Defense

weepers. Vice Adm Kumar said that as the industry developed UUVs for military purposes, it wi imperative to consider their compatibility with the existing manned platforms as a critical deliverable.

The Indian Navy is participating in Exercise Cutlass Express 2021, which got underway on July 26 along the East Coast of Africa. The drill is an annual maritime exercise conducted to promote national and regional maritime security in East Africa and the Western Indian Ocean.

LCA-Tejas Mark 2, the second generation fighter prototypes are underway in association with the DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA). “We expect the first prototype to be ready by next year-end. It will be lengthier and is under design stage with structural and systems plans in place. It will take one year for the ground runs and the then flight trails will start to be completed by 2026-27,” he said.

Along with the help of satellites and drones, Indian security forces are also creating a network of surveillance cameras and sensors to keep a close watch on the Chinese Army along the Line of Actual Control. The Indian Army had highlighted the need for creating this surveillance network in a briefing to a parliamentary committee to keep a close watch on the Chinese actions there.

Among equipment seen on the frigate include a Bharat Electronics (BEL)-built EW system that has been installed in place of the older Russian-origin ASOR 11356 EW system. The BEL-built system appears to be the Varuna electronic support measures (ESM) suite developed by India’s Defence Electronics Research Laboratory (DLRL).

The project, coming up on a 154.4 hectare site, will comprise a technical facility, a few launch pads, control centre and state-of-the-art communications systems.

The Indian Air Force formally inducted Rafale aircraft into No. 101 Squadron at Air Force Station Hasimara in Eastern Air Command (EAC) on 28 Jul 21. Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria PVSM AVSM VM ADC, Chief of the Air Staff presided over the induction ceremony. On arrival, CAS was received by Air Marshal Amit Dev AVSM VSM, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command. The event also included a fly-past heralding the arrival of Rafale aircraft to Hasimara followed by a traditional water cannon salute.

The Indian Army has deployed over 15,000 additional troops in eastern Ladakh to counter Chinese aggression. These troops were part of the army’s counter-terrorism units in Jammu and Kashmir.