FDAJB facility visit: Indian Army to get upgraded Schilkas next year

 The first Schilka upgraded tank at BEL SBU in Bangalore. Photo: Bhaktar Babu, Bangalore Beat

 | By Anantha Krishnan M. | AVIATION WEEK |

Bangalore |  India | December 6, 2010 |

The Indian army will receive the first batch of upgraded Soviet-made Schilka tanks from next year onward. Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) has completed giving the first tank a new lease on life at its Military Radar Strategic Business Unit in Bengaluru. BEL won a global tender to upgrade the tanks, which the Indian army finds difficult to use because of their increasing operational cost and component obsolescence. The army released the tender in 1997, specifically to upgrade the Schilka weapon systems. The tanks are armed with 23-mm. guns featuring four barrels to enable a high rate of fire.

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FDAJB visits Akash Missile System unit: BEL says IAF will get first Akash squadron next month

The Batch-1 from the Forum of Defense and Aerospace Journalists, Bangalore (FDAJB), had a facility visit to BEL's Radar SBU in Bangalore on November 2. The FDAJB members was shown various features of the Akash Missile System. In the  last photo, FDAJB members in front of the Russian Schilka tank, which is now being upgraded by BEL. (A report on the same will go live in Aviation Week today). Photography from close range was prohibited inside the high-sensitive Akash facility. Photos: Bhaktar Babu, Bangalore Beat

| By Anantha Krishnan M. | AVIATION WEEK |

Bangalore |  India | December 2, 2010 |

The Indian Air Force (IAF) soon will form its first squadron of the homegrown tactical Akash Missile System (AMS) at Gwalior Air Base. Bharat Electronics Ltd., the principal integrator for AMS, will hand over the first squadron next month. The IAF is expected to operate the system with the Mirage 2000. P.C. Jain, BEL’s general manager of Defense Radars, says his company has firm orders for two AMS squadrons of 48 missiles worth Rs 1,221 crore ($269.5 million). Jain spoke Dec. 2 at the Forum of Defense and Aerospace Journalists of Bangalore.  BEL hopes to win additional AMS contracts from the IAF and the Indian Army.

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