News Report: India to Acquire Advanced Russian S-400 System That Makes F-35’s Stealth Useless

S-400 (Image: Wiki Commons)

The move would provide India a unique ability to secure its airspace against even the most sophisticated next generation stealth fighter jets, but is largely driven by an effort from New Delhi to prevent Russia from drifting into partnership with rival Pakistan.

India and Russia are set to negotiate a major multi-billion dollar defense deal on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit next week as the government of Narendra Modi looks to reestablish its military and defense relationship with Moscow and prevent the Kremlin from drifting into partnership with their primary regional rival Pakistan reports Indian newspaper The Financial Express.

The negotiations would call for India to acquire 5 S-400 'Triumf' long-range air defense missile systems, Kamov-28 helicopters and upgraded models of the Sukhoi 30-MKI elite fighter jet with estimates valuing the possible defense dealing at $6 billion and with the Modi government reportedly looking to expedite the transaction as Russia looks to expand its cooperation with Pakistan.

News Story: India Inks $300M Helicopter Upgrade Deal With Russian Firm

Kamov KA-28 of the Indian Navy (Image: Wiki Commons)

Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — After nearly eight years of waiting, India has signed a $300 million contract with Rosoboronexport of Russia to upgrade 10 Russian-made submarine-hunting helicopters for the Indian Navy, said an Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) official.

"All 10 copters will be modernized and upgraded and delivered at regular intervals over the coming five years," the official said of the Kamov-28 helicopters. India issued a request to upgrade the helicopters in 2008.

According to an Indian Navy official, the service is facing a shortage of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters and has been relying on Kamov-28s with 1980s-era technology. The other ASW helicopters with the Navy are 16 aging Sea King helicopters, which need urgent replacement, the official added.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Report: Russia to Make Indian Anti-Submarine Warfare Helicopters More Lethal

Image: Wiki Commons

Augusta Westland's involvement in corruption charges prompted India to swiftly ink a deal with Russian firm Rosoboronexport to carry out upgrades on the Kamov Ka28 PL without having to strike down Selex’s ATOS mission management system from the upgrade process.

India and Russia have inked a deal worth 310 million dollars to upgrade ten Kamov Ka28PL anti-submarine warfare helicopters for the Indian Navy. The signing of the agreement was a smooth affair as evident from its finalization within two months of clearance by India's Cabinet Committee on Security. The Defense Acquisition Council cleared the proposal in March this year. This is the first time a deal of this nature has been signed by India in such a swift manner. 

Upgrades of the Kamov 28 had been pending for the last eight years due to various reasons. However, sensing the Indian Navy's immediate necessity, especially for its frigates, destroyer and aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar intervened and signed the deal last Saturday. 

News Story: China unable to defeat US in carrier battle - Russian expert

Chinese Navy Aircraft Carrier Liaoning

Konstantin Sivkov, a Russian defense analyst, said in his piece written for Moscow-based Military Parade that even as China speeds up the development of its first domestic aircraft carrier, it would still be unable to defeat the United States in a future carrier battle.

Sivkov said that China had successfully changed the equipment aboard the Liaoning, the nation's first aircraft carrier introduced from Ukraine, to use domestic products. A Type 382 Sea Eagle S/C air-search radar which allows Liaoning to track 10 targets in the air simultaneously can be seen aboard the ship. It is also fitted with a set of four active electronically scanned array radar panels which give the Liaoning a very similar air defense capability to the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, according to Sivkov.

However, the Russian expert also said that China's air defense missiles can only intercept between four and five US anti-ship missiles during the first round of the fight. Under US electronic attack, the capability of Chinese air defense systems would drop to between 30% and 70%. In this scenario, the Liaoning would be able to intercept probably no more than three American anti-ship missiles in a confrontation.

Read the full story at Want China Times

Editorial: Is China Eyeing These Advanced French Amphibious Assault Ships?

By Shannon Tiezzi

China could be looking to purchase the two French Mistral ships that were originally built for Russia.

In 2014, France determined that it would avert plans to sell two of its Mistral-class amphibious assault ships that were originally bound for sale to Russia. The decision was spurred, in part, by pressure from French allies, including the United States, who saw a sale of a complex naval asset to Russia in the wake of its support of anti-government Ukrainian rebels as inappropriate. The deal between France and Russia had originally been concluded in 2011, and was canceled last year, leaving the French with two Mistrals in hand, miffed at the lack of an eager customer. The Franco-Russian agreement for the Mistral sale reached a final price of $1.37 billion euros for the two ships.

Two weeks ago, reports emerged in the Taiwan-based China Times, citing Duowei News, that China may be the latest customer for the French Mistral vessels. The report further noted that China’s People’s Liberation Army’s microblog noted a French task force visit to France. The French had sent two warships, including the Dixmude, the final Mistral-class ship built for the French navy. The French naval task force also comprised the Aconit, a La Fayette-class frigate. The report further noted that this visit marked the first time that a French Mistral docked at a Chinese port. All of this activity takes place amid the political difficulty of putting together a sale given the European Union’s still-in-place arms embargo against China–a retaliatory move for Beijing’s suppression of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

Editorial: Vietnam’s Navy Crosses the Line

Gepard class Frigate: Dinh Tien Hoang (HQ 011)

By Carl Thayer

Vietnam is stepping up its defense cooperation, particularly on maritime issues, with friends near and far.

In mid-November Vietnam dispatched two of its most modern warships on an unprecedented three-nation goodwill visit to Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines.

On November 5, two Gepard-class guided missile frigates, the Dinh Tien Hoang (HQ 011) and the Ly Thai To (HQ 012) weighed anchor at Cam Ranh Bay and set sail for Jakarta’s Tanjung Priok port crossing the equator (the line) while enroute. The ships embarked a complement of two hundred and twenty-eight officers and sailors under the command of Rear Admiral Nguyen Van Kiem, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army Navy. The frigates also embarked a naval Ka-28 anti-submarine helicopter, a first for the Vietnamese Navy on a goodwill visit.

The dispatch of the Gepard-class frigates is a clear indication that Vietnam has decided to step up its defense diplomacy. The goodwill visit to Southeast Asia is in reciprocation of port visits by warships from Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines to Vietnam. According to the People’s Army newspaper, the purpose of the visit was to “build trust and enhance friendship, cooperation and mutual understanding and confidence between the People’s Army Navy and the navies of Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines.”

Earlier in March, Vietnam dispatched a hospital ship (HQ 561) to participate in Exercise Komodo a multilateral naval exercise held under the auspices of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) defense ministers and their eight dialogue partners (ADMM Plus) and hosted by Indonesia.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

India: INS Vikramaditya Adds A New Dimension to Navy’s Operational Capabilities - Antony INS Vikramaditya Commissioned in Indian Navy

Marking a new high in India-Russia strategic cooperation, the Defence Minister Shri AK Antony today commissioned the completely refurbished 44,500 tonne carrier Admiral Gorshkov into the Indian Navy as INS Vikramaditya at an impressive ceremony at sub zero temperature in the wind- swept  Sevmash Shipyard in the beautiful city of Severodvinsk in Russia. Snow flakes kept falling as the ceremony was held.

Speaking at the event, Shri Antony said INS Vikramaditya would significantly enhance the reach and capability of the Indian Navy. He said, the country has a rich maritime history and the Indian Ocean has guided our fate over the centuries.

“India’s economic development is dependent on the seas and safeguarding the nation’s maritime interests is central to our national policy.  Aircraft carriers have been part of the Indian Navy’s force structure since our independence and have effectively served the country over the past five decades or so.  The induction of ‘Vikramaditya’ with its integral MiG29K fighters and Kamov-31 helicopters, not only reinforces this central policy, but also adds a new dimension to our Navy’s operational capabilities.  The meaning of ‘Vikramaditya’, which literally translates into “Strong as the Sun” is complemented by the Ship’s motto –“Strike Far, Strike Sure”,he said.

News Story: India receives aircraft carrier Vikramaditya from Russia

SEVERODVINSK, RUSSIA (BNS): India's maritime capabilities received a major fillip on Saturday when the Russian-built Kiev-class giant aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya was inducted into service after a prolonged wait of over five years.

The 44,570-tonne warship was officially handed over to India at the Sevmash Shipyard in a ceremony attended by Defence Minister A K Antony and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin along with senior government and naval officials of the two countries.

The Russian flag on the vessel was lowered and the flag of the Indian Navy was raised in its place, Ria Novosti news agency reported. 

The commissioning documents were signed by deputy director of Russia's arms exporter Rosoboronexport, Igor Sevastyanov and the warship's captain Suraj Berry.

Read the full story at Brahmand

News Story: India To Commission Russian Carrier

By VIVEK RAGHUVANSHI

NEW DELHI — India will commission the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, now renamed INS Vikramaditya, Nov. 16 when Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony will receive the carrier in Russia.

The Indian Navy had to pay nearly $ 1.75 billion above the contracted price of the aircraft carrier, and wait nearly five years more than the scheduled delivery, which had been planned for 2008.

Antony will receive the carrier ahead of its departure on Nov. 30. It is expected to reach India by early January, an Indian Navy source said.

Russian shipyard Sevmash carried out the refit on the Vikramaditya, which will carry Russian-made MiG-29K aircraft, which have already been received. The carrier was modified to undertake short-takeoff, assisted-recovery operations.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Indian Navy set to induct INS Vikramaditya tomorrow

SEVERODVINSK, NORTH RUSSIA (PTI): The long- delayed and much awaited USD 2.3 billion aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya will be inducted into the Indian Navy in Russia on Saturday, enhancing India's maritime capabilities.

Defence Minister A K Antony, who is arriving at Severodvinsk, North Russia this evening, will be inducting the aircraft carrier into the force in the presence of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin and senior government and naval officials of the two countries.

The aircraft carrier will be inducted in the Indian Navy at the Sevmash Shipyard, Russia's nuclear submarine building centre.

INS Vikramaditya is a Kiev class aircraft carrier which was commissioned by Russian Navy in 1987 under the name Baku.

It was later renamed as Admiral Gorshkov and last sailed in 1995 in Russia, before being offered to India.

Read the full story at Brahmand

News Story: INS Vikramaditya all set to join Indian Navy on Saturday

NEW DELHI (PTI): Defence Minister AK Antony will induct the long-delayed aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, designed to boost India's maritime capabilities, at a shipyard in Russia on Saturday.

Antony will leave for Russia on Friday with a high-level delegation, including Defence Secretary RK Mathur, on a four-day visit during which, apart from commissioning the aircraft carrier, he will also co-chair the India-Russia Inter -Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Shoigu.

Contracted for in 2004, during the NDA regime, the vessel has been delayed by over five years and has seen several time and cost overruns in the last nine years.

"The commissioning ceremony will take place at Sevmash Shipyard, Severodvinsk, on Saturday and the IRIGC-MTC meeting will take place in Moscow on Monday," a Defence Ministry release said.

Read the full story at Brahmand