News Report: India Deploys Nuclear-Capable Infantry Division Near Pakistan Amid High Tensions

India has deployed an infantry division to a potential flashpoint to guard against any provocation from its neighbor Pakistan and has again warned its ‘adversary’ against aiding terrorists to cross the Line of Control.

New Delhi (Sputnik) – In the midst of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan over the possibility of India launching a “limited war,” India has revived its decades-old combat division comprising tanks and armored vehicles near the historically significant Akhnoor sector in Jammu and Kashmir.

The division is mandated to counter any action of Pakistani troops in the Chamb-Jaurian sector – the area where the 1971 war between the two countries broke out.

The 10th Infantry Division of the Indian Army, which is now being converted into RAPID (Reorganized Army Plains Infantry Division), will hold around 100 T-72 tanks and the same number of Russian made mechanized armored vehicles.

The RAPID formation has infantry assets to reasonably conduct significant offensive operations and is easily adaptable to nuclear, biological & chemical warfare.

News Story: Battle to free Marawi in Philippines continues, enters fifth month

MANILA, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Bullets continue to fly and rocket bombs continue to explode in Marawi as the military offensive to completely retake the southern Philippine city from Islamic State (IS)-inspired extremists entered its fifth month.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said the pro-IS Maute militants managed to prepare sufficient caches of bombs, high-powered firearms and ammunition to fight the government security forces even before they laid siege to Marawi on May 23.

"The Maute was really preparing for a long-haul (fight). Until now, they never run out of ordnance, explosives, ammunition, and all. I really do not know the extent now of the contamination," Duterte told reporters in his home city of Davao late Friday.

He said local politicians who are into drug trafficking funded the war in Marawi. He showed a new diagram of politicians and people who are allegedly linked to illegal drug trade.

To date, he said "hundreds" of soldiers and policemen have been killed in drug-related encounters.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: Indian Army shows interest in light tanks for defense along Chinese border

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI ― As preparation for a possible conflict with China in high, mountainous areas, the Indian Army’s armored directorate has begun setting requirements for a small tank order, according to a source in the Ministry of Defence.

Military planners in the MoD asked the Army to draw up requirements for a light tank after China tested its homegrown light tank, Xinqingtan, which is equipped with a 105mm main gun and a 1,000-horse-power engine.

The Xinqingtan was tested in July 2017 in the Tibet region bordering India.

Currently, India only uses the Russian-made T-72 and T-90 as well as its homegrown Arjun tank, which is too heavy for the mountainous regions and is made for the desert along the border with Pakistan.

Military planners want lighter tanks that can be airlifted to elevated areas along the Chinese border, the source explained.

An Indian Army official said: “The requirement of rapidly deployable, protected and mobile fire power, which can result in precision engagement in the mountains in view of terrain and technology advantage enjoyed by China, has always remained high in the desirability matrix.”

The light tank requirements come in the wake of a standoff between India and China over a small strip of land along their borders called Doklam. The standoff, which saw soldiers from both countries standing eyeball to eyeball in the area since June, has now been resolved. Soldiers have been withdrawn, said an official with India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

The Indian Army wants its light tanks to weigh about 22 tons and be capable of operating at heights of more than 3,000 meters in hilly terrain, according to another Army official. The tanks would need to be able to penetrate highly protected armored vehicles and main battle tanks from a distance of more than 2 kilometers, as well as be able to fire highly explosive anti-tank shells and guided missiles.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Taliban Pushed Back In Baghlan’s Doshi District

By Hamid Shirzai

A coordinated attack by the Taliban was repelled in Doshi district in Baghlan province on Thursday, local officials said.

The fighting started on Wednesday morning when a group of militants attacked the center of the district. The Baghlan-Kunduz Highway was closed to traffic for a couple of hours following the clash which ended on Thursday morning. 

TOLOnews reporter Hamid Shirzai said dozens of civilians were caught up in the battle between government forces and the Taliban but many managed to flee. 

Footage from a battle line close to Baghlan-Kunduz Highway shows civilians – mostly women and children – running from the area while military tanks and soldiers are firing at the Taliban.

“It was 3pm when people shouted that the Taliban has come to the street. We ran and I narrowly escaped two bullets,” said Abdul Wahid, a resident of Doshi district, who was fleeing with his family.

Read the full story at TOLOnews

News Report: India’s Main Battle Tanks T-90, T-72 to Become More Lethal

India hopes to add a new dimension to the nation’s defense capability by integrating the locally developed third generation missile system with Russia made T-90 and T-72 tanks which is the mainstay of Indian Army’s offensive formations.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — India plans to make the Russian origin tanks T-90 and T-72 more lethal by upgrading their missile systems. The Indian government has approved the purchase of third generation anti-tank missile systems which will make the T-90 & T-72 capable of hitting targets up to 8 kilometers during the day as well as night. Currently, the T-90 fleet of the Indian Army is armed with the INVAR missile system.

The Indian Army has proposed specific features of the missile system that are to be developed by the private defense manufacturers. The missile should be capable of being fired from 125 mm gun barrel and should have the ability to carry out pre-flight programmed maneuvers towards a beyond-line-of-sight engagement target.

News Story: China showcases weapon systems to possible foreign buyers

by Richard Tomkins

China this week presented its newest land-based weapons systems available for export to foreign military officers and procurement officials.

China Daily reports that the presentation held by the state-owned China North Industries Group Corp, or Norinco, was made at a firing range on Wednesday in Inner Mongolia.

About 230 officers from more than 50 countries -- mostly military attaches in Beijing -- attended the show, which included live-fire demonstrations by battle tanks and anti-tank missile firings.

Read the full story at SpaceDaily

News Story: Turkey, Indonesia team up in defense, enhance military ties

KAPLAN MT tank

YUNUS PAKSOY

As part of its defense strategy, Ankara is enhancing cooperation with Jakarta to boost bilateral projects in defense industries and the sharing of military experience

High-level diplomatic sources in Ankara told Daily Sabah that Ankara and Jakarta have recently intensified efforts to jointly develop defense industry mechanisms and share military experience.

In this respect, a prototype for the Turkish-Indonesian tank has already been created and is set to partake in an official military parade in Jakarta in October. The sources did not provide the number of tanks that would be produced, but demand will be a determining factor.

Defense industry experts said the tank will weigh around 35 tons, and will have a 700-horsepower engine. There will be two tanks in the first leg of production, one for Turkey and one for Indonesia. The development cost for the medium-weight tank is estimated at $11.5 million. The FNSS, a subsidiary of Nurol Holding, which operates in the industry, eyes the production of 40 tanks, while that number could go up to 200 if Indonesia is satisfied.

The KAPLAN MT tank is expected to make a powerful contribution due to its firepower and large ammunition options as well as its superior agility. A CMI Cockerill 3105 tower, equipped to fire high-pressured 105mm shells, provides the tank's firepower.

One of the striking points in the joint venture is the production of submarines. The senior sources stressed that Indonesia wants to gain know-how and the deal is near completion. Experts said that the Turkish defense industry is producing six submarines in Turkey's Gölcük shipyard under the license of ThyssenKrupp. The first submarine is set to be delivered in 2021.

Read the full story at Daily Sabah

News Story: Ukraine in talks to sell Pakistan 100 tanks

T-84 Oplot (Image: Wiki Commons)

By: Jaroslaw Adamowski

WARSAW, Poland — Ukraine is negotiating the sale of 100 T-84 Oplot main battle tanks to Pakistan, and plans to use the funds to modernize the production capacities of its state-owned defense industry and invest in research and development, according to daily Gazeta Wyborcza.

The potential deal, which is to be handed to Ukraine defense group Ukroboronprom, would mark another export contract for the supply of the tanks following a deal signed in 2011 with Thailand. Bangkok is to obtain a total of 49 Oplots.

In the 1990s, the Ukrainian defense industry supplied 320 T-84UD tanks to Pakistan’s military under a deal worth some $600 million.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Report: India to Shed More Rules to Bag $5 Billion Foreign Investment in Defense

After failing to get foreign investment despite rejigging rules several times, the Narendra Modi government is mulling easing foreign direct investment (FDI) rules in the defense sector once again with the intention of inviting major global defense firms.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — The government is looking for 100% foreign investment and technical know-how in the domestic production of armored vehicles, battle tanks and military transport aircraft under the automatic route. The government wants this because India lacks expertise and technology in these segments.

"Government has already issued the standard operating procedure on June 29 which will apply to FDI proposals that seek more than 49% of the equity in a local defense entity with the transfers of "modern technology" to Indian industry. With these changes, 90% FDI proposals come under the automatic approval route. Based on defense ministry's objective to minimize dependency on imported products, we are going to take it further with more liberal rules," government sources told Sputnik.

News Story: Tech transfer - Korea, China score big in exports

K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer

By: Mike Yeo 

MELBOURNE, Australia — Given the region’s relative economic success and its share of the global defense spending pie, it is of little surprise that Asian defense companies are making inroads into the world arms market.

Countries in the region are quietly scoring export successes, none more so than South Korea. The country’s defense manufacturers have taken big strides from their beginnings as local assemblers and suppliers of defense articles to the South Korean military and are now a force to reckon with on the global arms market.

According to the Financial Times, South Korean military exports have soared nearly 1,100 percent since 2009 as the nation’s arms manufacturers thrive off growing global instability and the competitive pricing they can offer their potential customers, which has been a big selling point for South Korean defense equipment, particularly in more price-sensitive markets. An example of this is the Samsung Techwin K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer. One of just three tracked 155-millimeter, 52-caliber howitzer systems in the market, the K9 has already found export success with Finland, Estonia, Poland and India all selecting the design for the respective requirements. Finland acquired 48 former South Korean army howitzers earlier this year for a reported $155 million, or $3.2 million a copy.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: PLA to celebrate 90th birthday with stronger, more peaceful military

BEIJING, July 20 (Xinhua) -- It has been a big year for China's military.

In April, China's first domestically produced aircraft carrier was launched, which was followed by the debut of its new generation of destroyer in June. In July, the country's first aircraft carrier allowed visits by the public for the first time.

As the 90th birthday of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) approaches, the country's army has shown how much its military capacity has grown and how committed it is to maintaining world peace.

A STRONGER ARMY

The PLA has come a long way since its birth during the armed uprising in the city of Nanchang on August 1, 1927, when it had only 20,000 soldiers.

Ninety years later, the country boasts 2 million servicemen, making it the world's largest military force, according to a national defense white paper titled "China's Military Strategy," published in 2015.

Besides the growth in numbers, the PLA has armed its soldiers with world-class equipment.

During China's epic V-Day parade in September 2015, the country displayed its Dongfeng-5B intercontinental strategic missiles, designed to carry nuclear warheads, and its Dongfeng-21D anti-ship ballistic missiles, described by some media as the "carrier killer."

Other cutting-edge weaponry included the PLA's state-of-the-art tanks, unmanned aerial vehicles, and its new generation of airborne early warning and control aircraft, carrier-based fighters and attack helicopters that fly low across the sky.

Read the full story at Xinhua

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NOTE: The “Beijing to Slash Size of Chinese Army, Largest in the World, in Half” Link in the above was added by PacificSentinel for clarity & context.

News Report: US Approves $101.4Mln Sale of Tank Practice Ammo to Australia

Australian Army M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank

The US State Department approved the possible sale of thousands of rounds of artillery practice munitions to Australia for $101.4 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a press release.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The tank ammunition will be provided from US Army inventories, the release noted.

"The Government of Australia has requested the possible sale of 6,030 rounds of M865 120mm Target Practice Cone Stabilized Discarding Sabot-Tracer Tank Projectiles and 8,610 rounds of M1002 120mm Target Practice Multipurpose Tracer Tank Projectiles, the DSCA explained on Tuesday. "[With the inclusion of] US government technical services, technical data, and other related elements of logistical and program support, the total estimated program cost is $101.4 million."

The Stabilized Discarding Sabot-Tracer Tank Projectile is an armor piercing munition, according to published reports.

Australia intends to use the tank ammunition [to] maintain training levels for its tank operators, the release added. Australia is a key non-NATO Ally and partner that contributes to peacekeeping and humanitarian operations.

This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.

Think Tank: Sea, air, land and space updates (4-Jul-2017)

HMS Queen Elizabeth (File Photo)

Zoe Glasson, Sophie Qin, Madeleine Nyst and Patrick Kennedy

Sea state

After a tricky few weeks, HMS Queen Elizabeth’s cyber security resilience has been called into question after photos taken during a tour of the ship appeared to show computer screens running the out-dated Windows XP operating system—the same system targeted by the recent WannaCry ransomware attack. In response, the Ministry of Defence said that Windows XP wouldn’t be used ‘when the ship becomes operational’, but many still criticised the claim that the system wasn’t vulnerable to attack. In defence of the carrier’s cyber capabilities, Commander Mark Deller said the crew included a specialist cyber team and that, with respect to naval procurement, we should ‘think more NASA than NHS’.

After Boaty McBoatface set off on its maiden mission earlier in the year, scientists have reported that it has obtained ‘unprecedented data’ from the Orkney Passage, about 800 km from the Arctic Peninsula. Water flow speed, underwater turbulence and temperature data collected by Boaty (from as deep as 4,000 m) will improve scientists’ understanding of ‘the complex ways that mixing ocean waters affect climate change’.

Also, Australia may soon get its very own Boaty McBoatface—the Australian Antarctic Division is running a competition for school students to name Australia’s new Antarctic icebreaker. Any suggestions?

News Report: China Announces New Light Battle Tank Trials in Tibet

Beijing’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) has confirmed reports in the media that a new light battle tank has been tested in trials in Tibet.

"Recently a new type of tank has undertaken trials on the Tibetan Plateau. The trials were aimed at testing the tank's performance and are not targeted at any country," a spokesperson with the MND said at a June 29 Beijing news conference, cited by IHS Jane's.

The Chinese website Guancha.cn earlier published images that appear to be a new light battle tank traveling over a roadway in Tibet, resulting in speculation that Beijing had a new light battle tank in the works.

The vehicle depicted by Guancha.cn is thought to be a variant of a newly developed light tank that was earlier identified in January. 

News Story: India to directly scout foreign partners for big-ticket programs

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — India's long-awaited strategic partners policy has been approved, paving the way for the selection of private sector companies to produce weapons in partnership with overseas original equipment manufacturers.

Under the SP policy, four weapon programs, estimated to be worth more than $30 billion, have been identified. The programs involve submarines, helicopters, single-engine aircraft and armored vehicles/main battle tanks.

Under the policy, foreign OEMs will be selected directly by the Ministry of Defence and not the strategic partner from the private sector, as was initially discussed. The ownership of the joint venture along with the OEM has been vested with the Indian entity by capping the foreign direct investment, or FDI, to 49 percent. 

Analysts say the issue relating to the ownership of intellectual property rights and defense technology transfer are no easy issues, as OEMs may be reluctant to set up a joint venture without a controlling stake. 

"Many details will have to be worked out in the process of bidding and contracting. For instance, issues relating to patents and IPRs will have to be resolved. This is easier said than done," said Vivek Rae, a former director general of acquisition for the MoD. "Holding OEMs responsible for product quality and performance could also be problematic. There will be many difficult obstacles to be crossed before any contracts materialize.

"The policy is unlikely to satisfy OEMs who may be looking for majority stake before transferring sensitive technology." 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

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PacificSentinel: Yet again India makes a stupid decision in the Defence Industry/Military Modernization field...

Story Quote: "Holding OEMs responsible for product quality and performance could also be problematic"

...That didn't work out so well with Dassault & the Rafale Fighter buy, did it India, foreign Defence Companies aren't going to take responsibility for an Indian companies failure to follow instruction. Keep dreaming India!

News Story: Revising estimates, DND says 500 militants involved in Marawi

MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said there were 500 extremist fighters who were involved in the attempted siege of Marawi City, effectively revising the government's initial estimate of 100 extremists.

Lorenzana said at a news conference on Thursday that Islamic State sympathizers from militant groups Maute and Abu Sayyaf were augmented by other armed groups to carry out a "big plan" to take over the capital of Lanao del Sur province.

He said about 260 Maute fighters were joined by 100 of Abu Sayyaf subleader Isnilon Hapilon's own men from Basilan, while the rest came from various local militant organizations, Lorenzana said.

The military, meanwhile, reported 120 militants neutralized in the conflict.

The defense chief estimates that there are about 50 to 100 fighters still holed up in Marawi after state forces reported success in retaking about 90 percent of the areas.

"I'm just guessing, you know? Because a small force cannot hold that long, so there are still around 100 (militants in Marawi)," Lorenzana said.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Story: Philippines steps up raid on Islamic militants in Marawi

Hanoi (VNA) – The Philippine army with support of helicopters and armoured tanks launched a raid on Islamist militants inside the southern city of Marawi on May 25.

The move came after President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao to address violence caused by Islamic militants who pledged allegiance with the self-claimed Islamic State (IS).

Philippine authorities said ending violence on the island was difficult as Islamic militants were hiding in residential buildings, had planted improvised bombs in the streets and had taken several hostages.

According to some Philippine military officials, there were about 50-100 Islamic gunmen on the island. A local bishop said that between 12 and 15 Catholic hostages were abducted by the militants.

Read the full story at VietnamPlus

News Story: Taiwan war games simulate China invasion

Taiwan forces simulated an invasion by China Thursday as part of live-fire war games against a backdrop of rising tensions with Beijing.

The annual drills are Taiwan's biggest military exercise and mocked up a scenario in which Chinese troops launched an amphibious assault.

They took place on the outlying Penghu Islands, which sit in the strait that separates Taiwan from China.

The defence ministry has warned of a rising military threat from China, which still sees self-ruling Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified, by force if necessary.

Taiwan's military is boosting its firepower to counteract the risk, including launching its first ever home-grown submarine project and building a new generation of jet trainers.

President Tsai Ing-wen presided over the drills and emphasised the importance of building up Taiwan's indigenous defence industry.

"When Taiwan shows its determination to take the road of defensive autonomy, it is putting on a display to the world of our determination to protect our home and land," she said at a military base in Penghu after overseeing the exercise.

Read the full story at SinoDaily

Think Tank: Sea, air, land and space updates (23'May-2017)

Zoe Glasson, Sophie Qin, Madeleine Nyst and Patrick Kennedy

Sea State

At last week’s International Maritime Security Conference in Singapore, Rear Admiral Lai Chung Han, Singapore’s Navy chief, announced a number of initiatives designed to promote regional submarine operational safety, including a US$7.1m upgrade to the RSN’s submarine rescue ship. The MV Swift Rescue is the only ship in Southeast Asia with the capability to conduct ‘collective rescue and transfer of distressed submariners while under pressure’. Singapore’s Defence Ministry has warned submarine proliferation would increase the risk of ‘miscalculations at sea’—it said the number of submarines in the western Pacific is projected to rise from 200 to 250 within eight years, with China alone set to grow its fleet from 62 to 78 by 2020.

Fancy building the US Navy of 2046? An app developed by CSIS lets you try your hand at just that! Integrating Navy budget data and accounting for key factors such as unit acquisition cost, capacity constraints and current procurement and inventory plans, the app aims to be an ‘interpretable analytic model of the Navy’s force structure’. And it’s pretty user-friendly: simply ‘slide’ your way to a 355-ship navy by using the controls to add or subtract everything from aircraft carriers to support vessels.

News Report: Afghan Envoy Advocates Trilateral Security Dialogue With India, US

During a conference hosted by Brookings India, Dr. Shaida Mohammad Abdali, the Afghanistan Ambassador to India, has said that a trilateral strategic dialogue between India, Afghanistan and the United States will soon be revived to take on regional challenges, especially terrorism.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — Experts in India, however, said New Delhi shouldn't ignore the new realities and the great game going on in Afghanistan where other significant players have emerged, including Russia.

The Ambassador said the idea of trilateral strategic dialogue has been long discussed but never operationalized.

"Reactivation of that strategic dialogue, especially in the context of the war on terrorism, is highly desired. The three of us are affected a lot by the phenomenon of terrorism and can decide on a strategy while taking others in the region along with a more effective strategy," Dr. Abdali said at the event in New Delhi.