Latest news with #Scalp
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Business Standard
5 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Operation Sindoor: Scalp missiles, Hammer bombs key to India's strike
In an escalation of cross-border tensions, India launched a coordinated May 7 midnight assault on nine terror camps inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), marking one of the most expansive retaliatory strikes in recent memory. Codenamed 'Operation Sindoor,' the high-precision offensive was carried out by all three branches of the armed forces in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists, signalling a new phase in India's counter-terror doctrine. Carried out with precision and stealth, the operation saw India's Rafale fighter jets unleashing Scalp missiles and Hammer bombs — some of the most advanced air-to-ground weapons in the Indian Air Force's arsenal — under the cloak of darkness. According to government sources, more than 90 terrorists are believed to have been killed in the overnight operation. The strikes were aimed at dismantling the infrastructure of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, the two groups long accused of orchestrating cross-border terrorism. Pakistan has labelled the move an 'act of war.' What is the Scalp missile and how does it work? The Scalp missile, also known as Storm Shadow, is a European air-launched cruise missile developed by MBDA. Weighing 1,300 kg, it is designed for deep-strike precision attacks on high-value, stationary targets — like fortified terror bunkers and key command infrastructure. With a strike range of 300 km, the Scalp missile owes its pinpoint accuracy to a sophisticated navigation system that combines inertial navigation, GPS, and terrain mapping. It is produced by MBDA, a European defence consortium. The Scalp missile is regarded as highly effective for destroying hardened bunkers and ammunition depots. Notably, Ukraine used the same missile last year to strike targets deep inside Russian territory for the first time. As it nears the target, the missile's onboard infrared seeker matches the pre-fed target image, enabling precise strikes while minimising collateral damage. Its low-altitude flight path after launch also makes it difficult to detect. ALSO READ | Bomb threat at Mumbai airport after Indian airstrikes on Pak terror camps What makes the Hammer bomb a game-changer for India? India's air campaign was also powered by the Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) bomb, a modular air-to-ground precision weapon, often referred to as a glide bomb. With a range of up to 70 km, it can be integrated with standard bomb payloads. Developed by French defence firm Safran, the Hammer is resistant to electronic jamming and can be launched from low altitudes over challenging terrain. Its ability to evade interception and breach fortified targets makes it a highly effective strike weapon. What sets Hammer bombs apart is their adaptability. The kits can be attached to bombs ranging from 125 kg to 1,000 kg, and their 70 km strike range means Indian jets can stay clear of enemy radar and missile systems. Designed for both stationary and moving targets, these bombs are ideal for neutralising terror launchpads and command posts. ALSO READ | 'Proud of our armed forces': Opposition leaders hail Operation Sindoor How Operation Sindoor compares with previous India strikes While India has launched retaliatory operations in the past — notably the 2016 surgical strikes and the 2019 Balakot airstrike — 'Operation Sindoor' is among the most expansive, involving joint precision strikes by the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
See - Sada Elbalad
6 days ago
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
Germany, Ukraine reach deal for long-range weapons production
Basant Ahmed Germany has agreed a new €5 billion aid package for Ukraine and joint production of long-range weapons during Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to Berlin. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that Berlin would seek to help Kyiv jointly develop new long-range weapons systems that can strike deeper inside Russia as Germany agreed on a new €5 billion aid package. Heralding the beginning of a "new form of military industrial cooperation between our two countries," Merz said that Germany and Ukraine would seek to "enable joint production" of weapons. "This will be a cooperation on an industrial level, which can take place both in Ukraine and here in Germany," Merz said. Following Merz's statement, the defence ministers of Ukraine and Germany signed a memorandum that also includes direct German investment in Ukraine's defence industry and a broader agreement between Ukraine and German arms manufacturers. "This is the beginning of a new form of military-industrial cooperation between our countries, which has significant potential," Merz said at a joint press conference with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin. The German Defence Ministry said a "significant" number of these systems are expected to be manufactured by the end of 2025, with the first batch ready for deployment in the coming weeks. Berlin also reiterated its commitment to supply Ukraine with more weapons and ammunitions, including air defence and artillery. Merz declined to say whether Germany will supply its advanced Taurus long-range cruise missile to Ukraine, long a request by Kyiv and a step that Berlin has so far resisted. Merz only said that he is not willing to comment on the issue and the sides "want to talk about production and we will not publicly discuss details." Visiting Kyiv at the beginning of May, Merz said that all future arms supply talks with Ukraine would be kept confidential. On Monday, Merz said that Ukraine's western allies are no longer imposing restrictions on the use of long-range weapons for Kyiv to use against Russian military targets. Later, he sought to temper those comments by elaborating that the decision to lift restrictions had been made "months ago." "In this respect, yesterday in Berlin, I described something that has been happening for months: namely, that Ukraine has the right to use the weapons it receives, even beyond its own borders, against military targets on Russian territory," Merz clarified. Taurus missiles are similar in range and payload to the Scalp/Storm Shadow missiles which are supplied to Ukraine by France and the UK. But the Taurus differs in that it can penetrate reinforced concrete walls and can be programmed to explode after hitting a target, which is why they are used against what the German Air Force refers to as "high-value targets." read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies
Saudi Gazette
6 days ago
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Germany agrees €5bn in aid to Ukraine and joint production of long-range weapons
BERLIN — Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that Berlin would seek to help Kyiv jointly develop new long-range weapons that can strike deeper inside Russia as Germany agreed on a new €5 billion aid package. Heralding the beginning of a "new form of military industrial cooperation between our two countries," Merz said that Germany and Ukraine would seek to "enable joint production" of weapons. "This will be a cooperation on an industrial level, which can take place both in Ukraine and here in Germany," Merz said. Following Merz's statement, the defense ministers of Ukraine and Germany signed a memorandum which also includes direct German investment in Ukraine's defense industry and a broader agreement between Ukraine and German arms manufacturers. "This is the beginning of a new form of military-industrial cooperation between our countries, which has significant potential," Merz said at a joint press conference with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin. The German Defense Ministry said a "significant" number of these systems are expected to be manufactured by the end of 2025, with the first batch ready for deployment in the coming also reiterated its commitment to supply Ukraine with more weapons and ammunition, including air defense and declined to say whether Germany will supply its advanced Taurus long-range cruise missile to Ukraine, long a request by Kyiv and a step that Berlin has so far only said that he is not willing to comment on the issue and the sides "want to talk about production and we will not publicly discuss details."Visiting Kyiv at the beginning of May, Merz said that all future arms supply talks with Ukraine would be kept Monday, Merz said that Ukraine's western allies are no longer imposing restrictions on the use of long-range weapons for Kyiv to use against Russian military he sought to temper those comments by elaborating that the decision to lift restrictions had been made "months ago.""In this respect, yesterday in Berlin, I described something that has been happening for months: namely, that Ukraine has the right to use the weapons it receives, even beyond its own borders, against military targets on Russian territory," Merz missiles are similar in range and payload to the Scalp/Storm Shadow missiles which are supplied to Ukraine by France and the the Taurus differs in that it can penetrate reinforced concrete walls and can be programmed to explode after hitting a target, which is why they are used against what the German Air Force refers to as "high-value targets." — Euronews
The Print
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
As Op Sindoor began, India's top military brass watched strikes unfold live from South Block
Sources in the defence and security establishment said that room has facilities to get live transmission from multiple systems that were deployed by the three armed forces to track and carry out the strikes. Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, Army chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, Army Vice Chief Lt Gen Subramani and Director General Military Operations Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai were among those present at the facility. New Delhi: As Operation Sindoor began 7 May, the Indian military leadership were huddled together in an Army facility in the South Block watching the strikes unfold live. As mentioned by ThePrint earlier, the Indian Air Force, which was given the responsibility to hit 2 out of the 9 terror targets on 7 May, had used Scalp missiles, too. This missile relays back the continuous video from its tip during its flight with the pilot being able to navigate it. The latest edition of the Army's newsletter 'Baatcheet' focuses on Operation Sindoor and has five pictures of the senior military leadership and watching the giant screens in front of them. The time stamp on one of the pictures is 0105 hours on 7 May, the exact moment when the strikes began. Of the 9 targets hit that night, seven were struck by the Indian Army using loitering munitions and other types of drones. The seven locations included Sawai Nala Syedna Bilal, Kotli Abbas, Bhimber, Kotli Gulpur in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), besides Sarjal, Mehmooma Joya in mainland Pakistan. The newsletter also mentioned that Army air defence had destroyed nearly 300 incoming Pakistani drones using L-70, ZU-23 guns, OSA-AK combat vehicles, and MRSAM (Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile) and Akash air defence systems. It also names the creators of the Operation Sindoor logo—Lt. Col. Harish Gupta and Havildar Surinder Singh. The Army also reiterated that The Resistance Front (TRF) was a front of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) along with the 'Kashmir Fight' and the United Liberation Front Kashmir. It added that Kashmir Tigers and People's Anti-Fascist Front are frontal organisations of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: Op Sindoor: Inside story of what led Pakistan DGMO to make frantic calls for 'ceasefire'
New Indian Express
17-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Desi drones cleared pilot test under Operation Sindoor
India's stunning strikes at nine terror bases in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) and inside Pakistan's Punjab on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack had two firsts. One, precision strikes on the other side of the international border (IB) between India and Pakistan since the 1971 war; and two, use of loitering munitions or 'kamikaze' drones to destroy the terror infrastructure of the enemy under Operation Sindoor. The message was loud and clear: no part of the neighbouring country was safe for terrorists henceforth. At the same time, India asserted that the strikes were de-escalatory as precision munitions avoided collateral damage as also Pakistan's military installations. For precision strikes, the choice of kamikaze drones, that are capable of surveillance and lethal penetration inside enemy territory to seek targets, was tactical and extremely effective in what emerged as the grey zone warfare and the longest air combat in recent history. On May 8, in a joint press conference by the Ministry of External Affairs, Col Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh showed pictures of the extensively damaged terror sites. Kamikaze drones and missiles carried out the targeted attacks at nine locations in less than 25 minutes beginning 1.05 am on May 7, killing 100 terrorists, the government stated. Operation Sindoor avenged the killing of 26 people, most of them tourists on the basis of religion, at Baisaran in Pahalgam on April 22 by heavily armed terrorists from across the border. Along with the use of Scalp cruise missiles and HAMMER bombs, the Indian Army deployed indigenously-built SkyStriker suicide drones for precision strikes. The SkyStriker has been developed by Bengaluru-based Alpha Design (ADTL) in collaboration with Israel's Elbit Systems. They are rapidly deployable, have minimal thermal and acoustic signatures, require low maintenance, are mobile and can be operated by just one personnel. In their operational debut, the loitering munitions spelt havoc on their targets and gave India the much-required military heft and psychological edge.
