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 Doctrinal
re-awakening of the Indian Armed Forces
analysis of the immense
change in Indian military thinking.
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Factors
precipitating doctrinal rethinking
Introduction
Indian and Pakistani military doctrines have had a
distinctive defensive undertone ever since the two
countries gained independence from the British in
1947. Notwithstanding the three wars and several 'near'
wars that these two countries have engaged in over
the period of their existence as independent nations,
no significant shift in their respective military
and war-fighting doctrines has come about.
Lately, however,
some events that have taken place in the region and
also elsewhere that have highlighted to both the countries
that their existing doctrines need to be modified
in order to cater for the altered situation and the
emerging scenario....more
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Ghauri-1,
BrahMos & Agni A-1 missile tests: Significance?
The recent spate of missile
tests in SOUTH ASIA.
[ZAFAR NAWAZ JASPAL]
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On June 4, 2004 Pakistan conducted
a successful test of its Ghauri-1 missile. Subsequently,
India tested its BrahMos and Agni A-1 on June 13 and
July 4, respectively. According to the New Delhi and
Islamabad official statements the recent BrahMos,
Agni A-1 and two Ghauri-1 missile tests were routine
tests for the verification of these missiles additional
technical improvements. Admittedly, India and Pakistan
conducted missile tests from time to time to validate
various improvements in the qualitative parameters
of their vast range of missiles inventory. But the
testing time of these missiles is very critical. Delhi
and Islamabad conducted nuclear capable missile tests
at the time when they have been engaged in discussing
the ways and means to reduce the risks from their
nuclear rivalry and improve their bilateral relations.
India and Pakistan use their missile
tests to ensure the credibility of their deterrence
against their adversaries. It is also an open secret
that these missile tests are also utilized for the
sake of political objectives. T.S. Subramanian, for
example, wrote in The Hindu, “The Agni A-1 is
said to be India's reply to Pakistan's Ghauri missile.
It fills the gap between the Prithvi-2 missile, which
has a range of about 250 km, and the Agni-2 with a
range of 2,500 km”.1 The recent missile tests
also indicate that the ongoing peace process between
India and Pakistan, has failed to convince the strategic
competitors to adopt non-provocative ideas in their
strategic policies. Moreover, this peace process failed
to prevent the substantial annual increase in the
Indian military budget. Therefore, they have been
living in both peace and war - in a condition of radical
uncertainty.....more
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The
Apache attack helicopter
A description of the
attack helicopter and discusses its role in military
operations.
[ S JADALLAH]
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Introduction
Since the Second World War, the military helicopter
has come to prominence as the workhorse of the battlefield.
Its roles include casualty evacuation, transport,
observation, and as a direct fire weapon. The attack
helicopter, in particular, is achieving dominance
making the tank obsolete and replacing the fixed-wing
ground-attack aircraft.
The helicopter as a weapons platform
The arming of the helicopter dates almost from the
time the helicopter first went into production. In
the Korean War, hand-held guns and door-mounted general
purpose machine guns were introduced, but they were
less than successful. Performance was so poor that
there was a constant weaving between payload and fuel;
even the crew was marginal in some missions. Little
thought appeared to have been given to what targets
armed helicopters might successfully engage and it
was hard to believe that the helicopter would ever
become a weapons platform.
The first military helicopters were therefore used
for casualty evacuation, transportation of senior
commanders and for observation, but rarely for an
offensive roll. Its instability and high vibrations
level gave new meaning to the word 'inaccuracy', and
there were only few weapons that were even remotely
suitable for installing on helicopters, and these
were usually heavy, bulky, inherently inaccurate,
lacked range and had limited lethality.... more
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