Army Technology Board (ATB) Meeting held at College of Military Engineering, Pune

The Eighteenth Meeting of Army Technology Board is being held on 10 & 11 Feb 2016 at College of Military Engineering, Pune under the Chairmanship of Lt Gen PM Hariz, General Officer Commanding in Chief, Army Training Command (ARTRAC). Army Technology Board provides a platform to leverage the technological expertise of Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institutes of Information Technology into useful solutions and products for the Army, in an economical and reasonable time frame.

The board reviewed the progress of 21 ongoing projects and also considered certain new proposals under the enhanced budget ceiling for R&D projects through technical government institutes. The meeting saw increased participation from number of IIsT and IIsIT, which provided greater impetus towards the aim of generating successful research work in support of Army.

Lt Gen PM Hariz, in his address asked the forum to synergize R & D efforts under ATB with Army’s capability development plans and focus on technologies as reflected in technology perspective and capability roadmaps document issued by Ministry of Defence.

The Chairman, ATB highlighted the key emerging technology fields as Battlefield Transparency, Command and Control Systems, Communication Systems, Nanotechnology, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Defence and Smart Antenna System that can be pursued by ATB.

The vision of the ATB envisages meeting immediate requirements of field formations and training institutes with projects that have low gestation period and help to improve efficiency of our troops.

Col Rohan Anand, SM

PRO (Army)

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Medical Bulletin of Lance Naik Hanamanthappa as at 1600 Hrs on 10 Feb 2016

Braveheart Lance Naik Hanamanthappa was reviewed by the treating team of Army Hospital (R&R) comprising of Critical Care specialists, HoD Dept of Medicine, Senior Nephrologist and the Senior Neurologist and a panel of experts from AIIMS New Delhi.

The entire team was in agreement with the management that the patient had undergone till now, and concurred with the future plan of management for him. He continues to remain extremely critical with evidence of oxygen deprivation to the brain on CT scan. There is evidence of pneumonia in both lungs. His multi-organ dysfunction state continues unabated. His condition has deteriorated despite aggressive therapy and supportive care.

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IFR 2016 - Passage Exercise - AU Revoir till we Meet Again

The International Fleet Review 2016, conducted at Visakhapatnam from 04-08 Feb 16, culminated with Indian and foreign Naval ships undertaking a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) in the Bay of Bengal on 09 Feb 16. 54 ships that had participated in IFR-16 sailed out from Visakhapatnam in the first ever Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with combined participation of foreign and Indian warships yesterday. As per the maritime traditions, visiting foreign ships are generally escorted to the open seas on their way home (on completion of the visit).

The PASSEX was aimed at fostering greater cooperation and camaraderie with friendly foreign navies, increasing interoperability, providing the requisite operational element to IFR as also to mark the culmination of IFR 16, an event that saw the largest scale participation of foreign ships ever in a Fleet Review in India. The exercise witnessed participation by 34 Indian Naval ships and 20 foreign warships from across 14 countries. The US Navy, Peoples Liberation Army (Navy) and the Royal Navy of Oman deployed two ships each for the exercise.

The Passage Exercise was conducted in two groups, centred on Indian Naval aircraft carriers viz. Vikramaditya and Viraat, wherein the ships sailed out in two groups of 27 ships each, with the first group under the command of Rear Admiral Ravneet Singh NM, Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet, embarked onboard aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya and the second group under the command of Rear Admiral SV Bhokare YSM NM, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet embarked onboard the aircraft carrier INS Viraat and included manoeuvres and flying operations. A ceremonial steam-past, wherein, Indian and foreign warships sailed past each other in formation, provided an opportunity for participants to bid adieu to fellow seafarers and marked the finale of the exercise. Notably, the flying operations also included landing of a helicopter from Royal Navy ship HMS Defenderonboard INS Viraat to commemorate the historic association of the aircraft carrier with the Royal Navy.

The unprecedented scale and scope of the PASSEX are indicative of India’s growing stature in the maritime domain and the bridges that have been painstakingly built by the Indian Navy towards achieving the motto of the International Fleet Review in letter and spirit - ‘United through Oceans’.

Health Bulletin In Respect Of Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad as at 1200h on 10 Feb 16

Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad of 19 MADRAS continues to battle the odds and his medical condition remains very critical. He remains ventilator dependent since arrival. The medical team treating him at R & R Hospital is monitoring his situation continuously and is treating him with one of the best expertise and resources available in the world.