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Order for Igla-S was positioned final 12 months to fulfil Military’s present necessities. With improved interception vary of as much as 6 km, Igla-S gives benefit over older Igla-1M programs
New Delhi: The Indian Military has acquired the primary batch of 24 Russia-made Igla-S Man Transportable Air Defence Techniques (MANPADS), together with 100 missiles, as half of a bigger deal which can see the remainder being made in India.
The system is being procured to shore up Indian Military’s Very Brief Vary Air Defence (VSHORAD) capabilities.
Sources within the defence institution stated that whereas the Military did induct a really small quantity (24 launchers and 216 missiles) of Igla-S as a part of emergency procurement in 2021, it is a bigger order.
The Igla-S system consists of a single launcher and a missile. India signed the contract with Russia in November final 12 months for 120 launchers and 400 missiles.
Whereas the primary batch has come from Russia, the remainder of these programs will probably be made in India by means of Switch of Know-how (ToT) from Russia by an Indian firm.
The Igla-S programs are underneath procurement for the brand new authorised air defence formations for prime mountainous terrain alongside the northern border.
Sources stated one regiment has acquired these programs, and some extra will get them as deliveries take form.
The Request for Proposal (RFP) for VSHORADs was issued in 2010 underneath the earlier United Progressive Alliance (UPA) authorities, after which the choice course of started.
Later in 2018, Russia’s Rosoboronexport-manufactured Igla-S gained a aggressive bid because the lowest bidder (L1) over France’s MBDA-manufactured infrared homing short-range air defence system Mistral and Sweden’s SAAB-manufactured RBS 70 NG.
On the time, the opposite two contenders despatched protest letters to the Indian Ministry of Defence and alleged rigging as they felt the Russian system failed to fulfill technical necessities.
MANPADS are moveable surface-to-air missile programs and air defence items in excessive mountainous areas use MANPADS to neutralise low-altitude aerial threats equivalent to plane, drones, and missiles.
The Indian Military already operates the Igla-1M programs, which want pressing substitute.
In 2012, then Military employees chief Normal V Okay Singh (Retd) wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that just about 97 p.c of the air defence was out of date. The letter stated the present air defence programs failed at “successfully defending towards enemy air assaults”.
The order for Igla-S would fulfil the present requirement of the Military for such programs.
As soon as that occurs, the Military will change the older Igla programs with superior laser-beam using and infrared VSHORADS. The contract for a similar is prone to be finalised quickly.
In February this 12 months, the Defence Analysis and Improvement Organisation performed two flight exams of indigenous VSHORADS missiles from a ground-based moveable launcher.
(With Company Inputs)
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