The Hindu : Front Page : New acquisitions by Army to figure in Republic Day parade

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 22, 2006

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Front Page

New acquisitions by Army to figure in Republic Day parade

Staff Reporter

Marching teams to include Madras Regiment and Maratha Infantry

— Photo: V. Sudershan

IN PREPARATION: Indian Air Force fighters flying over the Rajpath during a rehearsal in New Delhi on Saturday.

NEW DELHI: The Armed forces will unveil many new acquisitions at the Republic Day Parade here this year. Making their debut will be the 155 mm Soltom guns with a range of 39.6 km and the ANTPQ 37 Radar with target acquisition capabilities to track a variety of ammunition such as guns, rockets and mortars.

Also seen for the first time will be the Network Operating Centre Vehicle, Mobile Communication Node, Carrier Mortar Tracked, Bridge Layer Tank on ARJUN and the Amphibious Floating Bridge and Ferry System.

The ANTPQ-37 radars were recently obtained and have been inducted into the Army.

Some of the other major attractions will be the tableaux of Scorpion submarine, the Prithvi missile on integrated vehicles and the Indra PC-II radar.

To be led by Major-General P.C. Bharadwaj, the General-Officer-Commanding of the Delhi area, there will be 14 mechanised columns and 19 marching contingents including nine Army ones at the parade.

The Army marching contingents will include the Madras Regiment, the Maratha Light Infantry, the Rajputana Rifles, the Sikh Light Infantry Regiment, the Kumaon Regiment, the JAK Rifles, the Territorial Army and 14 GTC. Around 24 tableaux from different States, Ministries and industries will participate.

While the national bravery award-winning children will once again come riding on elephants, eight cultural items will be presented by school children.

Having won people's hearts for years now, the motorcycle display by BSF daredevils and the flypast by Indian Air Force planes and helicopters will yet again be a major highlight.

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