Siachen Tragedy: Army weaknesses or limitations

http://khanzmusing.blogspot.com/2012/04/siachen-tragedy-armys-weakness-or.html

When American SEALS took out Osama Bin Laden within the territories of Pakistan a blow was struck to a nation which satisfactorily took pride in being a nuclear power & having 6th largest military. A hard realisation dawned upon them that their impenetrable ‘Islamic Fort’ was not only penetrable but the continuing avalanche of drone attacks would prove it more & more fragile. That incident however didn’t budge my confidence in Pakistan’s army, simply because my ‘degree of confidence’ never revolves around fictional religious mantra & I knew beforehand that my army doesn't have a weakness though it inherits natural limitations of a third world’s army.

The recent fatal Siachen tragedy & the not yet successful army operation to recover missing soldiers made me rethink my previous stance on Pakistan’s army capabilities because this isn’t a limitation (as many will call it a natural occurrence) but to me its a weakness!

I may be labelled as unfaithful to my country for calling my army incapable but let us not be hasty. An army potency isn’t alone a measure of its fighting capability but also includes executability for rescue & search operations. Although glistening F-16s & JF-17s cruising high in the sky adequately fulfills defending role but army seemingly fails to adopt contemporary technological advancements to improve & hasten its rescuing capability. It is clear from media footages that army till now has resorted to conventional means of digging things up based on antiquated probability models established via conventional pen & paper. There seems to be inconsistency between defending role & rescuing role of Pakistan’s army. Former is receiving million dollar budget annually but the latter unfortunately doesn't seem to be on the updating list at all!

Army should realise that those mighty tanks & gigantic warplanes are driven by human beings (~soldiers) so in a sense lifesaving is a more important aspect than buying war machinery alone. Burning dollars upon dollars to buy, maintain & build combat vehicles must not be prioritised over attaining & (if possible) domestically producing relatively less complex & cheap life-saving equipments. Being an engineer myself I will put up a list of recommendations for senior geologists & army personnel to ponder upon:

• We have nuclear school of thought, we have engineering universities why not establish institutions specifically for the study of arctic conditions? This is the platform that will provide technical solutions & may also supervise operations in subzero conditions.
• If you have played modern army games on your PC or XBOX you will definitely remember how easy it is to track your comrades using their personal beacons. These beacons emit radio waves at special frequency & we are able to receive them, using their strength magnitude we can roughly tell how far or near we are to our fellow soldier (try thinking it as bluetooth signals). These beacons sadly weren’t made available to the soldiers at Siachen. If one out of every four soldier was equipped with a beacon (or more effective GPS transmitter) we would have a total of 31 beacons (remember there were 124 soldiers) oozing out enough electromagnetic rays to confine our search area, thereby, immensely increasing probability of finding buried soldiers.
• Using an airborne or a land-based Ice Penetrating Radar (IPR) more commonly known as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). Technologies used in both of these equipments are thoroughly researched & a quick google search shows that these equipments have many vendors. I have skipped the underlying principles but if you are interested in learning how these technologies work refer to following links:
  • Basics of IPR
  • Avalanche rescue using GPR
• Let us learn from the West that in hostile & life threatening areas (be it because of terrorists or nature itself) using robots can turn the tables. That is why I suggest solar-powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to patrol our arctic regions & if human presence is necessary even then UAVs operating overhead can pinpoint exact location in case the soldiers below suffers any misfortune incident. Now I will make myself clear here, we don’t need expensive UAVs like Raptor or Global Hawk because we only need surveillance therefore local universities/industries can be made to compete in delivering the most economical package that meets following major requirements:
  • Small size & portability
  • Able to perform in subzero conditions
  • Greatest amount of operational hours
  Visit this link to see how a graduate student build his own arctic UAV.

Only by carefully examining & evaluating the present & future natural disasters that may beset our soldiers we will be able to channel our efforts in the right direction to create risk-free ventures & in turn avoid grievances that presently haunt the families of lost soldiers

Economic growth remains robust

English.news.cn 2012-04-30 15:21:47

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-04/30/c_131560827.htm

By Zheng Yangpeng

BEIJING, Apr. 30 (Xinhuanet) -- Despite enduring a tough trade situation with developed economies such as Japan and Europe, China's trade with Russia has enjoyed robust growth, data shows.

In the first quarter of this year, trade between the two countries grew by 33 percent, hitting $21.49 billion, according to Chinese customs statistics.

By comparison, trade with the European Union grew by just 2.6 percent year-on-year, while trade with Japan fell by 1.6 percent.

Last year, trade volume between China and Russia reached a total of $79.2 billion, a 42.7 percent increase year-on-year.

China is already Russia's main source for imports, while Russia is China's eighth-largest trading partner.

Analysts say Vice-Premier Li Keqiang's visit to the country will add fresh momentum to the fast-growing economic link.

During the visit, enterprises and government departments from both sides were expected to sign cooperation agreements covering trade, energy, science and technology, finance, communications and other fields.

Those involving energy and science and technology deserve special attention, said Liu Junmei, an expert in Sino-Russian relations at Fudan University, because energy already accounts for a large proportion of Russia's exports to China, while China wants more high-tech exports from Russia.

In addition to trade ties, the two countries will strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in investment, deep processing, joint production, high technology and large strategic projects, Deputy Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping said at a news conference last Monday.

However, underlying the rapid growth is a structural imbalance, which has long been a complaint for both nations, especially Russia.

China exports mainly mechanical and electrical products, high-tech products, and textiles to Russia, while energy and raw materials go the other way. Russia has long sought to reduce the export share made up by energy and boost the export of manufactured goods.

With this in mind, Cheng said both sides should take "prudent and pragmatic" steps to address the imbalance.

"Our attitude is clear, which is, our market is open," said Liu at Fudan University. "We're willing to buy as long as your products are competitive.

"We hope Russia understands that trade based on comparative advantages serve both countries' interests."

Russia has gradually reduced its reliance on Chinese imports, while China's appetite for energy and raw materials have led to an increase in imports from Russia.

This is clearly reflected in the latest Chinese customs statistics, which showed that in the first quarter of this year, Russia's imports from China fell 2.9 percent, while its exports to China increased 49.2 percent.

"To achieve rapid economic growth, China needs Russia's energy and raw materials, so this trend will undoubtedly continue," Liu added.

By 2020, trade volume between the two countries should reach at least $200 billion, according to the goal set by Chinese and Russian leaders last year.

Contact the writer at zhengyangpeng@chinadaily.com.cn

(Source: China Daily)

Spain officially in recession

English.news.cn 2012-04-30 19:10:30

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/business/2012-04/30/c_131561075.htm

MADRID, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Spain's National Institute of Statistics (INE) on Monday confirmed the country's economy is back in recession.

The Spanish economy contracted by 0.3 percent during the first quarter of 2012, the second successive quarter of negative growth.

The results were slightly better than forecasts by the Bank of Spain estimating the economy would shrink by 0.4 percent.

The INE pegs the double dip recession, following the first recession in the summer of 2008, to a fall in internal demand. With 5.6 million people out of work and the number expected to grow in the coming months, internal demand is weak as Spaniards adopt a "wait and see" attitude towards new purchases, while banks remain reluctant to grant loans or mortgages.

The INE will publish its complete data on May 17.

The Spanish government expects the economy to shrink by 1.7 percent this year, followed by marginal growth of 0.2 percent in 2013.

This contrasts with the more pessimistic predictions of the Foundation of Spanish Savings Banks that believes the recession will continue well into 2013 with the economy contracting by a further 1.5 percent.

Related:

S&P cuts rating for 11 Spanish banks

MADRID, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Rating agency Standard and Poor's on Monday cut its rating of 11 Spanish banks, while placing a further five on negative outlook, as official statistics suggested the country has fallen back into recession.

S&P announced its decision less than a week after it lowered its rating on Spain's sovereign debt by two notches from A to BBB+, citing a worsening budget deficit, worries over the banking system, and poor economic prospects. Full story

China's foreign investment return on the rise

English.news.cn 2012-04-29 23:17:57

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-04/29/c_131560039.htm

BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- China's foreign exchange regulator said Sunday the country's return on foreign investment has surged by an annual rate of 32 percent since 2004 to hit 128 billion U.S. dollars last year.

Guan Tao, head of the balance of payment (BOP) department under the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), said the SAFE is promoting the yuan's convertibility under the capital account in a prudent and orderly manner and supports domestic institutions and individuals to conduct foreign investment.

U.S. Attaches Strings to Israeli Iron Dome Funds

Apr. 30, 2012 - 10:39AM |

By BARBARA OPALL-ROME

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20120430/DEFREG04/304300003/U-S-Attaches-Strings-Israeli-Iron-Dome-Funds?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

TEL AVIV — Defense and industry leaders here are discovering that even in a U.S. election year — when bipartisan and bicameral support for Israel is at its peak — some American gift packages still come tied with strings.

In exchange for $680 million for Israel’s Iron Dome short-range rocket defense system, Washington wants “appropriate rights” to the Israeli-developed technology and U.S.-based coproduction of the system’s high-speed intercepting missiles.

According to language included in the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee’s markup for the 2013 defense authorization bill, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta may provide up to $680 million to Israel for Iron Dome procurement over the next 29 months.

The proposed funding, when combined with the $205 million authorized and appropriated under 2011 legislation, brings U.S. taxpayer investment in the operationally proven Israeli system to nearly $900 million. “Yet the United States has no rights to the technology involved,” the committee noted.

As a means of leveraging this investment, House authorizers require the director of the Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to establish a joint Iron Dome program office to formalize long-term cooperation.

“The committee believes the Director should ensure, prior to disbursing additional funds on Iron Dome, that the United States has appropriate rights to this technology, as is consistent with prior U.S.-Israel missile defenses cooperation,” according to the panel’s authorization bill markup.

House authorizers also want MDA “to explore any opportunity to enter into co-production of the Iron Dome system with Israel, in light of the significant U.S. investment in this system.”

In interviews here and in Washington, government sources say the Pentagon is pushing for similar caveats in markups to come from Senate authorizers as well as appropriators from both houses of Congress. The House defense appropriations markup is expected in the first half of May while the Senate version is expected at the end of June.

Israel has deployed three Iron Dome batteries and a fourth is in final stages of acceptance testing with the Israel Air Force’s Air Defense Command. The first two batteries were funded by Israel’s shekel-based defense budget while the $205 million appropriated by Congress last year were used to fund the third and fourth batteries as well as two additional batteries now being produced by an Israeli industrial team led by state-owned Rafael.

Israeli sources say the proposed $680 million in additional funding will cover another four complete Iron Dome batteries, which include an Eltamultimission radar, Iron Dome launchers, Tamir interceptors and the system’s command-and-control unit.

In an Israeli Independence Day address on April 26, Defense Minister Ehud Barak raised “the initiative of the Pentagon, with the approval of the White House and with bipartisan support in Congress, to legislate additional aid to enable Israel to deploy 10 batteries and thousands of interceptors of the Iron Dome.”

Barak did not make reference to the stings that Washington is attaching to its support of Iron Dome, a system which he has repeatedly referred to as “the fruit of Israel’s indigenous defense industry.”

China Rejects Philippine Request for Mediation in Sea Row

Apr. 30, 2012 - 01:44PM |

By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20120430/DEFREG03/304300004/China-Rejects-Philippine-Request-Mediation-Sea-Row?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

BEIJING — China said April 29 it had rejected a proposal by the Philippines for international mediation to resolve their maritime dispute in the South China Sea.

China “formally protested after a request for international mediation submitted by the Philippines over the sovereignty of the Scarborough Shoal,” said a statement published on the foreign affairs ministry’s website.

The head of the department of boundary and ocean affairs Deng Zhonghua informed the Philippine embassy in China of the formal protest April 28, the ministry said.

Deng said that given the “Scarborough Shoal is an integrative part of Chinese territory”, the submission “contravenes the fundamental principles of international relations, and also inflicts serious damage on the current international order.”

“China demands that the Philippines respects the sovereignty of Chinese territory and does nothing more to aggravate or complicate the situation further,” the statement said.

China claims all of the South China Sea as part of its territory, even waters close to the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries.

The Scarborough Shoal is only about 230 kilometers (140 miles) from the Philippines’ main island of Luzon, while the nearest Chinese landmass is Hainan province 1,200 kilometers to the northwest, according to naval maps.

The latest tensions began when Chinese maritime vessels blocked the Philippine navy from arresting the crews of eight fishing vessels which had entered the area.

Both sides accused each other of violating maritime laws, and on April 28 the Philippines alleged that a Chinese vessel veered dangerously close to its vessels in the area.

Amid the stalemate, the Philippines said it would seek more military assistance from its ally, the United States, to help it build a “credible defense posture” in securing its sovereignty.

China had earlier warned the Philippines against “internationalizing” the issue, and its state media had quoted defense and military officials as saying they were prepared to fight for their territory.

Over 40pc Pak textile units relocate to Bangladesh

http://images.thenews.com.pk/30-04-2012/ethenews/t-14267.htm

LAHORE: Having a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $282.5 billion in Purchasing Power Parity terms and having experienced a growth rate of 6.3 percent during 2011, Bangladesh has been given tax-free access to 37 countries including the European Union, Canada and Australia, which is one of the key reasons why a large number of Pakistani textile units have relocated in recent times to this one of the largest deltas of the world with a population of over 142.32 million.

Not only does Textile Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin believe that the main reasons behind the shifting of textile industry to Bangladesh were not electricity, gas outages and power tariffs in Pakistan, but the preferential treatment of Dhaka in the European Union and the United States, however numerous textile magnates have also endorsed this viewpoint quite regularly.

In January 2012, Shahabuddin was widely quoted in national media outlets as saying: “Bangladesh is a privileged country as it has been counted among least developed nations by the EU and US.

It has been given facilities and its textile sector has been sponsored and supported financially by the big economic powers. More than 40 percent of the Pakistani textile industry and around 200,000 power looms have been shifted to Bangladesh in the last five years, causing employment problems. In the whole Punjab, 200,000 families have thus been directly or indirectly affected”.

The incumbent Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government, by the way, is seemingly more interested in fighting with courts and covering the misdeeds of its stalwarts, instead of paying a little attention towards the grievances of the ailing textile sector that continues to set sails for Bangladesh.

And when textile tycoons show lackadaisical attitude and disinterest, we all know that the whole economy suffers, the national bourses turn bearish, the domestic investment suffers, the exports plunge, the budgetary revenues nosedive and the unemployment surges.

According to the CIA World Fact Book, the Bangladeshi economy has grown between five and six percent every year since 1996 despite political instability, poor infrastructure, corruption, insufficient power supplies and slow implementation of economic reforms.

The latest March 2012 edition of CIA World Fact Book states: “Bangladesh’s growth was resilient during the 2008-09 global financial crisis and recession. Garment exports, totalling $12.3 billion in FY09and remittances from overseas Bangladeshis, totalling $11 billion in FY10, accounted for almost 25 percent of GDP”.

With a GDP per capita of $1,700, exports of $23.86 billion, imports of $31.75 billion, a labour force of 75.42 million, an unemployment rate of just five percent, budget revenues of $12.67 billion, inflation rate of 10.7 percent and an industrial production growth rate of 7.4 percent, Bangladesh today possesses gold and Forex reserves to the tune of $10.98 billion.

The Harvard International Review had noted on January 12, 2012: “The crucial driver of Bangladeshi growth has been a thriving textiles industry that relies on the country’s vast amount of cheap, unskilled labour. Garment exports accounted for $12.3 billion, nearly 12 percent of GDP. Furthermore, the rate of textile exports accelerated in 2009, despite the world economy floundering in the throes of a deep recession, as textile exports to the United States increased by 10 percent. Over the last 15 years, the government has taken steps to make itself an enticing investment opportunity for foreign firms and banks. For example, ‘export processing zones’ have been established in Dhaka, Comilla, Mongla, Iswardi, Uttara, and Karnafully. Among the incentives intended to attract foreign firms are tax holidays that last up to five years”.

This is how a World Bank report of June 22, 2011 has described the Bangladeshi economy: “Bangladesh has reduced poverty levels and improved living standards significantly in recent years despite global economic shocks and natural calamities. The national poverty headcount rate in Bangladesh has declined to 31.5 percent in 2010 from 40 percent in 2005, according to the 2010 Household Income and Expenditure Survey. Rural poverty has declined to 35.2 percent in 2010 from 43.8 percent in 2005, while urban poverty has fallen to 21.3 percent from 28.4 percent in the same period. The survey shows a marked improvement in nutrition levels across the country, primarily because of the more diversified food basket that people are now consuming. Other indicators of welfare related to human development, access to services, and coverage of social welfare schemes also saw tremendous progress”.

Vested interests in India playing up military threat: Chinese daily

BEIJING, April 22, 2012/ Ananth Krishnan

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3343064.ece

‘Propaganda that India can counter China seeks to raise spending on foreign weapons systems'

Following the launch of Agni-V, India and China must guard against “vested interests” that were playing up the “China threat” and promoting an arms race between the neighbours, the Communist Party-run The Global Times newspaper said on Sunday.

In the wake of the launch of India's first intercontinental ballistic missile with the capability of reaching most cities in China, both countries “should beware of efforts to create widespread fear and tension,” the paper said in an editorial on its website, due to be published on Monday.

“By playing up the ‘China threat' and postulating that India can ‘counter and contain China,' vested interests are hoping to ensure that more and more money is spent on foreign weapons systems rather than domestic manufacture,” said The Global Times, which is known for its strong nationalistic positions but also seen to echo the views of the more hard-line sections within the party and military.

Several state-run media publications have in recent days published commentaries hitting out at the launch of Agni-V, which was widely seen here as being directed at China. The government, however, played down the launch, with the Foreign Ministry stressing that both countries were not rivals but partners.

“Although there is an international effort to paint India and China as enemies and to make the two countries go to war with each other, such an effort will fail,” the newspaper said. “The Chinese and Indian people share a long history and culture, and what is needed is more discussion between the two about their economics, education, tourism and culture.”

It said bad relations would “hurt both countries and aid those who seek to subjugate Asia and the world.”

Strength in unity

“Together, India and China can make Asia strong. Divided, not only these two countries but all of Asia will remain weak,” the editorial said.

The commentary did, however, also echo recent articles published in the official media that played down the threat to China posed by the Indian military.

The Global Times said China had “raced ahead and “outclassed India” in both economic and technological fields, and celebrations in India over Agni-V “conceal the inadequacies” of the missile programme. It claimed that “pressure from NATO member countries” had slowed down the speed of development and restricted the range of Indian missiles. As India, unlike China, imported most of its critical weapons systems from France, the U.S., Russia and Israel, it also faced the risk that these countries could “cut off supplies ammunition during a conflict”.

“By now, India ought to be a space power,” the editorial said. “However, the country is so far behind China in this field that it is embarrassing.”

China's GPS a step closer with launch of two satellites

Beijing, April 30, 2012/ Ananth Krishnan

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article3369388.ece?homepage=true

 China on Monday said it had successfully launched two navigation satellites, the twelfth and thirteenth additions to its fast-expanding home-grown navigation and positioning satellite network that will soon end Chinese dependence on the United States-run Global Positioning System (GPS).

The two satellites were launched at 4.50 am on Monday from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest Sichuan province, carried on a Long March-3B rocket. This marked the first instance of two navigation satellites being launched using one rocket, the State-run Xinhua news agency said.

China has in recent months accelerated its plans to expand its indigenous Beidou or Compass global positioning network, which will be completed to provide global coverage by 2020 with more than thirty satellites in orbit. The Beidou network will make China only the third country in the world – after the U.S. and Russia – to have its own independent, indigenous navigation system, Xinhua said.

The Chinese government said in a recent white paper Beidou was “designed to break China’s dependence on the US Global Positioning System”, and will serve both civilian and defence requirements.

China’s fast developing home-grown space programme reached another milestone last year, with the launch of Tiangong-1, the country’s first space laboratory module – a key step in China’s plans to put into orbit its own space station by 2020. China will become only the third country after the U.S and Russia to do so, although trailing both those countries by several decades in achieving this feat.

China’s investment of billions of yuan into its satellite and space programme comes at a time when the U.S. and the West are cutting spending on space missions, a fact highlighted by the official media last year which saw the launch of Tiangong-1 as “the latest showcase of the nation’s growing prowess in space... while budget restraints and economic tailspin have held back the once dominant U.S. space missions.”

China’s space programme has also begun to acquire increasing international influence, having launched more than 20 satellites for a number of developing countries, ranging from Bolivia and Nigeria to Pakistan. Last year, China launched Pakistan’s first communications satellite, PAKSAT-1R, from Sichuan.

Chinese officials hope their investments will pay rich commercial dividends when they offer their navigation satellite services to other countries.

The Beidou network will this year begin providing services for countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including real-time weather monitoring and navigation services. Ran Chengqi, director of the China

Satellite Navigation Management Office, told an industry conference last year that he expected the development of Beidou and related industries to create a 400 billion yuan ($ 63.5 billion) market by 2020.

Last week, Chinese media reports keenly followed the launch of India’s first indigenous radar imaging satellite, RISAT-1. The launch was discussed on news shows broadcast on State media outlets, while the satellite was dubbed by the State-run Xinhua news agency as “a spy satellite”.

Chinese officials have, however, sought to downplay concerns voiced by China's neighbours and Western countries about the strategic dimensions of its growing investments in space technology. Following the launch of Tiangong-1, State media commentaries rejected concerns of “a new wave of space race”, saying China was “neither the first country to seek explorations in outer space, nor the country with the most advanced technology, [so] it seems incomprehensible that China should cause concern to others.”

American speed machine set to crash through missile control

April 30, 2012 / Narayan Lakshman

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/article3367741.ece?homepage=true

Even as nuclear-watchers obsess over India and North Korea, it is the U.S. which is about to change the game with a stealth weapon straight out of Hollywood sci-fi.

The murky world of missiles and missile technology was suddenly spotlighted in two significant news events in recent weeks.

First, North Korea's leadership watched in dismay as their April 13 satellite launch via an Unha-3 rocket went spectacularly wrong and collapsed into the sea a minute after blasting off. Second, India on April 19 turned this experience on its head with a highly successful launch of its new intercontinental ballistic missile, Agni V, in a move that drew an irritated reaction from analysts in a now-within-range China.

The irony of these two events was that they came days ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), a major international treaty aimed at halting the global proliferation of missile technology.

While MTCR adherents may fret about the Asian churn in their global missile order, the ultimate paradigm-shifter of the missile world, a new weapon straight out of Hollywood science fiction, is actually under development in another country — the United States.

The railgun

Enter the Electromagnetic Railgun (EMRG), described by the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) as a “long-range” weapon that fires projectiles using electricity instead of chemical propellants. It relies on the use of magnetic fields, which accelerate a sliding metal conductor between two rails to launch projectiles at somewhere between 7,200-8,960 kilometres per hour, more than seven times the speed of sound.

And speed is everything in the game of projectile destructive capacity. According to the ONR, the EMRG is a “true war-fighter game-changer. Wide-area coverage, exceptionally quick response and very deep magazines will extend the reach and lethality of ships armed with this technology.”

So what is the potential magnitude of the EMRG's power? In February, the ONR test-fired the Navy's first industry-built EMRG prototype at a test facility in Dahlgren, Virginia. The launch platform, built by BAE Systems, delivered a 32-mega-joule power-punch, where one mega-joule of energy is equivalent to a one-tonne car hurled at 160 kilometres per hour.

Even in this early phase of development the projected range of the weapon is 100 nautical miles (185.2 km), and it is likely to expand rapidly as the technology grows in sophistication. However the programme has not evaded serious technical challenges, the most important of which is the question of thermal management. The main problem the U.S. Navy has had with implementing an EMRG cannon system is that the massive amounts of heat generated by the electricity and projectile friction can cause thermal expansion of the firing mechanism, leading to problems of melting equipment, decreased personnel safety, and enemy detection. Regardless, the U.S. Navy projects that the weapon will be ready for use by 2017 and integration into naval platforms is likely within a few years after that.

Fitting it into MTCR

Thus the $240-million question is, how does the EMRG fit with the parameters of the MTCR?

A quick glance at the MTCR reveals that its founding goal is to limit the risks of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by controlling exports of goods and technologies that could make a contribution to delivery systems, other than manned aircraft, for such weapons.

In this context, the MTCR says, it “places particular focus on rockets and unmanned aerial vehicles capable of delivering a payload of at least 500 kg to a range of at least 300 km and on equipment, software, and technology for such systems.”

Yet the speed-based power of the EMRG makes comparisons with traditional, chemical explosives-based missile systems more complex. For example one of the fastest cruise missiles in circulation is the India-Russia collaborative, BrahMos. According to reports, this supersonic missile can attain flight speeds of Mach 2.8 or Mach 3, much higher than those of the U.S. Tomahawk and Harpoon, and France's Exocet, all of which are subsonic.

Given that the EMRG projectile travels at Mach 7 in early development and likely faster as the thermal stability of the firing platform is achieved, then, in theory, the payload size that would achieve the total explosive energy level of an MTCR-consistent missile would be less than 500 kg.

While there is no indication yet that this might be possible, if technological innovation were to permit the mounting of a warhead onto the projectile, that could further increase the terminal energy of the EMRG dramatically. What is clear is that solving the thermal management puzzle will also give the EMRG the ability to fire up to 10 projectiles per minute, an inconceivable frequency in the world of the traditional missile.

Moving from questions of physics to international affairs, an argument that could be made to defend the EMR's consistency with the MTCR is that the Regime focuses only on export control among those member-states that already possess qualifying missile technology. There has been no talk so far of trade in the EMRG, given its nascent development.

However similar to other global treaties, such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), aimed at containing the spread of technologies to nations that do not possess them, those within the umbrella of the MTCR are under no obligation to halt internal proliferation or, in other words, weapons development.

With absolute opacity surrounding the proliferation potential of the EMRG in the years ahead, this “war-fighter game-changer” could usher in a new era of strategic dominance for the fortunate few nations who happen to possess it. The ONR's codename for the EMRG programme is “Velocitas Eradico,” or “Speed Kills.” Perhaps it is a warning to any nation that is not developing missiles by stealth.

Europe and Asia to Drive Market Growth In Unmanned Aerial Systems

By FrostSullivan on Monday, April 30th, 2012

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones have repeatedly proved their worth in recent conflicts. Drones have certain inherent advantages over manned platforms, motivating the interest of military forces and driving the market for military drones. Despite projections for a substantial increase in spending on UAVs, reduced military expenditure by the United States is causing uncertainty among industry stakeholders.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Military Unmanned Aerial Systems Market Assessment, finds that total market revenue is likely to be $ 61.37 billion across the forecast period 2011-2020. It is estimated that the global military unmanned aerial systems (UAS) market generated $ 4.55 billion in revenues in 2010, a figure that is set to rise to $ 7.31 billion in 2020.

“The United States will reduce its spending on UAS as it is adequately equipped to meet its needs,” notes Frost & Sullivan Senior Research Analyst MahendranArjunraja. “Although the country has plans to increase its inventory by more than 35 per cent over the next ten years, market revenues are expected to decline at least till 2020; the U.S. military UAS space is undergoing a transition from procurements to sustainment with most future procurements likely to be limited to upgrades.”

At the same time, Europe is facing intense competition in the medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAV segment, as more domestic companies are collaborating to develop indigenous equipment. Existing high altitude, long-endurance (HALE) UAVs are too expensive for many nations, even while MALE equipment has limited capability. Hence, an opportunity exists for equipment with capabilities between MALE and HALE.

As the operations in Afghanistan are expected to reach an end soon, governments are unlikely to show keen interest in renewing lease agreements. This will have an immediate impact on UAV leasing companies. However, this restraint is set to become a driver in the long-term, as cash-strapped countries would be able to allocate resources for equipment procurement.

“Reduction in spending by the United States is expected to slow down the UAS market,” cautions Arjunraja. “Fortuitously for market participants, this slowdown will be partly off-set by the growth in the European and Asian markets.”

The military UAV market in Europe and Asia will witness significant growth in the next ten years. This is the opportune time for UAV manufacturers and suppliers, therefore, to explore opportunities in these emerging markets.

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. Frost & Sullivan leverages 50 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from more than 40 offices on six continents.

Read more: http://www.defencetalk.com/europe-and-asia-to-drive-market-growth-in-unmanned-aerial-systems-42072/#ixzz1tXAsCmKX

India Developing Radar Destroying Missiles

http://www.defencenews.in/defence-news-internal.asp?get=new&id=1190

 

After the successful launch of the Agni V Missile, India is now developing an Anti-Radar Missile (ARM). This will significantly boost the country's strike capabilities by destroying the enemy's Advance Warning Systems.

ARM Missiles are one of the most advance missiles in the world and only the US has successfully fielded such sophisticated weaponry in it's inventory.

Development of the ARM is being undertaken on priority basis by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), which specialises in the missile development. The ARM missile can detect a radar by tracking it's electro-magnetic radiation and home on the target to destroy it.

The proportional guidance system that homes in on enemy radar emissions has a fixed antenna and seeker head in the missile's nose.

The ARM Missile which is currently in use by the US Air Force travels at a speed of over Mach 2 and is propelled by a smokeless solid propellant rocket engine.

The ARM missiles can be mounted on India's front line Su-30 MKI, 140 of which have already been acquired by India from Russia and around 100 more are expected to be delivered in due course of time.

Other projects being undertaken on priority basis by the DRDO are Long Range Air-to-Air Missile and Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile.

Operationalisation of the third regiment of BrahMos missile for Army, its integration with Su-30 MKI as also underwater trials from pontoon are also on the priority list. DRDO is also working on early static validation trials of Pinaka MK-II rocket, with an extended range of 60 kms, along with user trials of its warhead.

Fitted with a variety of warheads like anti-tank mines and blast-cum-pre-fragmented high explosives, Pinaka can destroy an area of 350 sq kms.

Army has already raised two regiments of Pinaka and more are planned.
Flight trial of 'Prahar' missile as tactical battlefield surface-to-surface weapon system is also in the pipeline.

India Fast-Tracks Acquisitions, Inks Three Defence Deals for the Army

http://www.defencenow.com/news/654/india-fast-tracks-acquisitions-inks-three-defence-deals-for-the-army.html

 

 

The dismal level of capabilities of the Indian Army which were highlighted by the Indian Army Chief has led the government to sign three Defence deals for the Special Forces and Infantry soldiers. The three new deals pertain to sub-machine guns, thermal imagers and target designators which are aimed at stepping up the surveillance and firepower capabilities of the force.

The first deal, worth $ 5.75 million, was signed with M/S B&T Switzerland for the acquisition of 1,568 advanced sub-machine guns for the "Ghatak” platoon of infantry battalions. The second deal has been contracted with state-run Bharat Electronics for the supply of 630 hand-held thermal imagers. These are worth $ 29.41 million and will go to the specialized counter-insurgency force in Jammu & Kashmir called Rashtriya Rifles. The third deal is inked with M/S Alpha Designs for the Special Forces in the army. The deal worth $ 23.43 million pertains to laser target designators.

While these three new contracts are significant for the army, experts feel that they are puny in front of the mega Defence deals for the other two forces in the country. The Army Chief had recently written an open letter to the Prime Minister raising doubts over the Defence procurement procedures which have led to the dismal state of Indian Army’s Defence preparedness.

The Indian Army Chief has stated that despite India being the top Defence importer in the world, the Indian Army’s tank fleet was devoid of critical ammunition to counter enemy tanks, its air Defence was 97 per cent obsolete, the infantry lacked night fighting capabilities and large-scale deficiency in critical surveillance capabilities and weapons plagued the force.

Following the acerbic remarks of the Army Chief, Defence Minister AK Antony has sprung into action by holding Defence review meetings, fast-tracking procurement projects and inking the above-mentioned deals for the army. The Defence Ministry has indicated that procurements worth $ 3.33 billion are in the final phase and that a committee has also been appointed under the Army Vice-Chief to fast-track arms deals for the Special Forces. Some of the mega deals being fast-tracked include new regiments of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers, 10,000 Konkurs-M anti-tank guided missiles and 25,000 Invar missiles to arm the T-90S tanks, according to sources.

Meanwhile, India is also focused on military modernization with a clear emphasis on transfer of major technology as well as the license to assemble and produce equipment and spare parts. Last year, India released its first Defense Production Policy that facilitates a domestic defense-industrial base. India is also planning to bring down import dependence from 70% to 30% over the next 10 years. Earlier this year, Defense Minister A.K. Antony indicated that indigenization was gaining speed and that almost 40% of India’s armament and equipment is now being made in the country.

Israel’s Growing Commando Force Eyes V-22s

Apr. 28, 2012 - 01:49PM |      By BARBARA OPALL-ROME

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20120428/DEFREG04/304280002/Israel-8217-s-Growing-Commando-Force-Eyes-V-22s?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

TEL AVIV — Israeli military leaders plan to greatly expand the nation’s elite commando force to accommodate intensifying demand for stealthy, surgical, strategic missions far from Israel’s borders.

In interviews here, officers and experts said Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff, is mulling several options for augmenting the special operations forces under his command, including creation of an airborne insertion and extraction unit built upon a squadron of U.S. V-22 Ospreys.

The prospective new unit or, alternatively, a strengthened Shaldag (Kingfisher) airborne commando unit, would ultimately be integrated into the IDF’s planned Depth Corps, a joint special operations command expected to become operational this year.

The IDF announced plans to establish Depth Corps last December, characterizing its “primary task” as “extending joint IDF operations into the strategic depth.” Elite units to be consolidated under the new command include Shaldag, Sayeret Matkal (General Staff Reconnaissance) and Flotilla 13.

The joint special operations command and the prospective new unit, which would not become operational until later in the decade, come in response to the drastic increase in the number of special missions conducted by the IDF in recent years.

In a rare interview published April 25 in Yediot Ahronot, Israel’s largest daily newspaper, Gantz acknowledged a “tens of percent” increase in special missions operational tempo as compared to previous years.

“You almost won’t find a point in time that nothing is happening somewhere around the world. … It’s not my invention, and I am not taking credit. I am simply accelerating all those special operations,” Gantz said.

The article noted that under Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, the former IDF chief of staff who hailed from the Golani infantry, the Israeli military was postured for two distinct conditions: war and planning for war. Under Gantz, a paratrooper and former Shaldag commander, the IDF has added a third condition: preparing the infrastructure for war through special operations in enemy territory on a routine basis.

Amir Bohbot, a military analyst here, estimated that the IDF has more than doubled the number of special operations conducted since the years prior to the 2006 Lebanon War. In a late March online report for Israel’s Walla website, Bohbot said current and former special forces officers have warned that the routine pace of special operations forces has begun to stress already-overtaxed commando units.

According to Bohbot, IDF’s shadow army targets two axes used by terrorism groups for smuggling weaponry and other contraband, primarily from Iran, into Gaza, Lebanon and Syria. Israel’s military censor strictly forbids reference to areas from which Israel operates, but smuggling routes are well-documented.

The first known route is a seaborne path that originates in the Gulf of Oman and extends around the Arabian Peninsula into the Red Sea, after which illicit cargo is offloaded for overland smuggling through Sinai or — less frequently — transferred to ships passing through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean.

The second is a direct air corridor between Iran and Syria, after which cargo is delivered by ground transport or ship to Lebanese ports.

In an interview earlier this year, a senior Navy officer attested to the accelerated rate of special missions conducted by Israel’s sea service.

“The war between wars is a huge part of what we do, and I’m not willing to go into details. Suffice it to say we’re heavily involved in missions in all kinds of places … and when we do these missions, first and foremost we need to know how to bring our people back safely.”

Sources here said detailed organizational plans, budgetary requirements and the operational concept driving the new joint Depth Corps will be submitted to Gantz in June. By August, the IDF General Staff hopes to conclude its multiyear budget through 2017, with initial funding for the V-22 squadron and new naval capabilities likely to be included.

Over the past year, the Israel Air Force (IAF) has intensified its contacts with the U.S. Marine Corps and other U.S. counterparts on the V-22, and has sent pilots to fly the tilt-rotor aircraft. Earlier this month, IAF Commander Maj. Gen. Ido Nehushtan made his own flight in the V-22 from Hurlburt Field, Fla., home of U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command.

In an interview last year, Nehushtan said the IAF was developing “a deep acquaintance” with what he called a unique platform.

“It’s compelling because it combines abilities of an assault transport and an assault helicopter for flexible, rapid deployment of forces,” Nehushtan told Defense News. “But it’s new territory, and its capabilities are not yet widely understood throughout the IDF.”

At the time, Nehushtan said the IAF included ground force officers on its V-22-related visits “for educational purposes in the hope of pushing it forward in the upcoming multiyear plan.”

A U.S. source said the U.S. Navy and the Pentagon’s International Security Affairs bureau are encouraging Israel and other allies with operational requirements for the V-22, in large part to compensate for the 24 aircraft cut from the U.S. multiyear procurement plan.

“No doubt, the V-22 will be a game-changer for Israel. ... It also will help contain unit costs that will grow since they cut us down from 122 to 98,” the source said of aviation procurement cuts in the Pentagon’s five-year-plan.

He added, “We’re starting to see serious interest there that could translate into a [letter of request] by early next year.”

The V-22 is built by Chicago-based Boeing and Textron’s

Bell Helicopter unit.

IAF Request To Join Exercise with US Navy Turned Down

http://www.defencenews.in/defence-news-internal.asp?get=new&id=1188

The Indian government recently turned down an IAF request to participate in the war games with the US navy in the Bay of Bengal that concluded last week.

The seven-day Malabar 2012 exercise involved the American and Indian navies.

The Centre's move followed a quiet policy decision in the defence ministry to scale down — but not stop — the friendly military engagements with the US armed forces, which have gathered pace and increased in complexity over the past decade.

The defence ministry is wary of the 'hype' that the US builds around joint military exercises with India.

Among the most important of the war games that the Indian and US forces conduct is the Malabar series involving the two navies. An air force component is integral to the exercises because the US deploys a carrier battle group.

The Malabar exercise in 2007 in the Bay of Bengal involved the armed forces of five countries and was easily the largest international war games that India has hosted. The exercise involved three aircraft carriers and the Indian Air Force (IAF).

That drill irritated the Chinese so much that Beijing asked New Delhi if it was forging a military alliance against it.

For this year's Malabar exercise, based out of Chennai, the US deployed the Carrier Strike Group-1 with the Nimitz-class carrier USS Carl Vinson in the lead. The US also deployed a Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine.

The IAF wanted to deploy it's Jaguar fighter-bombers that are assigned to the maritime strike role. The IAF's Maritime Air Operations are headquartered in it's southern command.

After the Indian Navy told the IAF that it was too late to change the concept of the games, the air force requested a separate exercise with the US navy which is the second-largest air force in the world. The USS Carl Vinson alone carries 85 aircraft in it's hangars and flight deck.

The Malabar 2012 exercise involved conducting drills in high sea where Indian Navy's new Italy-built feeder vessel, the INS Shakti would refuel USS Carl Vinson. India had also deployed the INS Satpura, the indigenously built stealth frigate which was commissioned earlier this year.

The exercise took place in approximately 450 nautical miles of sea and air space. The INS Satpura led one group and the USS Bunker Hill another