No end to jawans' wait for 1.86L bullet-proof jackets

[Zarvan]

File photo DGP Sreekumar checking the bullet proof jacket of one of the commandos in Bangalore. (TOI Photo: Chethan Shivakumar)

NEW DELHI: Leave alone new-generation assault rifles, light machine guns or close-quarter battle carbines, the humble infantry soldier is still nowhere getting something as basic as proper lightweight modular bullet-proof jackets a decade after the demand was first made.

Defence ministry sources on Tuesday said the procurement for 1,86,138 bullet-proof jackets through the "capital procurement route", which was approved by the defence acquisitions council in October 2009, is now on the verge of being scrapped.

All these 1.86 lakh jackets, each costing around Rs 50,000, were to be inducted by 2012. Another 1.67 lakh jackets were to be ordered in the second round. "But the jackets offered by six vendors have not met the technical parameters or GSQRs (general staff qualitative requirements) laid down by the Army. DRDO laboratory DMSRDE (defence materials research & development establishment), too, has failed to deliver," said a source.

The only silver lining is that the "emergency revenue procurement" of 50,000 jackets, approved as an operational urgency by defence minister Manohar Parrikar last year, is finally showing some progress now.

Two Indian firms, Tata Advanced Materials and MKU, have been selected and asked to submit "advance samples" for comprehensive ballistic tests. "If they pass, then bulk orders of 25,000 each would be placed on the two firms. These jackets should cost around Rs 25,000 apiece," said the MoD source.

But a fresh tender, with new GSQRs, will now have to be floated for the bigger project for 1.86 lakh modular jackets. These jackets were required to effectively protect the head, neck, chest, groin and sides of soldiers as well as allow them to move with greater agility during counter-insurgency operations.

The Army wanted a modular jacket, whose weight could vary depending on the level of protection needed. The jacket was to weigh less than 4-kg for "low threat'' missions. For "high threat" missions, the jacket was to weigh up to 11.5 kg with hard armour plates.

The project was cleared in 2009 since the Army then had a shortage of 1.86 lakh jackets in its authorized holding of 3,53,765 jackets. Since then, even the old and bulky jackets currently held by the Army, which offer inadequate protection, are now running out of their shelf-life.

Revision of technical parameters and re-floating of tenders as well as convoluted defence procurement procedures and politico-bureaucratic apathy have put paid to several modernization plans of the Army.

The scrapping of the jackets' tender will be the second one for the Army in recent times. As earlier reported by TOI, the four-year-old tender for new-generation assault rifles, with interchangeable barrels for conventional warfare and counter-insurgency operations, was also junked this year.

The mega project had envisaged the direct acquisition of 65,000 rifles from the selected foreign vendor for around Rs 4,850 crore. The Ordnance Factory Board was to then manufacture over 1,13,000 such rifles, after getting transfer of technology from the foreign company. But the rifles which underwent the tests also did not meet the GSQRs laid down in the tender.


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No end to jawans' wait for 1.86L bullet-proof jackets - The Times of India
@nair @GURU DUTT @MilSpec @Water Car Engineer @third eye

 

[Abingdonboy]

The IA's modernisation is an absolute joke, at some point some seriously hard question have to be asked. Is their procurement wing up to the task? It seems as though their qualitative requirements are consistently undermining procurements to the point they are barely procuring anything.

And they have BY FAR the most abysmal OPEX:CAPEX ratio thanks to their vast numbers (and they are still growing ). It seems that the IA's leadership is the most "backward" of all the three services- they still think that warfare is a numbers game and seem to place less of an emphasis on "force multipliers" (a term the IAF and IN use non-stop). This is understandable considering the inherent technology based nature of the IAF an IN (the IN especially) but that doesn't mean they can be allowed to continually lag decades behind the other services.

The level of procurement paralysis is getting to criminal levels- look at the IA's frontline (conventional) combat units, they look like they are still fighting in WW2-era loadouts (the RR is a different story by the way).

@Bang Galore @Echo_419 @Koovie @Water Car Engineer @Aminroop

Two Indian firms, Tata Advanced Materials and MKU, have been selected and asked to submit "advance samples" for comprehensive ballistic tests. "If they pass, then bulk orders of 25,000 each would be placed on the two firms. These jackets should cost around Rs 25,000 apiece," said the MoD source.

MKU is FINALLY getting a look-in from the IA! Hopefully this is the first of many (MASSIVE) orders for that firm, they are hands down the most capable such company in Asia (let alone India).

It is weird that a single requirement (50,000 units) would be split 50:50 though.

 

[Echo_419]

The IA's modernisation is an absolute joke, at some point some seriously hard question have to be asked. Is their procurement wing up to the task? It seems as though their qualitative requirements are consistently undermining procurements to the point they are barely procuring anything.

And they have BY FAR the most abysmal OPEX:CAPEX ratio thanks to their vast numbers (and they are still growing ). It seems that the IA's leadership is the most "backward" of all the three services- they still think that warfare is a numbers game and seem to place less of an emphasis on "force multipliers" (a term the IAF and IN use non-stop). This is understandable considering the inherent technology based nature of the IAF an IN (the IN especially) but that doesn't mean they can be allowed to continually lag decades behind the other services.

The level of procurement paralysis is getting to criminal levels- look at the IA's frontline (conventional) combat units, they look like they are still fighting in WW2-era loadouts (the RR is a different story by the way).

@Bang Galore @Echo_419 @Koovie @Water Car Engineer @Aminroop



MKU is FINALLY getting a look-in from the IA! Hopefully this is the first of many (MASSIVE) orders for that firm, they are hands down the most capable such company in Asia (let alone India).

It is weird that a single requirement (50,000 units) would be split 50:50 though.

Army is also at fault here,army GSQRs should be drafted based on real world requirements & not freakin comic books.
Also serious reforms are needed,if IA wants to be a capable force.I don't know why are they expanding their numbers.Someone needs to write a open letter to defense ministry & senior army leadership.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Army is also at fault here,army GSQRs should be drafted based on real world requirements & not freakin comic books.

Indeed, and I have stated as much my friend. Drafting umpteen GSQRs and the grunts are still running around in tin hats with Sten SMGs in notoriously dangerous and outdated BMP-2s!

The situation is critical soldiers aren't even being provided the most basic protective gear, and the MoD and IA top brass are lucky they aren't being charged with being criminally negligent.

Also serious reforms are needed,if IA wants to be a capable force.I don't know why are they expanding their numbers.Someone needs to write a open letter to defense ministry & senior army leadership.

Like I have said- the IA (backed by politicians who are illiterate in defence matters) seem to still see modern warfare as a numbers game so the side with more numbers will win

 

[Koovie]

This is just pathetic. Seeing our men run around in 40/50 era gear, riding in cold war era BMPs just hurts.....

 

[silent hawk]

Looks like prioritization issue

 

[Abingdonboy]

Looks like prioritization issue

Far too simplistic really my friend.

 

[Echo_419]

Indeed, and I have stated as much my friend. Drafting umpteen GSQRs and the grunts are still running around in tin hats with Sten SMGs in notoriously dangerous and outdated BMP-2s!

The situation is critical soldiers aren't even being provided the most basic protective gear, and the MoD and IA top brass are lucky they aren't being charged with being criminally negligent.


Like I have said- the IA (backed by politicians who are illiterate in defence matters) seem to still see modern warfare as a numbers game so the side with more numbers will win

Someone needs to make the generals pay

 

[Whazzup]

Indeed, and I have stated as much my friend. Drafting umpteen GSQRs and the grunts are still running around in tin hats with Sten SMGs in notoriously dangerous and outdated BMP-2s!

The helmets currently used by IA are tin cans ?

I thought these are the tin cans helmets.

MKU is FINALLY getting a look-in from the IA! Hopefully this is the first of many (MASSIVE) orders for that firm, they are hands down the most capable such company in Asia (let alone India).

It is weird that a single requirement (50,000 units) would be split 50:50 though.

I think TAML's design would likely be chosen as IA has exp in dealing with them in the past and also liked the previous Body armour they bought from them plus TAML always hire alot of retd officers and IA also sends soldiers to TAML to share their exp with the company while MKU on the other hand gets nothing of this sort and concentrate more on foreign demand .

the current TAML body armour which can fulfill IA's requirements

The weight of this jacket rests on the hips of the wearer rather than the shoulder and this enhances the wearer comfort greatly.

Special 3D fabrics for higher breathability.

Thermal packs for providing cooling/ heating for the body.
Quick release system which enables wearer to get out of the jacket within 3 seconds by a single operation. This can also be used in medical emergencies to gain quick access to the injured.
Emergency evacuation system wherein a soldier can evacuate his injured comrade while at the same time having his hands free to use his weapons and face any threats.

A modular design by which a team can equip itself for different degrees of protection depending upon the operation by having detachable options like throat protector, upper arm, collar.

And these are the old ones.

Taml was the first company in india to develop a light weight bullet proof jacket in close co-ordination with indian army that could not only stop ak 47 and slr bullets but also the dragunov sniper rifle bullet and secured the first order for light weight bullet proof jackets for the indian army.

taml has so far supplied more than 160,000 light weight bullet resistant jackets to the indian armed forces and overall more than 200,000 jackets, 50,000 bullet resistant helmets to indian and overseas defense and police forces thus making us india’s largest supplier of body armour.

we have been also conferred with special recognition by ministry of defense, government of india, for having successfully indigenized these products. taml was the first company in india to be iso 9001: 2000 certified for design, manufacture & supply of armour products. Taml is associated with cpe oy of finland and together we offer the complete suite of solutions offered by the companies worldwide.

P.S I like MKU helmets more than the TAML ones , they're lighter.

 

[Indian Patriot]

When PSUs butt in and red tape foreign acquisition such delays are bound to happen.

 

[Indika]

Like I have said- the IA (backed by politicians who are illiterate in defence matters) seem to still see modern warfare as a numbers game so the side with more numbers will win

WW2 tactics , british will change but not us.

 

[Manindra]

When PSUs butt in and red tape foreign acquisition such delays are bound to happen.

IA is also not some holy cow.
The Army which have 'Batmen System' in 21 century & opposing firmly to disband it is not respectable in any angle.

 

[Levina]

different story by the way).

@Bang Galore @Echo_419 @Koovie @Water Car Engineer @Aminroop

Thanks for the tag.

If I am not mistaken government had issued tenders for helmets and jackets last year, to be used by F-INSAS.

Btw this is army's requirement-are they asking for too much???
"As per the Army's requirement, it wants jackets with hard armour plates for front, rear, sides, upper arms, groin and throat, capable of protecting against 7.62mm x 39mm mild steel core ammunition fired from an AK-47 from 10 metre".