Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




MISSILE NEWS
India halts Barak I missile purchase
by Staff Writers
New Delhi (UPI) Aug 30, 2012


The Barak I has a short response time, an anti-sea skimmer capability and a 360-degree aim flexibility on its vertical launch system. It also has a 6-mile maximum range against air targets, information from IAI says.

India has put on hold procurement of 262 Israeli-made Barak I missiles until the Central Bureau of Investigation finishes a report into possible corruption.

The navy wants the missiles for its anti-missile defense systems on 14 frontline warships, including the country's aircraft carrier Viraat and three new Shivalik class stealth frigates, a report by The Economic Times said.

The Indian Ministry of Defense has called the $140 million purchase of the short-range surface-to-air missiles as having "critical operational urgency."

Navy chief Adm. Sureesh Mehta told the Times of India in 2008 that he hoped the CBI investigation wouldn't get in the way of buying more much-needed Barak I missiles.

However, the Defense Ministry indicated last week that its hands were tied because of the CBI investigation into an alleged Barak kickbacks scheme, unnamed sources told The Economic Times.

The CBI is the government's main anti-corruption investigation agency.

"Legal opinion obtained from the law ministry and the solicitor general holds that the fresh procurement case should not be progressed for the cabinet committee on security till the CBI probe is complete," said a source.

An end to the CBI's investigation doesn't appear anywhere in sight, after an initial six years, The Economic Times reported. Things are getting serious for the navy, which has cut back on practice firings of the Barak I AMD systems to save its stockpile of missiles.

In August 2007 The Times of India reported the CBI told Supreme Court it has unearthed payment of around $10.6 million in alleged kickbacks to Baccano Holdings Inc. in the United Kingdom.

The payments appeared to be part of the Barak missile deal signed between India and an Israeli firm in 2001, reported The Times of India. Baccano is believed owned by arms dealer Vipin Khanna.

CBI had registered a First Information Report -- the initial step for setting up a formal investigation -- in 2006, The Times of India said.

The FIR named former Defense Minister George Fernandes, former Samata Party President Jaya Jaitly, former Samata Party Treasurer R. K. Jain and former Navy chief Sushil Kumar in connection with irregularities in the deal for seven Barak-I Anti-Missile Defense systems and 200 missiles.

The deal with Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems was worth $268.6 million.

The Barak I has a short response time, an anti-sea skimmer capability and a 360-degree aim flexibility on its vertical launch system. It also has a 6-mile maximum range against air targets, information from IAI says.

.


Related Links
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








MISSILE NEWS
US-China missile race
Moscow (Voice of Russia) Aug 30, 2012
The United States says it's planning to build new missile defence in Asia. White House officials say early warning radar systems could be placed on a remote Japanese island and possibly in the Philippines. They say the proposed systems are in response to the development of new Chinese missiles, which the Pentagon says could be used to target the American Pacific Fleet. The US plans come in the w ... read more


MISSILE NEWS
Russia's moonshot hope 'not a dream'

A "Blue Moon" Heralds the Harvest

New research eclipses existing theories on moon formation

Apollo 11 capsule stirs Neil Armstrong memories, tributes

MISSILE NEWS
Mars suitable for colonization

Curiosity Rover Plays First Song Transmitted from Another Planet

NASA Curiosity Rover Begins Eastbound Trek on Martian Surface

Rover Leaves Tracks in Morse Code

MISSILE NEWS
Manned interplanetary missions on NASA's agenda

Space race, on a budget, was not how Armstrong saw it

Research and Technology Studies 2012

Singer Sarah Brightman could be next space tourist: report

MISSILE NEWS
China eyes next lunar landing as US scales back

China unveils ambitious space projects

Is China Going to Blast Past America in Space?

Hong Kong people share joy of China's manned space program

MISSILE NEWS
Dragon Spacecraft Set to Make Second Run for ISS

Europe's ATV-3 Space Freighter Raises ISS Orbit to 420 km

Russia's ISS Crew Members Complete Spacewalk

Sierra Nevada Supports Communications Experiment on ISS

MISSILE NEWS
NASA launches mission to explore radiation belts

ISRO to score 100 with a cooperative mission Sep 9

NASA Administrator Announces New Commercial Crew And Cargo Milestones

Ariane 5s are on the move for Arianespace's upcoming missions

MISSILE NEWS
NASA, Texas astronomers find first multi-planet system around a binary star

Planet search moves to Antarctica

Evaporating Planet Has a Comet Tail

Search for alien life gets boost at twin star

MISSILE NEWS
Publishers ink $69 mn deal in ebook price-fixing case

Sony tablet takes aim at Microsoft Surface

Apple, Samsung 'tablet war' overshadows Berlin tech show

Synchronized lasers measure how light changes matter




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement