Spike LR is a fourth-generation missile that can engage a target with precision at ranges up to four km. In addition, to fire and forget capability, the missile also has the ability to fire, observe and update, providing substantial flexibility to the firer to pinpoint the impact point, as also the ability to switch to a different target mid-flight, should he want to do so. The firer also has the option to fire from either low or high trajectory.
The missile has an inbuilt seeker, which gives the firer the flexibility to use any of two modes: Day (CCD) and Night (IIR). The dual seeker adds to the missile's reliability, already established at more than 90 per cent during the field evaluation by the Indian Army in 2011.
Since the induction and training, this was the first time that soldiers from the Indian Army carried out practice firing of the missile. The confidence of the firers in the missile was such that difficult firing scenarios were deliberately selected. This included firing into the sun with CCD, and firing with IIR without any heating of the target, using only the ambient temperature difference. All missiles successfully engaged the target.
As of date, more than 5,000 Spike missiles have been fired worldwide, with the overall hit percentage being more than 95 per cent.
For the last nearly three decades, the Indian Army has been using now-outdated second-generation missiles. The need to replace the inventory with third-generation missiles was recognized nearly ten years ago. Consequently, in 2011, an RFP was floated for more than 8,000 missiles with transfer of technology to Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). The Spike missile was the only one to qualify after going through the complex labyrinth of the Indian procurement process, and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) even completed the negotiation in 2016. The programme, however, did not see the light of the day as the government decided in favour of indigenous development by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Since then, while there seems to have been some progress on the DRDO development programme, it will take a long time for it to reach the user in the field. To overcome this critical capability void, the Indian Army procured a limited quantity of Spike LR missiles, so as to meet the urgent operational requirement. India became the 33rd country to have the Spike missile as part of its inventory.
General Rawat said at an event - Six Sigma Healthcare Delhi- that the Leadership is all about leading. "Therefore what is complex about leadership if it is all about leading? If you move forward everybody follows. It is not that simple. It appears simple, but it is a complex phenomenon."
During the event, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Harsh Vardhan was the guest of honour.
General Rawat said even among the crowd one would find a leader. "But leaders are those who lead people into the right directions," General Rawat said.
Indirectly hinting about violence and arson during agitation over the Citizenship Amendment Act across the country, General Rawat pointed out: "Leaders are not those who lead people in inappropriate directions, as we have witnessed in a large number of universities and college students... they are leading masses to carry out arson and violence in our cities and towns".
He stressed: "This is not leadership."
This is the first time General Rawat, who is to retire on December 31, made a statement over prevailing law and order situation in the country.
General Rawat is among the top contender for the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), the Principal Military Adviser to the Defence Minister on tri-services matters.
Sources said that government is considering appointing serving General Rawat as India's first CDS. The decision would be taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Rawat was commissioned into the 5th battalion of 11 Gorkha Rifles on December 16, 1978.
On December 16, the Central government announced that Lt Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane will be the next Chief of Army Staff leading the 1.3 million-strong force after General Rawat retires. Lt Gen Naravane is currently serving as Vice Chief of the Army.
(IANS)
General Rawat, who demitted office on retirement as Chief of Indian Army on Tuesday received the guard of honour from all the three forces.
Besides Rawat, Army Chief Manoj Mukund Naravane, Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria and Navy Chief Karambir Singh and other senior officers were also present during the guard of honour.
Speaking to media, General Rawat said, "All the three services will work as a team. As per the task was given to the Chief of Defence Staff, we have to enhance integration and do better resource management."
He also asserted that the task that has been given to him is to create "synergy" between the tri-services.
"Our action will depend on teamwork. We have to achieve more through our integrity and teamwork," he said.
"We keep ourselves away from politics. We act according to the directives of the government of the day," he said.
Gen Rawat said his focus will be to ensure best and optimal use of resources allocated to the three services.
(IANS)
Gen. Rawat was speaking along with other world leaders at Raisina dialogue organised by India's influential think-tank Observer Research Foundation (ORF).
Arguing that terrorism was going to stay in the world as long as states were going to use it against other states, he said it was important to prevent states from using terrorism as a "proxy war".
"The only way to deal with it was what the US did post 9/11," he said, adding that the war against terror was necessary.
However, now a peace deal with Taliban is required, Gen. Rawat said.
"It must be a negotiated peace deal so that the Taliban stops using terrorism," he added. Hinting that the US should maintain its presence in Afghanistan, the CDS said that though Afghan security forces are now equipped to fight back terror groups in Afghanistan but they still need support.
The newly appointed CDS officially confirmed that India has shifted its stance on Taliban. India has traditionally been opposed to the Pakistan-backed Taliban in Afghanistan. Thousands of Afghans were given refuge in India when they fled the country due to oppression and terrorism of the Taliban regime. India is in alignment with the democratically elected government in Kabul that the Taliban remains supported by Pakistan.
The air defence command is to be rolled out by the beginning of next year and the Peninsula command by the end of 2021, Gen Rawat told a select group of journalists.
The Indian Air Force will helm the air defence command and all-long range missiles, as well as air defence assets, will come under it, he said.
"India is looking at setting up a separate theatre command for Jammu and Kashmir," Gen Rawat said.
Indian Navy's Eastern and Western commands will be integrated into the Peninsula command, he said.
India will also have a separate training and doctrinal command and logistics command, he said.
He also favoured a policy of staggering procurement of big-ticket purchases, including the acquisition of 114 fighter jets.
The Navy's demand for a third aircraft carrier will be considered after assessing the performance of indigenously-built aircraft carrier, he said.
Gen Rawat also said that submarines are a priority over aircraft carrier for the Navy.
India is also looking at overseas bases for logistics, he added.
(PTI)
The Minister, who is on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh region, flew from Delhi to Leh early morning. Accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane, he reached Leh at around 8 a.m.
[caption id="attachment_462527" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Image Credit: RMO India[/caption]
Sources said that after reviewing the ground situation and interacting with the soldiers he would be flying for Srinagar in the late afternoon. The Minister would also interact with the soldiers injured in the barbaric attack carried out by Chinese People's Liberation Army on June 15. In the attack, India lost 20 soldiers and Chinese Army too had casualties, figures still unknown.
[caption id="attachment_462528" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Image Credit: RMO India[/caption]
Since the worst confrontation with China over the border issue, Singh had been ensuring that Indian armed forces are equipped with all the latest arms and materials and are logistically approachable at the borders. He had been meeting to all the stakeholders to ensure the force is ready for any confrontation.
Singh had earlier on July 3 planned to visit Leh, however, he had to drop it as Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to visit the forward location in Eastern Ladakh.
Currently, both India and China are engaged in military and diplomatic deliberation to de-escalate the tense situation at the border areas. The countries are locked in 10-week-long standoff at multiple points, hitherto unprecedented along the border.
On Tuesday both countries military delegates held deliberations about disengagement and de-escalation of troops and materials at the borders in Eastern Ladakh for 15 long hours. The talks started at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday and ended up at 2 a.m. on Wednesday. Indian delegates asked Chinese People's Liberation Army troops to completely withdraw from Pangong Lake and Depsang.
This is the fourth meeting between the delegates. The third meeting in June between the two countries delegates continued for almost 12 hours wherein India has put a strong message that to Chinese People's Liberation Army troops have not abided by the disengagement consensus.
(IANS)
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