with the Coast Guard Dornier, It's expected that the search team discover the wreckages withing two days, where they almost found the Crashed area, the plane crash location identified off 16 nautical miles outside  Chithambaram City,

Navy withdrawn the Survey Vessel Saga Nidhi and using most advanced Reliance Ship Olympic Canyon, who is already taken underwater photos using it's Remote operated underwater vessel, the search area also decreased to 343 Sq,Km. as per Coast Guard officials within two or three days we get the full information about the lost dornier with three ICG Officers.

24th June 2015

          It's more than 18 days since the ICG Dornier Lost South off Chennai sea.But still no clear informations from the ICG or the Navy. the Coast Gurad IG Sharma said to the reporters that, the Plane can be fall under the 10,000 feet of Sea.

   The Advanced Olympic canyon and the Navy submarine also tried to locate the Missing dornier with the interrupted signals, but still they didn't get the exact loaction of the Plane which lies under the Ocean bed.

    Also it's predicted the Plane maybe fall deep under the ocean, which makes the delay of search, the depth estimated more than 10,000 feet

    The ICG Headquarters also dispatched another advanced Research vessel to locate the missing dorneir, which expected to join the search by tomorrow.

25th June 2015

Search continued, no updates abouts the search mission.

26th June 2015

Coast Guard continues with its search "Operation Talash" for the 19th day today, to locate the missing  Aircraft.

A total of 205 hours have been flown so far by ICG and IN aircraft towards the search, in addition to the surface efforts.

MSV 'Olympic Canyon' carried out seabed search in most probable area till 23Jun15; no significant lead could be established.

MSV Olympic Canyon has departed area and resumed normal operations.

Submarine INS Sindhudhwaj has resumed ops 2 locate missing a/c based upon the fresh inputs regarding seabed conditions.

In addition the ICG and IN ships and aircraft continue to search for the debris/ floatsam of the missing aircraft.

The families of the missing crew are being provided with regular updates about the ongoing search efforts

updates from Sitanshu Kar- Spokesperson Ministry of Defense

10th July 2015

Just confirmed, Coast Guard manages to recover flight data recorder of missing Dornier from a depth of 950 m in the Bay of Bengal.

— Manu Pubby (@manupubby) July 10, 2015

Record feat in Indian maritime history - data recorder, parts of missing Dornier picked from sea bed at depth of 950 m after 33 day search.

— Manu Pubby (@manupubby) July 10, 2015

Coast Guard confirms - remote vessel provided (free of cost) by Reliance manages to reach sea bed, picks up the data recorder from Dornier.

— Manu Pubby (@manupubby) July 10, 2015