F-INSAS, Nipun Mines and Landing Craft Assault

Context:

A day after a made-in-India howitzer gun, the ATAGS, was used for the first time in the ceremonial 21-gun salute during the Independence Day celebrations, Defence Minister handed over several new defence systems, including the F-INSAS, the Nipun mines, the Landing Craft Assault (LCA), to the Army.

Relevance:

GS III: Defence

Dimensions of the Article:

1. What is the F-INSAS system?
2. What are Nipun mines?
3. What is the Landing Craft Assault?

What is the F-INSAS system?

• F-INSAS stands for Future Infantry Soldier As A System, a programme for infantry modernisation aimed at increasing the operational capability of the soldier.
• As part of the project, soldiers are being equipped with modern systems that are lightweight, all-weather-all-terrain, cost-effective and low maintenance.
• The full-gear of the F-INSAS system includes an AK-203 assault rifle, which is a Russian-origin gas-operated, magazine-fed, select-fire assault rifle.
• It has a range of 300 metre, and is being made at Korwa near Amethi in a Russia-India joint venture.
• On the weaponry front, other than the AK-203, the F-INSAS includes a multi-mode hand grenade, which can be used in defensive and offensive modes.
• Apart from this, the F-INSAS provides soldiers with ballistic helmets and ballistic goggles for protection against small projectiles and fragments, along with a bullet-proof vest.
  • The helmet and the bullet-proof jacket are capable of protecting the soldier against 9 mm bullets and ammunition fired from AK-47 rifles.
• The F-INSAS also comes with hands-free, secured advanced communications set for real-time exchange of information with the command post and fellow soldiers for enhanced situational awareness.
• Most importantly, all these items have been sourced from Defence Public Sector Undertakings, and private Indian industries.
• They have been indigenously designed by the Indian entities, including the DRDO and the ordnance factories ecosystem.

What are Nipun mines?

• Nipun mines are indigenously designed and developed anti-personnel mines, termed by the DRDO as ‘soft target blast munition’.
• These mines are meant to act as the first line of defence against infiltrators and enemy infantry.
• They have been developed with the efforts of Armament Research and Development Establishment, a Pune-based DRDO facility, and Indian industry.
• Anti-personnel mines are meant to be used against humans as against anti-tank mines that are aimed at heavy vehicles.
• They are smaller in size and can be deployed in large numbers.
• The Army has said that the mine will provide protection to the troops on the borders and is more potent and effective than the existing anti-personnel mine in its arsenal.

What is the Landing Craft Assault?

• The Landing Craft Assault (LCA) is meant to serve as a replacement for the boats with limited capabilities currently in use in the Pangong Tso lake.
• The LCA, which has been indigenously developed by Goa-based Aquarius ShipYard Limited, is said to have better launch, speed and capacity to operate across water obstacles in eastern Ladakh.
• Similar vessels are already in operation in the Indian Navy.

-Source: Indian Express