Defence 360

Russia invites India to join fast-neutron reactor project (IANS) MUMBAI: Russia has invited India to join in developing next-generation nuclear reactors and to participate in its fast-reactor research project, an official of Rosatom, the country's state atomic energy corporation, has said. The multipurpose fast research reactor project, known by the Russian acronym MBIR, is coming up as the International Research Center in Dimitrovgrad located in the Ulyanovsk region. "The purpose of the programme is the creation of a new technological platform for nuclear energy, which will be based on the closed fuel cycle with fast neutron reactors," Rosatom project manager Alexander Zagornov, visiting India for the opening of the company's South Asia regional centre here, told IANS in an interview. The closed fuel cycle, which involves recycling the nuclear waste as new fuel, in the case of the MBIR project, essentially signifies research on a sodium-cooled Generation ...

8 SIMI activists escape from Bhopal jail, 1 guard killed (The Hindu) Eight alleged members of the outlawed Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) from the Bhopal Central Jail in Madhya Pradesh's capital city Bhopal early morning on Monday. The SIMI activists also killed security guard Ramashankar Yadav by slitting his throat. “Eight inmates related to the SIMI escaped from Bhopal Central Jail between 2 to 3 a.m. today. They used their blankets to make a rope and crossed the bigger wall of the jail. They also killed one security guard Ramashankar Yadav. All of them were accused of various crimes such as bank robbery, murder, and sedition. Search operations are on to nab them as soon as possible,” Bhopal Inspector General of Police Yogesh Choudhary told reporters. According to a police officer posted in Bhopal, the SIMI men “overpowered” two security guards who were exchanging their shifts at around 3 a.m. According to some unconfirmed reports, six out of th...

Time to battle the enemies within  ( The New Indian Express  ) Only a thorough investigation will reveal the extent of damage caused by the spy ring which was busted by the police last week. The arrest of Farhat, an aide of Samajwadi Party MP Munvvar Saleem, for his alleged involvement is shocking to say the least. He is a Rajya Sabha MP from Madhya Pradesh whom party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav had brought into the Rajya Sabha as a promising Muslim leader. To be fair to the MP, he has promised to cooperate with the police and has not defended his aide. What's more, he even threatened to commit suicide if it is proved that his own hands were dirty. At least four are already in custody while the Pakistani mission official who was caught with Farhat and others was expelled from India at short notice. Nothing can be done against him as he enjoyed the status of a diplomat. In retaliation, Pakistan has asked one Indian mission official to leave the country after decla...

The Indian Air Force is working to upgrade and equip its fleet of Israeli-made Searcher and Heron Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with missiles under a top secret and classified programme code named 'Project Cheetah'.After using Special Forces troops to attack and destroy terrorist launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, India is now planning to add combat drones to its fleet which can do the same job without risking soldiers' lives. For the ambitious plan, which is expected to cost almost more than Rs 10,000 crores, the Air Force is looking to join hands with the Israel defence major Israeli Aircraft Industry (IAI). "Under the project, we are planning to equip our Searchers and Herons with advance snooping capabilities and missiles which can target terrorists and their hideouts both within India and if required, across the borders," a senior IAF source told Mail Today. UAVs WILL HAVE SNOOPING CAPABILITIES, AND THE ABILITY TO STRIKE Former IAF...

With the army chief of Pakistan, General Raheel Sharif trying for an extension, the Indian armed forces are taking no chances. The sudden rise in the number of incidents along the Line of Control and the International Border is an indication that the army chief of Pakistan is attempting to send out a message. India is, however, taking no chances. While the army prepares for a major offensive following the death of the Indian jawans, on the other hand, the Navy too is planning a major drill in the Arabian Sea starting next week. There is high alert along the border areas already. Both the Army and the Indian Air Force are in a high state of readiness. The Navy too will undertake a major drill. The defence ministry has also delegated emergency financial powers to the three service vice chiefs. This was done to make for the deficiencies in the ammunition and spares stockpiles. Will hit back :: Meanwhile the army has warned of action against Pakistan fol...

With the operational situation along the  western front remaining volatile  amid heavy exchanges of cross-border firing with Pakistani forces, the Indian security establishment is taking no chances in being ready for any contingency. Even as the Army and IAF airbases maintain  top-levels of operational readiness  , the Navy too is swinging into action with a major exercise " Paschim Leher  (western wave)" in the  Arabian Sea  from next week. Over 40 warships and submarines, backed by maritime fighter jets, patrol aircraft and drones, have already begun to amass on the western seaboard for the intensive combat manoeuvres, which include "a little cross-deployment" even from the eastern seaboard, say top defence sources. Concurrently, the defence ministry has delegated emergency financial powers to the three Service vice-chiefs, Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat, Air Marshal B S Dhanoa and Vice Admiral K B Singh, and set up empowered procurement committe...

Source : WDF CHILE - IMP Aerospace announced that it has been awarded a contract by the Chilean Navy (ACH) following an international competitive bidding process for the service life extension, depot maintenance and avionics upgrade of their P-3 Orion Maritime Patrol Aircraft. The ACH P-3 Orion aircraft play a critical role in detecting submarine threats, search and rescue, littoral/overland surveillance and economic zone and shipping lane protection. The ACH Orion III Program entails th e embodiment of the Lockheed Martin P-3 Structural Mid-Life Upgrade modification on two ACH P-3A aircraft, as well as the design and installation of a state-of- the-art "glass cockpit," installation of upgraded engines, and a Phased Depot Maintenance inspection package. The aircraft work will be completed within IMP's Halifax, Nova Scotia facilities and will be preceded by work on the avionics installation design, avionics kit procurement and aircraft nacelle refurbishment. To...

Pakistan has had no luck with the World Bank funding its 4500 megawatt Diamer-Bhasha dam, a project that India opposes, because it's located in a disputed area in Gilgit-Baltisan. And yesterday, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) too declined to fund the $14 billion dam over the Indus river, Pakistani media reported.Two years ago, the World Bank refused to come on board as a lender for Diamer-Bhasha, because Pakistan didn't want to seek a no-objection certificate from India for the project. The dam is planned in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, which India claims is a part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.Yesterday, ADB said the project was too big to be funded solely by them.Delhi has long protested moves to support the Diamer-Bhasha dam and other infrastructure ventures in or bordering Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. A little over...

In a major development, Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur Air Force Base has received a squadron of India’s frontline Su30-MKI fighters. Latest satellite imaginary, obtained by DigitalGlobe and Planet Labs, has confirmed the deployment of the fighter jets to peninsular India, though an official confirmation for the same was not obtained as of writing this report. Thanjavur airbase was inaugurated in 2013 to house a squadron of Su-30MKIs. Reports that surfaced at the time suggested that the deployment of these aircraft will be completed by 2017-18. In view of the given timeline, the deployment could well be underway. The deployment of fighter aircraft to India’s southern theatre, away from its troubled north-eastern and north-western borders, can be inferred in two different ways: one, India is preparing to project its power to the wider Indian Ocean Region, and two, the air force has finally found an answer to the low serviceability level of Su-30MKIs. India, which sees the I...

Shocking: Pakistani Gunsmiths Trained Locals In Bengal With State Police Blissfully Unaware (Swarajya) Pashtun gunsmiths from a town near Peshawar that is famous for its clandestine arms manufacturing units, reportedly visited Malda in West Bengal to train gunsmiths from Munger (Bihar), who had set up shop there. And the  AK-22 assault rifles  made at the illegal arms manufacturing units in Malda under the supervision of the Pakistani gunsmiths were used to mow down 20 foreigners, including an Indian, in a  terrorist strike  on a plush cafe in Dhaka’s Gulshan area on 1 July. These  shocking revelations carried in a report in  The Times of India  bares not only the laxity and incompetence of the West Bengal police, but also how the entire state machinery has lowered its guard under the chief ministership of the minority-appeasing Mamata Banerjee. The report is based on confessions made to the  National Investigation Agency ...

Source:GDNA Chinese unveil their new Tactical ballistic missile, M 20, having range of 100 to 280 kms during Zhinhua Air Show 2016. It is not known whether the DF-12 will be armed with conventional or nuclear warheads or whether it is dual-capable. Some international military experts have indicated that the M20 is very similar to the Russian missile system Iskander. The FD-12 is designed for the engagement o f small and area targets, such as hostile fire weapons, air and ant-missile defense weapons, military seaport, command post and communications nodes and troops in concentrations, among others. The launch vehicle is equipped with two solid-propellant single-stage all-course guided missiles mounted at the rear of an 8x8 military truck chassis. In firing position, the missiles are erected at the rear of the chassis, and two hydraulically operated outriggers mounted on each side of the truck chassis are deployed to to stabilize themselves at the battery launch site. Miss...

Source:aermech.in Prahaar is a solid-Fuel rocket Surface-to-Surface guided short-range tactical Ballistic missile by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India. The Prahaar Missile system is developed to provide Indian Army a cost effective, quick reaction, all weather, all terrain, high accurate battle field support tactical system.The Missile is equipped with omnidirectional Warheads and Could be used for Striking both tactical and Strategic targets. Development The development of the missile was carried out by the DRDO scientists in a span of less than two years.The missile fills the short-range tactical battlefield missile role as required by the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, to take out strategic and tactical targets. According to DRDO sources, India’s interceptor missile was converted into Prahaar. Other sources claim Prahaar is the Israeli LORA missile. India imported this missile from Israel and later it would be manufactured in Indi...

Source: Military-Today The Buk M3 (beech) is a brand new Russian air defense system. It uses new missi le and has advanced electronic components. It has much improved capabilities comparing with the older Buk systems. It outperforms even the old S-300P long-range air defense system. Development of the Buk M3 began back in 1990. Development process was plagued with delays. This new air defense system has already been tested by the Russian armed forces. It is scheduled for production. The Buk M3 could be adopted in 2015 or 2016. Russian military officials state, that first operational Buk M3 systems will be delivered to the Russian Army in 2016. It is planned that it will replace the older Buk M1 systems. This air defense system can engage tactical and strategic aircraft, helicopters, short-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, air-launched missiles, anti-radiation missiles, guided bombs and other aerodynamic vehicles. This air defense system can operate in heavy ene...

After India declared Pakistan High Commissioner Mehmood Akhtar as persona non-grata, Pakistan, in a complete ‘tit-for-tat’ move has declared a junior official of the Indian High Commission, Surjit Singh, as persona non-grata. The Pakistan Foreign Office summoned Indian Envoy Gautam Bambawale late Thursday night and conveyed the same. "The Foreign Secretary summoned the Indian High Commissioner today and conveyed the decision of the Government of Pakistan to declare Mr. Surjeet Singh, an official of the Indian High Commission, as persona non grata,” a statement by the Pakistan Foreign Office stated. The Indian official has been asked to return to India in 48 hours, the same deadline given to Pakistani official Mahmood Akhtar. The only ground that Pakistan has given for this move is a “violation” of the Vienna Convention. “The Foreign Secretary expressed deep concern over the activities of the Indian official that were in violation of the Vienna Convention and th...

New Delhi: The  Delhi  Police's Crime Branch on Thursday arrested a  Pakistan  High Commission officer and four others in a case of espionage. Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs has summoned Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit. According to  sources close MEA & MOD , Mehmood Akhtar, 35, was in possession of highly classified defence documents, maps and force deployment details. The channel added that Akhtar is on Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) payroll. As per latest reports we have on this, the interrogation of Mehmood Akhter  has been started, he will probably be laid off as he enjoys "Diplomatic immunity" ; In such a scenario he might be declared " persona non grata" & ordered to leave INDIA within 24 hours. PAK high commissioner Abdul Basit has been summoned & he is expected to be present in 10 min time (11:30am,DT 27-10-2016). According to a report, crime branch officia...