News in Brief

DEFENCE MINISTER RAJNATH SINGH APPROVES TWO OPEN GENERAL EXPORT LICENCES TO PUSH DEFENCE EXPORTS

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved issuance of two Open General export Licences (OGeLs) for export of certain parts and components, and intra-company transfer of technology to select countries. It will give a boost to defence exports and enhance ease of doing business. The application for grant of OGeL will be considered by Department of Defence Production (DPP) on a case-to-case basis.

Following a demand by the exporters, the DPP held extensive consultations with various stakeholders and formulated this OGeL policy and submitted for Raksha Mantri’s approval. The countries allowed under the OGELs are: Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Poland and Mexico. export of items to a ‘ Special economic Zone’ is not permitted.

GLOBAL TENDER BY INDIAN NAVY FOR SAMS

The Indian navy has launched a global tender to buy short-range air defense missiles for its Kamorta class corvettes. Bidders have until October 17, 2019, to submit their bids to supply around 150 missiles. Foreign companies, including european defense major MBDA and Swedish firm SAAB, are set to submit their proposals to the navy. each SRSAM system will have a command and control system, a fire control system, a command link radar and a launcher for a particular number of missiles. The Kamorta Class corvettes or Project 28 are a class of anti-submarine warfare corvettes currently in service with the Indian navy.

P-8A GETS NEW KIT FOR EXTENDED SEARCH AND RESCUE CAPABILITY

Flying at a maximum speed of about 565 mph, at about 41,000 feet, the US navy’s P-8A Poseidon already covers an operational area of about 1,200 nautical miles during a four-hour on-station period. now, add air-to-air refueling for extended range and endurance and an advanced search and rescue kit and officials say the P-8A is postured to respond to humanitarian missions around the globe.“The UnIPAC III

Search and Rescue (SAR) kit is designed to substantially increase survivor assistance,” said Squadron Leader nathan Mula, an Australian P-8A Flight Test Tactical officer. He added that, “the kit increases the survivor assistance capability of the P-8A from 16 to 100 people in a single sortie.”

INDIA TO DEPLOY NAVAL AIRCRAFT FOR JOINT SURVEILLANCE MISSION

Within the first few months of 2020, India will deploy a naval aircraft at France’s reunion island as part of join surveillance mission with France in the southern Indian Ocean.This was revealed by the French President emmanuel Macron during his first presidential visit to the French overseas territories earlier this week. This has been partly a consequence of a larger political understanding between India and France to have closer maritime cooperation in the southern Indian Ocean, where it administers the islands of La Réunion, Mayotte and the French Southern and Atlantic Lands.

US NAVY’S PLAN 2020

In September 2019, the Navy’s fleet numbered 290 battle force ships—aircraft carriers, submarines, surface combatants, amphibious ships, combat logistics ships, and some support ships. The navy’s 2020 shipbuilding plan reflects its 2016 force structure assessment and sets a goal of building and maintaining a fleet of 355 battle force ships. Toward that goal, the navy would buy 304 ships over the 2020–2049 period: 247 combat ships and 57 combat logistics and support ships. If the navy adhered to the schedule for retiring ships outlined in the 2020 plan, it would meet the goal of 355 ships in 2034 and maintain that number through at least 2049. The Department of Defense (DoD) submitted the navy’s 2020 shipbuilding plan to the Congress in March 2019. The average annual cost of carrying out that plan, which covers fiscal years 2020 to 2049, would be $31.0 billion in 2019 dollars, as per the Congressional Budget Office estimates.

NORTH KOREA CLAIMS UNDERWATERLAUNCHED MISSILE TEST SUCCESSFUL

North Korea has confirmed that it has carried out its first underwater-launched ballistic missile test in three years on October 3, 2019, in an apparent bid to dial up pressure on the US ahead of a weekend resumption of their nuclear diplomacy. The test involved Pukguksong-3 missile, which north Korea describes as a submarinelaunched ballistic missile, is seen as the North’s most high-profile weapons launch since it began diplomacy with the US. The Korean Central news Agency said the missile test in the waters off its east coast was successful and “ushered in a new phase in containing the outside forces’ threat to (north Korea) and further bolstering its military muscle for self-defense.”Analyst Kim Dong-yub wrote on Facebook that the missile was likely fired from a barge built for an underwater launch.

RAYTHEON CONTRACT SEA-BASED X-BAND RADAR WORTH $500.6 MILLION

Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems has won a $500.6 million contract modification in order to perform research and development support for the Army navy Transportable Radar Surveillance Control Model-2 and Sea-Based X-Band radar. Raytheon’s nine-story-high X-band Radar is the world’s largest X-band radar. The sea-based X-band platform that it sits on stands more than 250 feet high and displaces more than 50,000 tonnes. It consists of a semi-submersible oil production platform topped with the XBR. The modification also includes continued product improvement and the contract is effective from november 1, 2017, through October 31, 2022.

COMMUNICATIONS & POWER INDUSTRIES CONTRACT FOR SDR TWT

Communications & Power Industries has won a $20.5 million contract for the procurement of evaluations, repairs, rebuilds, and production of the Simplified Driver Traveling Wave Tubes (SDR TWTs). SDR TWTs are microwave tubes installed in the An/SPy-1D(v) Radar System on board the DDG 51 Class AeGIS destroyers, AeGIS Ashore, and FMS DDG ships. The SPy-1 radar is a key component of the Aegis Weapon System, the heart of the Aegis Combat System. Arleigh Burke destroyers are warships that provide multi-mission offensive and defensive capabilities. Work is likely to be completed by June 2025.

CONTRACT FOR RAYTHEON TO MODIFY CIWS SENSOR KITS

Raytheon Missile Systems has won a $13.6 million contract modification to exercise options for Mk 15 Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) sensor kits. CIWS is a fast-reaction terminal defense against low- and high-flying, high-speed maneuvering anti-ship missile threats that have penetrated all other defenses. The CIWS is an integral element of the Fleet Defense In-Depth concept and the Ship Self-Defense Programme. CIWS consists of three variants: Phalanx, which utilizes a six barrel Gatling gun; Landbased Phalanx Weapon System (LPWS) and SeaRAM, which replaces the gun with an 11-round Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) guide. Work is expected to be completed by December 2022.

STELLER SYSTEMS AND THALES LAUNCH TX SHIP

Steller Systems and Thales have launched their design for TX Ship, a ground-breaking vessel that will help navies transition to unmanned operations. The system is designed to operate unmanned, but with the intention of operating as a leanmanned vessel with 15 crew in the first instance. TX Ship is a fully sensorised multi-role trimaran, capable of operating at reach, alone or as part of a task group. The ship possesses an unusual high capacity, fully-automated mission bay capable of hosting and deploying a large number, and multiple types, of manned or unmanned mission packages.