Soldiers of the Indian Army’s Parachute Regiment parade in new army uniforms earlier this year. (Doordarshan via Neelam Mathews)
The Indian Army’s ambitious plan to equip more than 300,000 soldiers, around 370 battalions, with the indigenous Futuristic Infantry Soldier as a System (F-INSAS) was unveiled by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on 16 August.
The $6 billion soldier modernisation plan will be introduced in phases, till it is fully networked and integrated as outlined. However, its timelines are unknown.
At present, an Indian soldier’s gear includes a ballistic vest, 5kg boots and equipment that weighs, in total, around 30kg.
The new F-INSAS lightweight system includes an AK-203 assault rifle to replace the INSAS weapon. AK-203s will be manufactured under an
Already have an account? Log in
The new artillery and howitzer factory pre-dates the emphasis on this capability from this month’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR). The first joint industry-government meeting outlined in the review took place this week.
Romania received its first Cobra MkII 4×4 light tactical armoured vehicles, ordered Abrams main battle tanks (MBTs) and VAMTAC light vehicles, and is set to invest billions-of-dollars in infantry fighting vehicles.
The Italian Army operates Pumas in 6×6 and 4×4 configurations but the platforms are ageing and numbers have fallen with obsolescence also being an issue. Any replacement is likely to have a focus on the involvement of local industry.
The VAMTAC (Vehículo de Alta Movilidad Táctico or High Mobility Tactical Vehicle) 4×4 by Urovesa is in service with or has been ordered by eight countries, the most recent being Spain this month and Romania last month.
Lockheed Martin’s Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) is a next-generation surface-to-surface missile with the solid rocket motor (SRM) provided by Northrop Grumman. The company is working to boost its SRM production capability.
The CV90 is in service with or ordered by ten countries. The agreement between six of these countries is designed to create commonality to provide economies of scale and a reduced training burden.
Connect with us on socials
