The Indian Ministry of Defense approved the need to purchase US NASAMS-II in the amount of S 1 billion US. This was reported by The Times of India newspaper as part of the article Like Washington and Moscow, Delhi too to get missile shield ", referring to the Defense Acquisitions Council (DAC).
The NASAMS-II air defense system is armed with a multi-level level protection system: the medium and short range AIM-120 AMRAAM SAMs, launchers, fire and distribution centers, and command and control units for quickly detecting, tracking and eliminating several air threats. According to official information, the complex was developed as a result of the joint work of the Norwegian company Kongsberg and the American holding Raytheon, which is now responsible for the supply of air defense systems to foreign partners. Integrated radar AN / MPQ-64F1 Sentinel. The range is 50 km, the export version - 25 km. The height of the interception target reaches 15 km. Currently, NASAMS-II operates in some European countries and as an exception in the United States (in Washington state). There are also plans to purchase this system in Australia.
The Indian Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) is in the final stages of developing its own two-tier anti-missile defense shield, which is designed to track and destroy nuclear missiles both inside and outside the Earth’s atmosphere. In the meantime, its own echelon missile system is missing, India intends to buy systems abroad. The delivery of American complexes will be held on the program Foreign Foreign Sales (FMS). The contractor in their supply will be the American company Raytheon.
At the same time, a ministry source reports that Delhi has postponed another major purchase of military equipment from the United States. We are talking about the supply of helicopters Sikorsky (Lockheed Martin) MH-60R. In total, under the contract it is planned to purchase 24 cars for an amount of approx. $ 2 billion
This decision is associated with the upcoming US sanctions CAATSA associated with the Russian-Indian cooperation in the military sphere. Mentioned that Delhi plans to conclude an agreement for the purchase of S-400 Triumph s-400s in the amount of $ 5.8 billion, which Washington opposes. The talks between the Indian Foreign Ministry and the Secretary of Defense with their American counterparts on this issue will be held on September 6.
By such actions, India makes concessions to the United States, but at the same time, having frozen the MH-60R supply deal, it makes it clear that it will defend its interests. In particular, we are talking about the supply of arms from Russia.
According to The Times of India, Indian naval forces also want to acquire multi-purpose helicopters armed with radar and sonar, as well as missiles, torpedoes and deep charges, since they do not have similar counterparts of their own production. There are about 12 old deck-based helicopters and 10 Ka-28 anti-submarine combat vehicles available. Admiral Sunil Lanba, in a lecture on Friday, said: "The Navy indicates critical fleet gaps in the absence of minesweepers, integral multipurpose and service helicopters, as well as non-nuclear submarines. The long-term project" Made in India "includes the Navy in which 123 multipurpose helicopters and 111 light helicopters.
This solution to the American side is not used by India in the first. In May 2018, the Ministry of Defense issued a request for the supply of 200 helicopters Ka-226T helicopters from Russia. Such actions are aimed at consolidating a broad policy on arms procurement. In addition, on July 25, the Indian Ministry of Defense, according to the article, was in the final stages of negotiations with Russia in order to take control of 48 additional military transport helicopters MI-17.
To the above cooperation with the Russian side, the article refers to the newspaper Economic Times, in which it is reported that India is one of the largest Russian operators of Russian equipment. To date, Russian helicopters have supplied 110 Mi-4 units, 128 Mi-8 units and about 160 Mi-17 type units.
On completion, it is worth mentioning another decision of the Indian Ministry of Defense. The choice in favor of NASAMS-II air defense systems means the rejection of the long-term procurement of SPYDER air defense systems from Israel. Initially, India had high hopes for the justification of the procurement of this system. But so far only 6 complexes have been supplied, and in the future they are likely to cease completely.
