- NEW DELHI - An Israeli
electronic
surveillance system that tracks missiles was deployed on the quiet along
the Line of Control since the Pakistani troops build-up began in
end-October.
-
- The system possibly gave crucial inputs to the Indian
defence establishment before it fully deployed its army on the borders
and put all three services on operational alert.
-
- The Israeli Green Pine radar system is being negotiated
for purchase by India since last year. But even before a formal seal on
the agreement to acquire Green Pine has been signed and announced, India
used the system in its "trip-wire deployment" since the Pakistani
army conducted its exercise "Operation Khabardar" in
end-October.
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- The system is said to be under "evaluation".
Official sources neither confirm nor deny it has been used and that it
continues to be in operation. As the system was installed (it is possible
that more than one radar was put into use) it was with the help of
technical
experts from Israel who, too, were in Kashmir for a short duration. It
is understood they have since left.
-
- The Green Pine is a ground-based radar system made by
Israel,s Elta company. It is said to be capable of tracking a missile for
400 km and is normally used in conjunction with the Arrow anti-missile
missile. Arrow is also made by the Israelis and, combined with the Green
Pine all-weather radar, it forms an umbrella of protection against enemy
missiles.
-
- In the India-Pakistan context, the system is assessed
to be of great strategic value to New Delhi because of the inputs it might
be capable of giving on Pakistani tactical installations close to India,
including at least one of its nuclear facilities at Kahuta and Sargodha.
India could be in negotiations for the three systems.
-
- It is possible that the Green Pine radar actually entered
service in India even before October. A report in the Israeli daily Haaretz
on March 20 last year said India had been supplied parts of the
sophisticated
radar system Green Pine.
-
- India and Israel generally play down their military ties
for diplomatic reasons, chief among them the resentment that might be
caused
in the Arab world. Last month, the US, too, frowned on Indian efforts to
acquire the Israeli Phalcon airborne early warning systems.
-
- Aside from buying military equipment, India may have
acted as a testing pad for Israeli weapon systems. As part of this, an
Israeli Navy Dolphin submarine came up to Balasore to test-fire an
anti-missile
missile.
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