India and the United States are in discussion for supply of 145 M777A2 LW155 howitzers for the Indian Army, it said.
BAE Systems, the world's third-largest defence company in terms of revenue, wants to set up shop in India, instead of opting for the conventional route of selling military equipment from the US or UK or produce defence systems along with a local partner for the armed forces. It seeks to develop technology to meet Indian needs and create an export base for India as its long-term goal. Also, this company will be run and managed by Indians.
'The heat shield technology for re-entry vehicles was first mastered in DRDO for the Agni missile.' 'This is why the Americans were so opposed to Agni in the 1980s, unlike other missiles -- it was a re-entry vehicle.'
'Government officials use Gmail and ordinary phones without basic security consciousness.' 'Interoperability, especially in joint exercises with countries like the US, worries me.' 'It often means we open our systems to them, but they don't reciprocate.' 'They could have kill switches in their systems and might even be able to affect ours.'
The UK-based BAE Systems has zeroed in on M&M and is believed to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) after holding talks with at least two other leading corporates -- Tatas and Larsen and Toubro (L&T) for its Indian Land Systems project, sources close to the development said.
The state-owned Indian company is already making 42 Hawks under licence in Bangalore as part of an pound 800m order to supply the Indian air force with 66 fighter trainers and train its pilots.
'The most ambitious part of the BAE-HAL agreement involves building an advanced version of the Hawk, which could be used as a light, manoeuvrable, fighter that could operate in the narrow valleys of India's Himalayan frontier, where high-performance fighters cannot turn,' reports Ajai Shukla.
The 145 M-777 guns, manufactured by the BAE Systems, are being taken to Pokhran firing range in Rajasthan for test firing.
If the US Congress (legislature) clears, under its Foreign Military Sale (FMS) procedure, an Indian requirement of 177 145M 155mm lightweight towed howitzers, India will become owners of the lightest 'shoot-and-scoot' gun in the world, Andrew Gallagher, president BAE Systems India, told Business Standard.
The Indian Air Force is planning to induct 20 more Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft from the British BAE Systems for its aerobatic team Surya Kiran which has been grounded since last year.
The first Hawk will be flown by the IAF by end 2006 and is expected to be accepted by India in early 2007, BAE Systems Senior Military Advisor, Air Chief Marshal Sir John Day said.
M&M is in talks with BAE systems to develop mine protected vehicles for India.
With the induction, the IAF would become the 19th Air Force in the world to use Hawks as its trainer frontline aircraft.
After the Chinese People's Liberation Army troop buildup at the Line of Actual Control, the border separating India and China, the Indian Army has beefed up the 1,300 km-long LAC in the eastern sector in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh.
The barrel of the US-manufactured gun exploded during field trial in Pokhran.
A 500 million-pound deal for BAE systems, Britain's biggest defence contractor, to supply Hawk jet trainers is expected to be among a string of high-profile contracts to be signed during Prime Minister David Cameron's two-day visit to India commencing on Wednesday. BAE Systems will announce a 500 million-pound deal to build 57 Hawk trainer jets in collaboration with their Indian partners HAL near Bengaluru, as a centrepiece of Cameron's visit.
This is the first deal for artillery guns since the Bofors scandal in 1980s.
A peep into Airbus 320 manufacturing unit.
For years, New Delhi and Washington have negotiated the purchase of 145 M777 howitzers. Ajai Shukla reports
Tie-up with MBDA will have Indian partner as majority shareholder; first product likely in 2 years.
In August, the Pentagon re-notified the United States Congress of sale of howitzers to India for up to $885 million. A 2010 notification had stated a maximum cost of $647 million
If India's military eventually plumps for primarily American equipment, a major reason will be: soldiers, sailors and airmen are completely sick of being gypped through poorly-framed acquisition contracts that entirely favour the foreign suppliers.
The US military industrial complex is pulling out all the stops to secure the $10 billion deal for 126 fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force and in its latest manifestation has co-opted a top Pentagon official to make a strong pitch for why this sale should be won by US defence manufacturers.
He said the ministry was considering bidding out the airstrips in blocks for development as it might not be feasible to do it individually.
During the 10-week programme, the pilots underwent ground school training and simulator sorties at Royal Air Force Valley, avionics training at BAE Systems in Brough, and sea survival training, prior to flying training.
After almost two decades, Swedish armaments major Bofors has re-entered the Indian market in its new avatar BAe Systems SWS Defence by signing an agreement with the Ordnance Factories Board to upgrade air defence guns.
A preliminary inquiry has found that the explosion took place due to faulty ammunition supplied by the Ordnance Factory Board and a further probe into the matter was on, the sources said.
The deal for the Sea Harriers was likely to be signed in fiscal year 2006-07.
Flexible, maneuverable, mobile and swift, the M-777A2 Ultra-Light Howitzers are just what India needed to replace its aging battle-tested Bofors guns, says Debalina Ghoshal.
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd has climbed six notches to reach the 51st position in a list of the world's top 100 defence companies compiled by US-based Defense News.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has climbed six notches to reach the 45th position in the list of top 100 defence companies in the world.
$1 billion worth of naval guns will be used against warships, anti-aircraft and shore bombardment.
The army has long been deficient in artillery, the modern battlefield's most lethal killer, says Ajai Shukla.
A whirlwind trip of the dark underbelly of global finance, covering everything from tax law changes to aiding criminals to decamp with money from bank accounts.
The Indian Army has deployed a significant number of easily transportable M-777 ultra-light howitzers in mountainous regions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh, military officials said on Thursday.
Costing Rs 500 billion, the INS Vishal will be the Indian military's single most expensive defence platform.
C2C DB Systems is tightly integrated into India's warship production eco-system.
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