New Delhi and Boeing ink sub hunter deal

http://www.itexaminer.com/new-delhi-and-boeing-ink-sub-hunter-deal.aspx

Will replace aging Tupolev-142M fleet

By Aharon Etengoff in San Francisco @ Tuesday, January 06, 2009 5:26 AM



New Delhi and Boeing have inked a lucrative, $2.1 billion contract for the delivery of eight P-8 Poseidon sub hunters.

The new aircraft will replace a fleet of outdated Russian-manufactured Tupolev-142M planes.

The P-8 is is based on Boeing's popular 737-800 commercial jet, but features the wings of the 737-900ER (extended range). The plane is equipped with a sophisticated radar system used to facilitate advanced reconnaissance missions over an area of 600 nautical miles.



The long-range maritime reconnaissance (LRMR) aircraft is expected to be armed with Harpoon missiles, depth bombers and torpedoes. The Poseidon, which is capable of carrying 120 sonobuoys, has two pylons under each wing for weapons and can be refueled in mid-air.

C Uday Bhaskar, former head of India's Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses, told the Financial Times that the government should have purchased the planes years ago.

"It was very long required for India as far as maritime surveillance. But the general mood in the country post-Mumbai has allowed this to go ahead," said Bhaskar.

Indeed, chief of naval staff admiral Sureesh Mehta recently acknowledged significant gaps in coastal surveillance and admitted that the "systemic failure brought about by Mumbai terror attacks needs to be taken stock of".

It should be noted that the Indian navy has already taken several significant steps to bolster its blue-water capabilities, including the acquistion of a Russian aicraft carrier and a 16,900-tonne Jalashwa transport ship. The 173-metre-long Landing Pontoon Dock (LPD), currrently the second largest Indian warship in service, is capable of transporting four landing craft, six helicopters and a battalion of 900 soldiers.

New Delhi has also made a salient effort to increase its role in various multinational naval campaigns. For example, the Indian navy participated in evacuating 2,280 civilians during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war. It was also the first to send relief supplies to Myanmar in May, which had suffered extensive casualties from a devastating cyclone. Nevertheless, India has steadfastly refused to join a formidable anti-terror naval task force led by the US and Britain because it does not fall under the auspices of the UN.

"Power projection today every nation is doing. India is now in a position to project its power and earn goodwill. Though this event is not related to any entry into the Security Council yet, it's part of a larger scheme of things," explained lieutenant general (retired) Raj Kadyan. X