NEW DELHI: The Army is slowly but steadily increasing its firepower with longer range weapons with increased lethality, swarms of drones and stray munitions, night fighting capabilities, surveillance and target acquisition amidst the continuous military confrontation with China in eastern and augmented Ladakh tension across Arunachal Pradesh.
The Army’s plan includes modernizing forces with “technology infusion” and developing critical combat capabilities, as well as “overcoming core capability obsolescence” and “upgrading legacy systems,” they told TOI the main sources of the defense.
In parallel, there is the ongoing push for ‘strength restructuring and optimisation’ to improve the tooth-to-tail ratio by cutting non-operational flab in the 12 lakh strong force, against the backdrop of rising wages and pensions which continue to go up put the brakes on modernization.
Sources said that 61 capital acquisition contracts worth Rs 91,238 crore were signed in the past three financial years, of which 44, worth Rs 76,544 crore, were signed with domestic suppliers including defense PSUs.
In addition to these deals under the “normal” procurement process, the Army also signed 68 contracts under the “emergency” procurement process. “An additional 84 emergency supply deals are in the works,” a source said.
The introduction of a wide range of drones for infantry battalions, artillery regiments, special forces and the like has also begun. Delivery of four sets of swarm drones, each with 50 drones and a maximum range of 50km, for example, will take place in March-April. “These drones can carry 1 to 5 kg of high explosive cargo and also have kamikaze capabilities,” another source said.
As for the precision stray munitions, which are armed with explosives kamikaze drones waiting to select high-value enemy targets and then crash into them, the Army has advanced at least seven portable and vehicle-mounted cases with ranges ranging from 15 to 100 km through emergency supplies and category “Make-II ” projects (development of prototypes financed by the industry). “Deliveries of some will start before August,” the source said. A ‘Make-II’ project for autonomous surveillance and armed drone swarms is also underway, with 400 drones for high altitude areas and 250 for deserts and plains. “These can be configured to carry 3-5kg bombs and shaped charge top attack munitions up to a maximum range of 50km,” he added.
Particular attention has also been paid to the introduction of modern technologies and innovations to “monitor the various gaps” along the way LAC extension.
Artillery modernization is happening with the induction of long-range delivery, including missiles, rockets and smart munitions, along with the “high-altitude enablement” of various weapon systems ranging from K-9 Vajra self-propelled tracked guns TO Pinaka multi-launch artillery missile systems.
The Army’s plan includes modernizing forces with “technology infusion” and developing critical combat capabilities, as well as “overcoming core capability obsolescence” and “upgrading legacy systems,” they told TOI the main sources of the defense.
In parallel, there is the ongoing push for ‘strength restructuring and optimisation’ to improve the tooth-to-tail ratio by cutting non-operational flab in the 12 lakh strong force, against the backdrop of rising wages and pensions which continue to go up put the brakes on modernization.
Sources said that 61 capital acquisition contracts worth Rs 91,238 crore were signed in the past three financial years, of which 44, worth Rs 76,544 crore, were signed with domestic suppliers including defense PSUs.
In addition to these deals under the “normal” procurement process, the Army also signed 68 contracts under the “emergency” procurement process. “An additional 84 emergency supply deals are in the works,” a source said.
The introduction of a wide range of drones for infantry battalions, artillery regiments, special forces and the like has also begun. Delivery of four sets of swarm drones, each with 50 drones and a maximum range of 50km, for example, will take place in March-April. “These drones can carry 1 to 5 kg of high explosive cargo and also have kamikaze capabilities,” another source said.
As for the precision stray munitions, which are armed with explosives kamikaze drones waiting to select high-value enemy targets and then crash into them, the Army has advanced at least seven portable and vehicle-mounted cases with ranges ranging from 15 to 100 km through emergency supplies and category “Make-II ” projects (development of prototypes financed by the industry). “Deliveries of some will start before August,” the source said. A ‘Make-II’ project for autonomous surveillance and armed drone swarms is also underway, with 400 drones for high altitude areas and 250 for deserts and plains. “These can be configured to carry 3-5kg bombs and shaped charge top attack munitions up to a maximum range of 50km,” he added.
Particular attention has also been paid to the introduction of modern technologies and innovations to “monitor the various gaps” along the way LAC extension.
Artillery modernization is happening with the induction of long-range delivery, including missiles, rockets and smart munitions, along with the “high-altitude enablement” of various weapon systems ranging from K-9 Vajra self-propelled tracked guns TO Pinaka multi-launch artillery missile systems.
