Barak good, no shortage, says Navy chief Mehta

NEW DELHI: Naval chief Admiral Suresh Mehta on Monday said Barak missiles have ���proved themselves���. He, however, said that fresh supplies were held up because of the investigation of bribery in the purchase of the missiles.

���The Barak missiles have performed on board naval warships,��� he said but added it was for the government to probe if there were any wrongdoing. The Naval chief said since their induction on board front-line naval warships, the Navy had carried out 30 tests of the anti-missile weapon system against surface-to-air missiles. ���They have proved themselves. All except the first one were direct hits,��� the Naval chief said.

After the CBI initiated a probe into the deal, there have been reports that the force was facing acute shortage of supplies. But in his interaction with the media, the Naval chief rejected suggestions that the force was facing shortage of these missiles, which protect warships including the sole aircraft carrier ���INS Viraat��� against sea-skimming missiles and other threats. ���We have enough of these missiles in our armoury,��� the Naval chief said.

He, however, admitted that a decision on supplies of the missiles will be taken only after the government completes the probe. The Left has been demanding end of purchases from Israel as well as black-listing of the Barak makers, Israeli Aircraft Industries (IAI).

Admiral Mehta said the Barak missiles were critical for the Army. But he said it was for the government to decide on its purchase.He said the indigenous efforts to make underwater missiles was progressing well. ���Whenever, these strategic projects near fruition, the Navy would have the submarines to carry such arsenal,��� said Admiral Mehta.

Defence scientists are currently working on developing an undersea launched 700km K-15 missiles as well as submarine-launched version of Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles. DRDO has so far carried out seven tests of the K-15 missiles.

The Naval chief dismissed reports that his force had surrendered funds to the tune of Rs 1,500 crore in the current budget. ���Some schemes like procurement of Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft had just missed the bus,��� he said. ���We are almost on the verge of finalising the deal and forward it to Cabinet Committee on Security for clearance,��� he said.