Monday’s Roll-up of Naval/Missile News

 

 

 

Following in the footsteps of a February announcement of joint development of a naval long-range surface-to-air missile comes the announcement that a medium-range variant will also be jointly developed. As with the long-range variant, the MR version will be based on the Israeli-developed Barak ship point defense missile. Barak is a supersonic, vertically-launched short range air defense system. It is currently in service with at least India, Israel, Singapore, and Venezuela, and possibly several other countries as well. India has bought over $300 million worth of these missiles as a substitute for the indigenous but long-delayed Trishul ("Trident") missile project, and Barak systems now equip many of the ships in India’s Navy. The missile’s fast response time, effectiveness against missile threats, and compact size are considerable assets, but they are currently offset somewhat by a range of only 10 km/ 6 miles or so. The Navy’s Barak-NG project aimed to give the missiles a much longer reach, with the intention of making it India’s primary naval SAM.

 As with many other challenging engineering projects, India’s indigenous “Akash” has been beset with developmental problems and remains in the testing stage, even after decades in development. Most reports, however, place the desired capabilities at 70 km/ 42 mile range (though India Defence says 150 km/ 90 miles) effective range, with 360 degree coverage and the ability to engage multiple targets simultaneously. The MR-SAM project will provide capabilities for naval- and land forces and fits an emerging Indian force improvement model that relies heavily on foreign partnership and technology transfer to offset indigenous shortcomings.  Evidence of this model are found in a variety of programs, including the multi-role combat aircraft competition recently approved for tender. Historically, Russia has been India’s biggest arms development partner, however recent Israeli inroads substantially threaten that position.

Sources:

• Defense Industry Daily: India & Israel Introducing MR-SAM 
• IAI Industries – Ship Self Defense System
• AW&ST: 2006 Foreign Defense Sales Expected to Top $20B  

(note: a January 2007 press release by Israel’s Ministry of Defense confirms the country’s 2006 Defense Export contracts topped $4.4B, making Israel one of the top 5 exporters behind the US, Russia, Britain & France. India was Israel’s biggest customer with $1.5B in purchases including the Barak defense system. – ed)

 

Kaczynski, Bush To Resolve Details On Missile Shield

 

(Washington Times) Polish President Lech Kaczynski meets with President Bush in Washington today to iron out details of plans for a U.S. missile shield in Eastern Europe that is straining relations with Moscow. Underlining the tension between Russia and the West, President Vladimir Putin on Saturday signed a decree suspending Moscow’s participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty. The Bush administration is determined to proceed with building the missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic despite Mr. Putin’s objections and his proposal to use a radar system in Azerbaijan instead. The talks with Mr. Kaczynski, one of Russia’s most outspoken critics and a key U.S. ally in Europe, should bring the plan closer to life. “We won’t be announcing a final agreement in Washington because President Kaczynski will want to do this at home. But we should be much closer to a deal after the meeting,” said a senior Polish official, who declined to be named. The United States wants to place interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar facility in the Czech Republic to protect the United States and its allies from missile attacks from what it calls “rogue states” such as Iran and North Korea.

Chinese Warship-Buying Spree Prompts Concern

 

 

 

(WSJ): KAOLAO, China — On one side of a rocky promontory jutting into the Yellow Sea here sits a ramshackle fishing village, its wooden boats pulled up on the beach. On the other, lie well-guarded berths that are home to some of the most advanced vessels in the Chinese navy: heavily armed attack submarines. Many believe China’s growing ties to the world economy and its dependence on imported oil and raw materials will ensure China’s "peaceful rise," as Beijing’s leaders have pledged. But these same commercial interests — and the need to defend them — are also driving China to pursue military might.

"The oceans are our lifelines. If commerce were cut off, the economy would plummet," says Ni Lexiong, a fellow at the Shanghai National Defense Institute and an outspoken proponent of Chinese sea power. "We need a strong navy."

But as China’s navy becomes better equipped and farther ranging, it is causing alarm bells to ring in Washington, Tokyo and Taipei. The U.S. is strengthening its forces in Asia, partly in response to China. It is also encouraging Japan to boost its own military and naval capabilities, and is even cultivating ties with Mongolia, on China’s northern border.

"The improvement in the Chinese military is significant. That is obviously of interest to us and to everyone in the world — and appropriately so," says Adm. Timothy J. Keating, commander in chief of U.S. forces in the Pacific.