Nirbhay Cruise Missile Development

[Tarun Kumar]

Prithvi 1 is decommissioned and Prithvi 2 is operational. P2 replaced P! more than 15 years ago.

 

[Tarun Kumar]

Also shaurya is becoming testbed for long range hypersonic glide vehicle called Pralay.

 

[porky_kicker]

Livefist learns the Manik turbofan will also power the DRDO’s secretive Long Range Cruise Missile (LRCM), a weapon project revealed first here on Livefist in 2010. Top DRDO sources reveal the LRCM, currently still in a configuration phase, will involve a three-stage power system: a booster to put the missile in the air, the Manik turbofan to power the LRCM through its 1,000-km cruise phase and, finally, a ramjet engine that will push the LRCM into supersonic endgame towards its target. The full-fledged project is being spearheaded by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) and Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL).

LRCM is an air launched liquid fueled ramjet engined long range cruise missile, much like the french ASAMP in role.

above livefist description fits the PRALAY missile with the supersonic terminal stage, not the LRCM.

 

[BON PLAN]

much like the french ASAMP in role.

ASMP or ASMP A .

 

[Prashant12]

EXCLUSIVE: Crucial Engine For India’s Cruise Missiles Revs Up

India’s Nirbhay subsonic long-range cruise missile during a test-firing.

Three months ago, India’s Nirbhay cruise missile was destroyed mid-flight after an electro-mechanical failure made it roll dangerously with half-opened wings. The roll glitched out the missile’s intertial navigation system, sending it careening out of its notified flight envelope and forcing the test team on ground to push the kill switch. As scientists work to clear up problems bedeviling the crucial long-range weapon effort, a related development is understood to be showing fresh promise, and could soon be a direct part of the Nirbhay: the Indian-built Manik mini turbofan engine, intended to power production series Nirbhay cruise missiles.

Almost exactly a year ago, DRDO chief S. Christopher witnessed a test run demonstration of the Manik turbofan at the DRDO’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) in Bengaluru. In March 2015, Defence Secretary G. Mohan Kumar was shown the engine switched on. It was in November 2014 that the mini turbofan engine was christened Manik.

Livefist has learnt that the Nirbhay cruise missile, currently powered by an NPO Saturn 36MT turbofan, will next be tested in the May-June period using a turbojet engine. While the GTRE has been mandated with proving the Manik turbofan by the time the Nirbhay’s other flight systems are proven, top sources confirm a Nirbhay test powered by a Manik engine could take place by the end of next year. The Manik turbofan has been under rigirous ground and high power tests for over two years now, and scientists are understood to be satisfied with progress. Current activity includes work spread between GTRE and the National Aerospace Laboratory. At the latter’s Propulsion Division, Manik components including its fan, centrifugal compressor, high pressure and low pressure turbines and alternator are under test.

At 425 kgF (kilogram-force) of thrust, scientists are working to reduce the Manik turbofan’s current 110 kilogram total weight. The engine makes major use of the Mishra Dhatu Nigam-developed MDN 321 special steel and special indigenous alloys. The Manik engine has only ever been displayed as a rapid-prototyping model at shows:

Significantly, the GTRE isn’t fully equipped to test the Manik and is working fast to add test capabilities and infrastructure. This was borne out yesterday in the defence standing committee’s report to Parliament, where the MoD made the following admission:

“The existing Fan & Compressor Test Facility at Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) has inadequate capacity and has become obsolete. To carry out testing of Fan & Compressor for existing and future generation gas turbine engine programmes of GTRE, it is essential to have a dedicated Fan & Compressor test facility at GTRE. GTRE is working out the budgetary cost of this facility to be established ‘on turnkey basis’ with an objective to initiate EPC approval by end of Oct 2016.”

The report further details aggressive plans to beef up a non-existent engine development and validation ecosystem in South India:

“The design improvement and validation of aero engine components and modules through testing is a continuous activity to enhance and demonstrate engine performance and reliability. At present, only limited aerodynamic and structural testing can be conducted within the country. Hence, the required component testing facilities at an estimated cost of Rs.1330 crore are planned to be established by DRDO at Rajanakunte, Bengaluru for development of Ghatak engine and all future generation aero engines.”

In addition, the DRDO is reported to be planning a twin test cell at GTRE to carry out ‘performance testing of gas turbine engines upto 130 kN thrust class’, which includes all versions of the Kaveri engine, including the dry version being developed for the Ghatak stealth UCAV. The bolstering of gas turbine development and testing infrastructure is belated but very welcome: it amplifies a recognition that India is willing to invest in one of the toughest areas of military science, one that has tormented the most advanced nations, and is currently harrowing China too.

But the Nirbhay isn’t the end game, as it were. Livefist learns the Manik turbofan will also power the DRDO’s secretive Long Range Cruise Missile (LRCM), a weapon project revealed first here on Livefist in 2010. Top DRDO sources reveal the LRCM, currently still in a configuration phase, will involve a three-stage power system: a booster to put the missile in the air, the Manik turbofan to power the LRCM through its 1,000-km cruise phase and, finally, a ramjet engine that will push the LRCM into supersonic endgame towards its target. The full-fledged project is being spearheaded by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) and Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL).

https://www.livefistdefence.com/201...ngine-for-indias-cruise-missiles-revs-up.html

 

[south block]

is this image edited cause there are snowy mountains in back...Look like secret testing going on up North if pic is genuine

 

[Chinmoy]

This

View attachment 15687

is this image edited cause there are snowy mountains in back...Look like secret testing going on up North if pic is genuine

The pic is edited and Photoshoped from the actual test video.

 

[HariPrasad-1]

LRCM is an air launched liquid fueled ramjet engined long range cruise missile, much like the french ASAMP in role.

above livefist description fits the PRALAY missile with the supersonic terminal stage, not the LRCM.

This project was scrapped a long ago.

 

[porky_kicker]

This project was scrapped a long ago.

looks like u maybe correct, due to the air launched brahmos programme maybe

lets wait and see

 

[Adioz]

secretive Long Range Cruise Missile (LRCM), a weapon project revealed first here on Livefist in 2010. Top DRDO sources reveal the LRCM, currently still in a configuration phase, will involve a three-stage power system: a booster to put the missile in the air, the Manik turbofan to power the LRCM through its 1,000-km cruise phase and, finally, a ramjet engine that will push the LRCM into supersonic endgame towards its target. The full-fledged project is being spearheaded by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) and Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL).

Is this actually happening? Or was it just a proposal that now stands scrapped? IMHO, if LRCM exists, its highly unlikely that they would cap the range at 1000km. The part I like was subsonic cruise upto target, then supersonic.

 

[bipin]

Not sure where these websites and analyst get information they have put Nirbhaya as operational when it not yet cleared one successful test with all parameters tested...

That site is missilethreat.csis.org Here is the link: https://missilethreat.csis.org/country/india/
Site has lots of relevant information, but yes that one is incorrect.

 

[HariPrasad-1]

looks like u maybe correct, due to the air launched brahmos programme maybe

lets wait and see

Actually this was planned for 3.2 Mach speed and long range. Air intake were planned to be provided in sides unlike brahmos. TO design Air intake, Mig 25's air intakes were studied. However project was found too complected and hence it was not taken up.

There was a news on multitarget missile in 2013. Does anyone know the details of the project?

 

[SATISH]

So by month end Nirbhay is going to be tested? Any news on this?

 

[captscooby81]

Not yet fixed it can happen this month or may be next month ..this will be the 5th test and the most crucial so they may take more time to address all the issues which had created missile failure in the past and want to do one successful launch this time ..

So by month end Nirbhay is going to be tested? Any news on this?

 

[kurup]

Nirbhay Test on May 25/26 .....

INDIA EAST COAST – OFF BALASORE (.) CHARTS 31 351 352 353 INT 71(.) EXPERIMENTAL FLIGHT TRIAL SCHEDULED FROM ITR ON 25 AND 26 MAY 17 FROM 0330-0730 UTC IN DANGER ZONE BOUNDED BY 21-19.71N 086-53.28E, 20-24.68N 087-13.73E, 19-18.57N 085-39.55E, 18-55.65N 086-00.15E, 20-35.14N 088-12.69E, 21-31.02N 087-06.70E 2. CANCEL THIS MSG 260830 UTC MAY 17

 

[captscooby81]

The range looks very short for Nirbhay might be something else ..If its Nirbhay lets keep our fingers crossed all issues have been addressed from the last launch ..

Nirbhay Test on May 25/26 .....

INDIA EAST COAST – OFF BALASORE (.) CHARTS 31 351 352 353 INT 71(.) EXPERIMENTAL FLIGHT TRIAL SCHEDULED FROM ITR ON 25 AND 26 MAY 17 FROM 0330-0730 UTC IN DANGER ZONE BOUNDED BY 21-19.71N 086-53.28E, 20-24.68N 087-13.73E, 19-18.57N 085-39.55E, 18-55.65N 086-00.15E, 20-35.14N 088-12.69E, 21-31.02N 087-06.70E 2. CANCEL THIS MSG 260830 UTC MAY 17

 

[kurup]

The range looks very short for Nirbhay might be something else ..If its Nirbhay lets keep our fingers crossed all issues have been addressed from the last launch ..

The missile will be doing loops in the specified area .

 

[Armand2REP]

The missile will be doing loops in the specified area .

It should be traveling by way of straight waypoints.

 

[Cutting Edge 2]

Rumours: Nirbhay could be tested on 31st May.

 

[indiatester]

Rumours: Nirbhay could be tested on 31st May.

@kurup had posted the NOTAM for 25/26th of May earlier. Did it change?