Running Out Of Firing Ranges, Indian Army Eyeing Simulators
NEW DELHI: Spiraling land costs and safety concerns are seeing the 1.3-million strong Indian Army, the fourth largest in the world, fast running out of firing ranges. It is now eyeing simulators for training its soldiers.
This major problem, which may even effect the preparedness of the force, came up at the recently concluded Army Commanders' Conference and has made top commanders look for other options.
Top Indian Army sources confided that a lot of difficulties is being faced as many states are not ready to renew the leases for the firing range land."The lease for many of the firing ranges is to expire in a few years, and we are facing trouble in renewal," a top army officer told.
"Land prices are spiralling and many states are considering other uses for the land on which the firing ranges are located. Then there is the question of environmental clearance and local protests," the officer said.
The ranges were initially set up in extremely isolated areas. However, the growing pressure of urbanisation has seen human habitation creeping dangerously close to some ranges; hence the security concerns.
The number of firing ranges available to the army has consistently shrunk over the last two-and-a-half decades from 104 to 51 in 2014, official sources said.
"The shortage of firing ranges has been a problem for a while. With the number of such ranges going down every year, we are now thinking of using simulators for training the soldiers," the officer said.
Simulations can be used not just for firing practice but also for conducting war games to test and refine theories without going on the ground.Such simulators are also used by the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy for initial flight training.
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