ID :
10299
Wed, 06/18/2008 - 16:16
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/10299
The shortlink copeid
France offers to co-produce with India advanced combat systems
by A. K. Dhar
Paris, Jun 18 (PTI) France, which has supplied advanced
Mirage-2000 fighters and Scorpene submarines to India, Tuesday
offered to become its full weapons development partner to
produce front-line land combat systems for the Indian Army.
"We are ready to transfer front-line technology and work
to co-produce and jointly develop advanced systems like higher
firepower longer ranger artillery guns and high mobility land
mine secure vehicles for Indian security forces," officials of
the top French land armament company, Nexter, said here.
The French offer comes at a time when Indian Army is on
the threshold of floating its biggest-ever global tenders for
2000-3000 wheeled, towed and tracked 155 mm guns of .52
calibre and 1000-2000 high speed mine protected troop carrying
4x4 and 8x8 specialised troop combat vehicles for forces
operating against terrorists and Maoists.
The tenders, according to experts here, could run up to
5-7 billion Euros with deliveries expected in three to five
years.
The French offer was echoed by the country's Defence
Minister Herve Morim as he threw open the five-day world's
biggest land system exhibition, Eurosatory 2008 near here.
Spelling out that terrorism had become an international
scourge, Morim said France was ready to co-produce and jointly
develop high-tech weapons with its strategic partners.
His comments came as leading companies from the U.S.,
Europe, Africa and others have put on display technology-
driven new weapons systems to combat terrorism keeping their
first hand experience gathered during operations in
Afghanistan.
Indian Army is planning to float new tenders for
purchasing up to 3,000 155 mm .52 calibre artillery guns of
which 814 would be wheeled guns and another 1,500 towed guns
to bring its artillery firepower up to N.A.T.O. standards.
The state-owned French land combat systems company which
has recently downsized to become Europe's leading artillery
and tank building company has expressed its willingness to
co-produce and jointly develop land combat systems with India.
However, Indian defence planners are in a quandary over
the purchase of higher firepower artillery guns, with an
apparent hesitation in going in for controversial Bofors guns.
While Indian army has progressed tremendously in
modernising its infantry and armoured units, its artillery
upgradation programme is running 10 years behind schedule.
Nexter is offering its just-produced truck-mounted
Caesar wheeled .52 calibre guns which, its top official
Laurent Nicolas says, "is unequalled in strategic mobility
and air transportability in a C-130 J transport aircraft."
The French guns have already been inducted into the
French Army and have seen action in Afghanistan.
For the Indian Army's forthcoming order, the French firm
would be in competition with Israel's Atmos Soltam System,
Serbian Nora, South African Condor and matching guns from
Slovakia.
Nexter officials said they are ready to offer the guns on
government-to-government sale basis if India so wanted. The
Caesar gun can fire six rounds to a distance of 40 kms with a
rate of fire of six rounds per minute and a gun crew of just
five.
The Caesar guns support on board navigator and ballistics
computer with muzzle velocity measurement radar and can be
used with any fire control system.
"We are ready to transfer full and total technology of
the gun systems to India," said Nicolas in comments which
assume significance in view of remarks by Defence Minister A.
K. Antony that foreign nations were reluctant to part with
frontline technology to India.
These guns were on display at the Eurosatory. The French
company is already collaborating with India to make THL 20
guns which are being mounted as turrets for army aviation's
light combat attack helicopters which are undergoing tests at
HAL.
"We have delivered under an agreement signed in 2006 80
such turrets," Nicolas said, indicating that Nexter would
also be bidding for India's expected request for proposals
for 400 new infantry combat vehicles which are nuclear
biological chemicals (N.B.C.) proof. PTI
Paris, Jun 18 (PTI) France, which has supplied advanced
Mirage-2000 fighters and Scorpene submarines to India, Tuesday
offered to become its full weapons development partner to
produce front-line land combat systems for the Indian Army.
"We are ready to transfer front-line technology and work
to co-produce and jointly develop advanced systems like higher
firepower longer ranger artillery guns and high mobility land
mine secure vehicles for Indian security forces," officials of
the top French land armament company, Nexter, said here.
The French offer comes at a time when Indian Army is on
the threshold of floating its biggest-ever global tenders for
2000-3000 wheeled, towed and tracked 155 mm guns of .52
calibre and 1000-2000 high speed mine protected troop carrying
4x4 and 8x8 specialised troop combat vehicles for forces
operating against terrorists and Maoists.
The tenders, according to experts here, could run up to
5-7 billion Euros with deliveries expected in three to five
years.
The French offer was echoed by the country's Defence
Minister Herve Morim as he threw open the five-day world's
biggest land system exhibition, Eurosatory 2008 near here.
Spelling out that terrorism had become an international
scourge, Morim said France was ready to co-produce and jointly
develop high-tech weapons with its strategic partners.
His comments came as leading companies from the U.S.,
Europe, Africa and others have put on display technology-
driven new weapons systems to combat terrorism keeping their
first hand experience gathered during operations in
Afghanistan.
Indian Army is planning to float new tenders for
purchasing up to 3,000 155 mm .52 calibre artillery guns of
which 814 would be wheeled guns and another 1,500 towed guns
to bring its artillery firepower up to N.A.T.O. standards.
The state-owned French land combat systems company which
has recently downsized to become Europe's leading artillery
and tank building company has expressed its willingness to
co-produce and jointly develop land combat systems with India.
However, Indian defence planners are in a quandary over
the purchase of higher firepower artillery guns, with an
apparent hesitation in going in for controversial Bofors guns.
While Indian army has progressed tremendously in
modernising its infantry and armoured units, its artillery
upgradation programme is running 10 years behind schedule.
Nexter is offering its just-produced truck-mounted
Caesar wheeled .52 calibre guns which, its top official
Laurent Nicolas says, "is unequalled in strategic mobility
and air transportability in a C-130 J transport aircraft."
The French guns have already been inducted into the
French Army and have seen action in Afghanistan.
For the Indian Army's forthcoming order, the French firm
would be in competition with Israel's Atmos Soltam System,
Serbian Nora, South African Condor and matching guns from
Slovakia.
Nexter officials said they are ready to offer the guns on
government-to-government sale basis if India so wanted. The
Caesar gun can fire six rounds to a distance of 40 kms with a
rate of fire of six rounds per minute and a gun crew of just
five.
The Caesar guns support on board navigator and ballistics
computer with muzzle velocity measurement radar and can be
used with any fire control system.
"We are ready to transfer full and total technology of
the gun systems to India," said Nicolas in comments which
assume significance in view of remarks by Defence Minister A.
K. Antony that foreign nations were reluctant to part with
frontline technology to India.
These guns were on display at the Eurosatory. The French
company is already collaborating with India to make THL 20
guns which are being mounted as turrets for army aviation's
light combat attack helicopters which are undergoing tests at
HAL.
"We have delivered under an agreement signed in 2006 80
such turrets," Nicolas said, indicating that Nexter would
also be bidding for India's expected request for proposals
for 400 new infantry combat vehicles which are nuclear
biological chemicals (N.B.C.) proof. PTI
