Private Security Firms cannot wear NSG uniform look alikes

M IFFED over the fact that security guards employed by some private security agencies are wearing uniforms having distinct similarities to the operational uniform prescribed for its commandos, the National Security Guard (NSG) has now warned those concerned to desist from the practice or face penal action.
Having received reports of many private security agencies providing their men with black uniforms, the elite commando force, popularly known as Black Cats because of their trademark attire, has now put out a public notice cautioning those doing it.
“It has come to the notice of Director General of the National Security Guard that employees of certain private security agencies have been wearing specifically designed black coloured dungaree/uniform, similar to the operational uniform prescribed for NSG Commandos. It is brought to the notice of all concerned that wearing of such dungarees/uniform by unauthorised person is an offence under the Indian Penal Code and, therefore, may invite penal action against those responsible,” states the notice.
According to NSG sources, this latest move has been prompted by the ever increasing number of instances where armed guards, attired in all-black, were found guarding eminent persons, even VVIPs at times. “The impression one gets when you see such private armed guards is that NSG Black Cats are providing cover. This creates an adverse impression about the force too,” a NSG official said.
“It is understandable for a force like the NSG, which has a distinctive uniform, to raise this issue since the look of a uniform is crucial to the identity of a force,” said Anil Dhawan, president of the Asian Professional Security Association (APSA). “This also raises the question of standardisation of uniforms for private security agencies. Once an agency starts doing well, its uniform is copied by others in no time which often leads to misrepresentations,” he added.
Under the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act 2005, a private security guard or supervisor wearing a uniform of any armed force or Police of the Union or dressing in a uniform which appears like or has the distinctive markings of such government uniforms, is punishable with a year’s imprisonment or a fine of Rs 5,000 or both. The proprietor of the agency who indulges in this violation is liable for prosecution.

Wing Commander K Praveen, Wing Commander DK Shah and Squadron Leader S. Ilyaraj meet the end in a Saras aircraft crash at Bangalore

A Saras Prototype II, an indigenously developed multi-role transport aircraft, which was on a test flight, crashed near Bidadi, 30 km from Bangalore, on Friday killing three Indian Air Force officers. The reason for the crash is yet to be ascertained.
Designed and developed by National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL), the aircraft took off from HAL Airport at 2.55 p.m. before coming down around 3.30 p.m. near Seshagirihalli off Bangalore-Mysore Highway. Wing Commander K. Praveen the captain of aircraft, co-pilot Wing Commander D.K. Shah and flight test engineer Squadron Leader S. Ilyaraj were charred to death as the aircraft burst into flames soon after it crashed in an open field, a few hundred meters away from Seshagirihalli colony that has around 100 houses.
According to NAL officials, the aircraft lost contact with the Air Traffic Control (ATC) at 3.30 p.m. It was on a routine test flight, officials said. The aircraft was supposed to be doing a profile of engine off.
Sources said that such sorties were done twice a day and the aircraft took the same route for its training sorties.
“We saw the aircraft coming down abruptly and followed the direction in which it went. It turned abruptly and started losing height. After a couple of somersaults in mid-air, it crashed. I could notice smoke from a distance,” said Anand, an eyewitness. “As we went close, we heard two loud blasts. Except the tail-end of the aircraft, everything was burnt,” he added. Mr. Anand, a resident of Ramanagara, who was driving with his friend on the Mysore Road, claimed he informed the Ramanagara police immediately.
While five fire tenders were rushed to the spot, Mr. Anand said everything was burnt by the time the fire engines reached the spot.
Fearing for their safety, a few residents of Seshagirihalli Colony who rushed to the spot did not venture near the burning aircraft as they heard another explosion. The three experienced pilots along with the aircraft had taken part in the recently concluded Aero India 2009.
While Wing Commander Praveen (35) was a resident of Bangalore, Squadron Leader Ilyaraja (33) was from Villupuram in Tamil Nadu and Wing Commander Saha (34) was a native of Mumbai.
Aircraft debris, including the propeller and parachute, were found strewn around the area, and some partially burnt parts were recovered as much as 500 metres away from the crash site.
As the surging crowd threatened to run over the crash site, the police cordoned off the area to help the Indian Air Force officials locate the data recorder, cockpit voice recorder and other details that could provide reasons for the crash.
The charred bodies that were beyond recognition were salvaged from the debris around 7 p.m., and shifted to Command Hospital here. Two rescue helicopters with some officials of the NAL and IAF were sent to the spot.

Carried out the third Interceptor test today of home-grown Ballistic Missile Defence System

India today inched closer towards its endeavour to put in place its own home-grown Ballistic Missile Defence System as it successfully carried out the third Interceptor test today at 1624 hrs from Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Wheeler Island in Orissa. The mission control room burst into raptures as the radar display indicated the interception and destruction of the decoy enemy missile by the interceptor. Today’s test achieved all the mission objectives. The two-stage Interceptor Missile fitted with advanced systems hit the target enemy missile at 75 kms altitude. To mimic the incoming enemy’s ballistic missile trajectory, Dhanush missile went to an altitude of 120 Km and was launched from ship about 100 km away from the Orissa Coast. The Interceptor missile was launched from a mobile launcher located on Wheeler Island Launch Complex. The third consecutive interception of Ballistic Missiles once again demonstrated the robustness of the Indian Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system. The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) have already conducted two interception trials, first in Exo-atmospheric region at 48 Kms altitude on 27th November 06 and second in endo-atmospheric region at 15 kms using Advanced Air Defence (AAD) missile on 06 Dec 07. The missile interception trial was witnessed by the DRDO Chief Shri M Natarajan, Air Defence Programme Director Dr VK Saraswat, senior Scientists from DRDO, senior officers from Armed Forces and Government officials. The Defence Minister Shri A K Antony has congratulated the scientific community of DRDO for the third consecutive success in achieving Ballistic Missile Defence capability.

The MiG-23 BN of Indian Air Force retired on 06 Mar 09

The MiG-23 BN of Indian Air Force retired today on 06 Mar 09, after 28 years of glorious service to the Nation. A befitting farewell in the form of a ‘phasing out ceremony’ was held at its last home, No. 221 Squadron at Air Force Station Halwara. The ceremony was presided over by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major. Wg Cdr YJ Joshi and Sqn Ldr TR Sahu of 221 Sqn flew the aircraft on its last flight. The Air Force Station Halwara had become home to No.221 Squadron ever since they converted to MiG-23 BN in February 1982. 27 years on, No.221 Squadron is lone Squadron with MiG-23 BN on its inventory. The squadron known as the ‘Valiants’ was formed on 1963 at Barrackpore under he command of Sqn Ldr N Chatrath with 22 officers. It was then a part of the 55 Bengal Auxillary Air Force Squadron. Initially equipped with Vampire, Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft, it assumed the mantle of an operational unit when selected to support Indian Army’s blitzkrieg advance in East Bengal during Dec 1971. The ‘Valiants’ entered the Swing Wing era with the induction of MiG-23 BN in IAF on 24 Jan 1981 as a result of the IAF’s need for Tactical Air Strike Aircraft in the late 1970s. This single seater ground attack aircraft was the result of Mikoyan Design Bureau’s radical approach to incorporate variable geometry wings in the aircraft, a swing wing concept to compromise on the conflicting requirement of high speed flight with good low speed handling. An IAF test pilot team led by Wg Cdr Philip Rajkumar had test flown and evaluated the MiG-23 BN at Lugovaya in April – May 1979 after which the Cabinet Committee for Political Affairs (CCPA) cleared an acquisition of 95 MiG-23 BNs. Eight Pilots, nine engineering officers and 55 airmen of IAF left for Soviet Union on 01 Sep 1980 for conversion training on MiG-23 variable sweep fighters. The aircraft were then transported to HAL facility at Ozar near Nasik where they were assembled, test flown by Soviet pilots before being handed over to the IAF on 20 Jan 1980. The first IAF unit to be inducted with these Swing Wing fighters was No. 10 Squadron. The aircraft got its first taste of operation on 04 April 1984 when the Squadron was alerted for the launch of ‘Operation Meghdoot’ for securing the Siachen Glacier in Northern Ladhakh. Intensive flying began in Kashmir valley, the Mig-23 BNs were employed to the limits, flying in the mountainous region by day and night. In 1985 MiG-23 BN got the unique distinction of being the first fighter aircraft ever to cross Banihal Pass in J&K region by night. On 25 may 1999, ‘Operation Safed Sagar’ was launched. The Indian Air Force was to commence offensive air action at first light of the next morning. The MiG-23 BNs were launched into action targeting enemy positions at Tiger Hill with 57 mm rockets and 500 Kg bombs. The ensuing seven weeks from 26 May and 15 July saw the squadron fly 155 attack missions more than those during December 1971 operations and accounted for 28 percent of total load drop and 30 percent of all missions flown in that area. During the Kargil conflict this aircraft had the distinction of being the single aircraft type to fire the maximum weapon load over the dizzy heights of Dras and Kargil. The MiG-23s have had flown more than 154000 hrs in the service of the nation.

Senior naval officer is preparing to set sail to circumnavigate the globe.

A senior naval officer is preparing to set sail to circumnavigate the globe to become the first Indian to achieve the feat in a yacht, with four planned stops.And during his journey that may last nine months, commander Dilip Donde is all prepared to face solitude, 10 metre high waves and freezing waters. Donde, who will sail around the world as part of the Indian Navy's project 'Sagar Parikrama', arrived in the city's naval dockyard on board the indigenously built yacht 'Mhadei' on Thursday from Goa to undergo training for his journey."After setting sail from India there will be four stops: at Fremantle in Australia, Christchurch in New Zealand, Port Stanley in South America and Cape Town in South Africa before returning home," Donde said.The 41-year-old Naval officer, who volunteered for the mission, has been involved with the project for the last three years and was present during the building of the yacht in Goa."The main part of the training for the project is to get to know the boat really well, which is why I have been closely involved in the building of the yacht," Donde said.To sustain himself on the long journey, Donde is expected to carry many books and tools to repair the yacht in the event of problems, apart from rations and medicines.However, in the event of any distress, Donde, who has sailed with the naval sail ship INS Tarangini to the US earlier, will have to rely on his seafaring abilities to stay alive.The journey is expected to begin in Mumbai, subject to favourable climatic conditions, on August 15 and Dhonde is expected to take nine months to travel over 21,000 miles.Donde will be in the city till August and will undergo training to prepare for the journey."This is the second phase of training where he will practice with other experienced yachtsmen and will also sail to Mauritius and back to get in shape for the world trip," vice admiral JS Bedi, flag officer commanding in chief Western Naval Command said at a function here.The entire cost of the project, approximately Rs 6.5 crore, was being borne by the navy and was in keeping with the encouragement it provides to adventure sports, he said.The yacht, Mhadei, which is 17.1 metres long and equipped with Swedish engines and sails from New Zealand, has been specially built for the circumnavigation."When the project was kicked off many felt it would not be possible to build this boat but other than some equipment from abroad the ship has been built here," Bedi said.The navy is also planning to keep a camera to broadcast live images of the journey via a broadband Internet connection on the ship.