Nirbhay Cruise Missile Development

[sayareakd]

Why don't they test a straight path first and then get to the turns and height differentials later on?

Already done that. Now going to next stage.................

 

[Prashant12]

India's homegrown Nirbhay cruise missile ready for fifth trial

BHUBANESWAR: After two consecutive failures, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is gearing up for a fresh experimental trial of India’s first home-grown subsonic cruise missile Nirbhay with a hope that the weapon system this time will not let them down.

Hectic preparations are underway at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) off Odisha coast as the missile has been scheduled for the test next week. It will be fifth launch of the missile in the last five years.

“The launch window has been set for November 7 to 9. Final checks of the missile sub-systems are on and hopefully the missile will be ready for test in next two days. A team of experts are monitoring the launch preparations. We are planning for the launch on Tuesday,” said an official associated with the project.

Once powered by a turbofan engine, Nirbhay will be tested using a turbojet engine for the first time. DRDO scientists are expecting a success this time as wing deployment and navigation software problems, detected during the pre-launch check-ups in May which led to its postponement, seem to have been rectified.

Of four tests so far, three have been failed as the missile had achieved partial success during the second test in 2014. The first test flight conducted on March 12, 2013, was an utter failure as the missile crashed only after 20 minutes of flight and its remnants fell in an orchard in Jagatsinghpur district, about 150 km from the launch site.

Nirbhay’s last trial conducted on December 21, 2016, was aborted midway as the missile changed its course. The missile project was mired in controversy after ‘The Express’ raised doubts on its outcome prior to third and fourth trials since it was pushed for test with faults in the flight control and navigation software.

The six-metre long two-stage missile can strike a target 1,000 km away. With a diameter of 0.52 metres and wing span of 2.7 metres, it weighs around 1,500 kg and can carry warheads up to 200 kg. Comparable with America’s Tomahawk missile as far as the stealth capability, it can cruise at a speed of Mach 0.8.

Nirbhay blasts off like a rocket and unlike a missile it turns into a vehicle akin an aircraft. Flying at tree-top level it can deceive enemy radars making it difficult to be detected. Designed by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) and launched in 2004, the project is on an 18-month extension which expires in June 2018.

Fire Power

• Operational range – 1,000 km
• Weight – 1,500 kg
• Length – 6 m
• Diameter – 0.52 m
• Wing span – 2.7 m
• Warhead – 200 kg
• Engine – Turbofan/turbojet
• Speed – Mach 0.8

http://www.newindianexpress.com/nat...se-missile-ready-for-fifth-trial-1692306.html

 

[Kay]

Why don't they test a straight path first and then get to the turns and height differentials later on?

Exactly...it seems they are always setting up for a highly public spectacular failure...tests are not the simplest ones...announced in public beforehand with much fanfare...not sure about the logic in this

 

[indiatester]

Already done that. Now going to next stage.................

Great. I did not find any report that mentioned this. Remember only the 3 failures and 1 test that did not take place during December last.
If the straight path was successful, they would have IMHO done smaller turn tests where the destination would be just a few hundred meters/few kilometers to ensure that the vehicle performs as expected. You don't even have to declare these tests as they can be classified as unit test or integration tests.
Only when you know all the characteristics from smaller tests and endurance tests from static stations should they have gone for the turns.
What surprises me is that they have not announced such successes and are setting up slightly complex ones for the "first" successful flight test.

While I understand that they should/would have done all the necessary tests earlier, from PR perspective they seem to set themselves up for an uphill task.

 

[patriots]

every time I hear roars of fighter jets....then I get a news of some testing........I can confirm the time of testing......if the location in chandipur

 

[Kshithij]

Exactly...it seems they are always setting up for a highly public spectacular failure...tests are not the simplest ones...announced in public beforehand with much fanfare...not sure about the logic in this

Developmental tests are not something people announce as these are not meant for showcasing capability but to get a better understanding of the working. Only the tests of missiles that are done in a routine manner or that has completed development are to be announced to showcase the capability. Announcing developmental trials beforehand is foolish.

 

[kurup]

Exactly...it seems they are always setting up for a highly public spectacular failure...tests are not the simplest ones...announced in public beforehand with much fanfare...not sure about the logic in this

Developmental tests are not something people announce as these are not meant for showcasing capability but to get a better understanding of the working. Only the tests of missiles that are done in a routine manner or that has completed development are to be announced to showcase the capability. Announcing developmental trials beforehand is foolish.

It doesnot matter if the tests are developemental or operational .... you have to announce them ..... that is the international rule ..... thats why NOTAM and NAVAREA exists .

 

[Kshithij]

It doesnot matter if the tests are developemental or operational .... you have to announce them ..... that is the international rule ..... thats why NOTAM and NAVAREA exists .

Applies only for ballistic missiles. Cruise missiles need not be announced

 

[kurup]

Applies only for ballistic missiles. Cruise missiles need not be announced

If the test area is in International waters , You have issue NAVAREA .... doesnot matter if its CM or BM or anything else .

 

[torque456]

Since we are using a turbojet this time. Which one is it? Russian?

 

[sayareakd]

Since we are using a turbojet this time. Which one is it? Russian?

man you have very low opinion of our country and your self.

 

[sayareakd]

Great. I did not find any report that mentioned this. Remember only the 3 failures and 1 test that did not take place during December last.
If the straight path was successful, they would have IMHO done smaller turn tests where the destination would be just a few hundred meters/few kilometers to ensure that the vehicle performs as expected. You don't even have to declare these tests as they can be classified as unit test or integration tests.
Only when you know all the characteristics from smaller tests and endurance tests from static stations should they have gone for the turns.
What surprises me is that they have not announced such successes and are setting up slightly complex ones for the "first" successful flight test.

While I understand that they should/would have done all the necessary tests earlier, from PR perspective they seem to set themselves up for an uphill task.

Let them test it first, in the mean time, just keep saying "No to Russian alternative", this is going to worse then Arjun saga, if it is made to fail.

 

[Kshithij]

Let them test it first, in the mean time, just keep saying "No to Russian alternative", this is going to worse then Arjun saga, if it is made to fail.

Pakistan got it by reverse engineering Tomahawk. Isn't doing the same with Kalibr, a better idea?

 

[torque456]

man you have very low opinion of our country and your self.

Isn't manik a turbofan not a turbojet? And it was reported in many reports that manik won't power nirbhaya until 2018 end.

And the recent news reports have mentioned that we are using a turbojet this time.

So my question is valid. And saurav jha hasn't said that we are using it now, it will be used in operational missiles.

And what's up with personal insults?? How is it disrespectful to the country?

 

[sum1]

I think it will be with PTAE-7 engine used in Lakshya.

Looks like we might have run out of Russian engines and the Manik isnt ready yet. So plan B in action

 

[Chinmoy]

Exactly...it seems they are always setting up for a highly public spectacular failure...tests are not the simplest ones...announced in public beforehand with much fanfare...not sure about the logic in this

India already achieved it during the 2nd flight trial.

 

[Chinmoy]

Few components of Nirbhay from an Old post. Sorry if a repost.

http://trishul-trident.blogspot.in/2012/12/nirbhay-cruise-missile-family-finally.html

 

[Prashant12]

@DRDO_India test fires homegrown subsonic cruise #missile Nirbhay from a defence range off #Odisha coast. @NewIndianXpress

 

[Prashant12]

@DRDO_India test fires homegrown subsonic cruise #missile Nirbhay from a defence range off #Odisha coast. @NewIndianXpress

#Nirbhay launch successful, says a DRDO source

 

[sayareakd]

http://odishatv.in/odisha/body-slid...nirbhay-test-fired-from-chandipur-itr-252825/



Balasore: India’s most sophisticated long range subsonic cruise missile ‘Nirbhay’ was test fired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur here today.

The indigenously-designed and developed missile with a strike range of 1,000 km was test launched from a specially-designed launcher at 10.30 am on Tuesday from the launch complex-3 of the ITR near here, defence sources said.

Powered by a solid rocket motor booster, Nirbhay missile with a turbo-fan engine is guided by a highly advanced inertial navigation system. Capable of carrying 24 kinds of war weapons, the missile is able to target multiple places simultaneously.

After the missile achieves designated altitude and velocity the booster motor is separated and the torfan engine automatically switches on taking over further propulsion, DRDO sources said.

Mid-way in its flight, missiles wing opens up by the commands generated by the sophisticated on board computer for stabilising the flight path.

The missile was tracked with the help of ground based radars and its health parameters were monitored by indigenous telemetry stations by team of professionals from DRDOs ITR and LRDE (Electronics & Radar Development Establishment).