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India walking a tightrope with US and Russian defense systems
[AsiaTImes] Compatibility problems could mean the two missile systems might not work seamlessly togetherIndia is aiming to modernize its strategic arsenal with the introduction of advanced US and Russian defense systems. However, some military experts say that while the South Asian giant needs foreign technologies to become a self-sufficient arms manufacturer – and autonomous global geopolitical player – technical problems could limit their coexistence. The Indian government finalized the acquisition of Russia’s S-400 air defense missile system earlier this month and is said to be considering the purchase of the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System-II (NASAMS-II) from the United States. Aside from geopolitical considerations related to Washington’s secondary sanctions against Moscow, the inclusion of these two platforms in India’s developing multi-tiered air defense network could pose problems of compatibility. Turkey, a US ally in the Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato), is coping with similar challenges while going ahead with the S-400’s procurement. America and other Nato countries argue that the Russian system cannot be integrated with the alliance’s defense framework as it presents problems of interoperability. By this reasoning, the S-400 should also not be compatible with the NASAMS – which is built by the US Raytheon National in cooperation with Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace of Norway. The crucial question for Delhi, as well as Washington and the Kremlin, is determining whether the two systems can coexist as part India’s prospective air defense framework. Posted by: 3dc 2018-10-23 |
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