CWC-2 Army Lists

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

AS it entered service in 63 it's unlikley that the Indian Army had any in 65, but am open to persuation.

[Big Insect]

Hi. I have a question about the army list for India 65-71.
The SA-6, SA-8, SA-9 are on it from 1970+. Were they actually used in the '71 war? The only sources I can find suggest the SA-6 was acquired in the mid-70's, and the SA-8 and -9 in the 80's.
Also, the BM-21 is listed without a year, suggesting it was used in both '65 and '71. Is there please any reference to these being used in either?
Thank you.

With the Indo-Pakistan/Sino-Indian Wars lists, the lists only really cover the units that we know actually fought - as it is a conflict specific list, rather than a more general country specific list.

The SA-6/8/9 may have come out of the original CWCI set of lists - so could be an error - having now checked I can find no historic corroboration of their actual use in the conflict. So you can sensibly ignore them.

I suspect the BM-21 was available but not used. Wiki (notoriously unreliable and in this case without a source) quotes the first use of the BM-21 as the Sino-Soviet War/Border Conflict in 1969, so it is possible that if India had any they might have used them in '71. But again I can find no historical corroboration.

Cheers
Mark

[sultanbev]

I have the following in service dates for India
ZSU-23-4   1978
Sa-6 Gainful   1976
Sa-9 Gaskin   1980

Don't know about the Sa-8 and BM-21.

[sultanbev]

SIPRI data shows 1975 for the BM-21, 200 delivered over the years 1975, 1976, 1977.

Sa-8 9M33 Osa shown as 3000 delivered over 1984-1985-1986-1987-1988-1989-1990 (presumably actual missiles not launchers)

And confirms the dates for the others, with ZSU-23-4 stated as 1976.

[Thomas]

Thank you!
I'll ignore the SA-6/8/9, BM21 and Shilka.
But will add the Su-7 Fitter, for '71.