Archive for September, 2007
Tuesday, September 4th, 2007
Today marks the commencement of MALABAR 2/07 in the Bay of Bengal. Exercise MALABAR is an annual maritime training exercise conducted between the navies of India and the United States. MALABAR 2/07 represents the eleventh iteration of the MALABAR exercise series, the last of which was held in April 2007 off the coast of Japan. This is the second series with the participation of the Japan, Australia and Singapore as additional countries. Exercise MALABAR will consist of a series of graduated training serials and weapon practices designed to increase interoperability among the participants. It will also feature an opportunity to improve standard operating procedures used in the execution of maritime security operations. Twenty-seven ships and submarines from the United States, Australia, Japan and Singapore. India will be represented by seven ships. The Malabar 07-2 exercise will be held at the Andamans archipelago in the Bay of Bengal for six-day manoeuvres. The war games will be held in international waters between Visakhapatnam, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Malacca Strait.
Among airwing, India is fielding maritime strike Jaguar IM, Sea Harriers, Tu-142 surveillance platforms,Sea King helicopters and US is fielding aircrafts from USS Kitty Hawk and USS Nimitz. Over 200 aircrafts will be involved.
The U.S. will be represented by the aircraft carriers USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63); guided missile cruisers USS Cowpens (CG 63) and USS Princeton (CG 59); guided missile destroyers USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54), USS Mustin (DDG 89), USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53), USS Chafee (DDG 90), and USS Higgins (DDG 76); and various P-3C and SH-60 aircrafts. In addition, two maritime prepositioning ships will participate for various portions of the exercise.
From Singapore, the RSN frigate, RSS Formidable, will be taking part in the exercise.
The Japanese are represented by Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer JS Yuudachi (DD 103) and and JS Oonami (DD 111).
Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is represented by the frigate HMAS Adelaide and the fleet oiler HMAS Sirius. “Exercise MALABAR is a great training opportunity and is advantageous to the readiness and professional development of the participating navies,” Commander Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Nigel Coates, AM, RAN, said. Rear Admiral Coates said “The Royal Australian Navy looks forward to strengthening their bonds and personal relationships with participating navies, and I thank India for the invitation to attend”.
Posted in Indian Navy News, Military News - America, Military News - Asia | No Comments »
Monday, September 3rd, 2007
Lt Gen SPS Dhillon, GOC Desert Corps, released the new edition of “Customs & Etiquette in the Services ”at a well attended ceremony at Jodhpur today.
”Customs & Etiquette in the Services” is written by Maj Gen RK Arora and Col HR Roach and is considered the Bible of Etiquette amongst armed forces officers. The book was first published in 1956 and has been updated with every edition.
The 216 page attractive book, published by Dehra Dun based Natraj Publishers, deals with customs of the Army, Navy and the Air Force is a semi-official treatise on how an officer is expected to conduct himself not only when on parade , but more importantly when off parade. Paying of compliments, the dress code, the esoteric art of table manners, the procedures to be followed during Dinner and Regimental Guest Nights, the Officers dress Code, and a host of customs and rituals, which have since time immemorial acted as a unifying and driving force amongst the Services, have been encapsulated in language easily understandable by the professional soldier as well as the layman. This latest edition also contains a chapter on etiquette for the Lady Officers and another on etiquette on the Golf Course. This book should also be of immense interest to a wide.
Maj Gen Arora is the GOC of the Battle Axe Division. He has also written a number of books on military history. His last book “The Trishakti Corps : A Saga of Success” was released in September last year.
Col Roach was an instructor at the Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun, when the book was first written. He has since retired from service.
The book has a foreword by Adjutant General of the Army, Lt Gen Thomas Mathew. As per Lt Gen Mathew, the book is appropriate for people in all walks of life.
Posted in General Indian Armed Forces News | No Comments »
Monday, September 3rd, 2007
In a daredevil night rescue operation by the IAF on 02 September 2007, the MI-17 Helicopter crew from the Jodhpur based 107 Helicopter Unit rescued Shri Dilip Kumar, a reveller who was washed away in the flash floods while saving others from his group. The group was enjoying the weekend at the gorges at Bhawarkund, a picnic spot on the banks of Chambal river near Kota town in Rajasthan. On receiving request from DC Jodhpur at 1800 hrs, the Air Officer Commanding, Jodhpur air base, Air Commodore J Kumbhat launched a MI-17 Helicopter fitted with NVG (Night Vision Goggles) within the shortest possible time. The Helicopter was airborne by 1940 hrs and reached the spot which was surrounded by high tension cables with extra size poles.
The captain of the Helicopter, Wing Commander Sameer Pendse with his co pilot Squadron Leader Rosa used night vision goggles to track Dilip Kumar who was there since the last 5 to 6 hours. The pilots hovered for almost 20 minutes over the spot, criss-crossed by high tension cables. A winch and monkey belt was sent below for rescue, but Dilip Kumar refused to come up as he was either tired or he was scared. The captain then sent the third pilot Squadron Leader Pranay who volunteered to go down. The courageous pilot came down under winch and held Shri Dilip Kumar and pulled him up. The complete operation which took 40 minutes of hovering and operations in the night without lights was a tedious task for the pilots. “Wing Commander Mathur, the Commanding Officer of the Kota based Air Squadron NCC was of a great help. Being a local pilot, he gave me the general description of the high tension wires and topography of the area from the Air Traffic Control. He also helped me communicate to the state authorities to switch off all the ground lights available at the site so that they could effectively used the NVG’s” stated Wing Commander Pendse.
Landing back with Dilip Kumar at Kota Airfield was also a difficult task. The Kota airfield did not have any night landing facility. Four trucks were positioned with lights on at the tarmac of Kota Airfield so as to make the MI 17 land.
Posted in Indian Air Force News | No Comments »
Monday, September 3rd, 2007
Washington, D.C. September 3, 2007 — Indian American Security Leadership Council (IASLC), a non-profit bipartisan organization of high profile Indian-Americans is busy organizing Security Policy Conference to strengthen the U.S.-India Security Alliance in Washington,DC.
The Security Alliance Policy Conference is expected to be attended by many military experts and policymakers from both U.S. and India. Some of the distinguished speakers at the event include Admiral K.K. Nayyar, Air Marshal B.D. Jayal and Lt. General Jfr Jacob from India. Admiral Nayyar is a member of National Security Advisory Board and Chairman, National Maritime Foundation and the Forum for Strategic & Security Studies, a New Delhi based think tank. Air Marshal Jayal was awarded PVSM and AVSM awards for his service, and is a major policy contributor for the Indian Air Force. Lt. General Jacob was Chief of Staff of Indian Army during the critical period of 1971 Bangladesh liberation and is author of a book ”Surrender at Dhaka Birth of a Nation”.
Top US lawmaker Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senate Armed Service Committee member Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) are the key note speakers at the Policy Conference. Admiral Walter F. Doran, USN, Four Star Admiral in-charge of the Pacific fleet and Department of Defense Pacific Command Assistant Secretary James Clad are the prominent US policymakers speaking at the event. The security conference on U.S.-India Security Alliance is scheduled on September 5, 2007 at Senate Hart Building, Washington, DC.
IASLC was created to encourage closer ties between the US and India, and to promote the idea that US future security would be greatly enhanced by working closely with India. In the past, IASLC was instrumental in the passage of US-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Corporation Act in the House and Senate. “Our first goal was to facilitate the passage of the US-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Corporation Act in the House of Representatives and the Senate,” said Ramesh Kapur, President, IASLC. “We believe US-India relations will have ups and downs in business and international arena, but the security interest will be the glue that will keep US-India as a strategic ally for the next century.”
Mr. Kapur added, “India, the world’s largest democracy with over 60 years of electoral stability, is a growing military and economic power in the region, and can help safeguard American security interest in a way that no other country in the region can.”
As many experts have evaluated US-India Civil Nuclear deal to be in the best interest of the two world powers,only time will tell the outcome of the parliamentary debate on 123 Agreement between US and India. In the meantime IASLC continues to promote the security alliance between US, the oldest democracy and India, the largest democracy in the world. Mr. Kapur further said that, “We have a long term focus to promote a security policy that would make this world a safer place to live.”
Posted in Strategic Issues | No Comments »
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