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DRDO, PSU and Private Defence Sector News
- Thread starter Sridhar
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youngindian
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DRDO develops new medicine to fight deadly wild mosquitoes
http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20100715/808/tnl-drdo-develops-new-medicine-to-fight_1.html
http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20100715/808/tnl-drdo-develops-new-medicine-to-fight_1.html
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EagleOne
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ndma,homeministry&drdo to start first ever NBC Institute
The Delhi-based National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) with the help and expertise of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will build a NBC (nuclear biological chemical) Institute in Nagpur for research and development to be carried out, with funding from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Essentially for the para military and scientists, there will be a small representation by the defence forces also.
Till now the army had its NBC training in Pune, the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Delhi and the Navy in Lonavla, but there was no full-fledged training and research institute in the country for all the armed forces to come under one roof and train are carry out research together, said a source, adding that Nagpur was chosen as it was centrally placed.
The Institute, will have all the modern equipment and research facilities, keeping the NBC threat in mind in future wars. DRDO already has NBC research facilities in Jodhpur and Gwalior in its laboratories, but is at a small scale. Super specialization will also be provided in the Institute along with basic courses.
According to a source, the Institute will be world class and will begin in 2011. It is expected to be completed by 2016.
The Bhopal-based 21 Corps, falling under the Southern Command, had its first ever five-day war-game based on NBC warfare, in the deserts of Rajasthan, in January this year, named 'Amogh Raksha', where war plans against a nuclear backdrop were validated.
In the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, the army will have some of its trained battalions to provide a Chemical Biological Radio and Nuclear (CBRN) cover during the Games, as a threat is perceived in the Games with its huge international participation.
The IAF too will have its NBC team ready for the Games along with the army, to provide its cover, in identification and evacuation
NBC
The Delhi-based National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) with the help and expertise of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will build a NBC (nuclear biological chemical) Institute in Nagpur for research and development to be carried out, with funding from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Essentially for the para military and scientists, there will be a small representation by the defence forces also.
Till now the army had its NBC training in Pune, the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Delhi and the Navy in Lonavla, but there was no full-fledged training and research institute in the country for all the armed forces to come under one roof and train are carry out research together, said a source, adding that Nagpur was chosen as it was centrally placed.
The Institute, will have all the modern equipment and research facilities, keeping the NBC threat in mind in future wars. DRDO already has NBC research facilities in Jodhpur and Gwalior in its laboratories, but is at a small scale. Super specialization will also be provided in the Institute along with basic courses.
According to a source, the Institute will be world class and will begin in 2011. It is expected to be completed by 2016.
The Bhopal-based 21 Corps, falling under the Southern Command, had its first ever five-day war-game based on NBC warfare, in the deserts of Rajasthan, in January this year, named 'Amogh Raksha', where war plans against a nuclear backdrop were validated.
In the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, the army will have some of its trained battalions to provide a Chemical Biological Radio and Nuclear (CBRN) cover during the Games, as a threat is perceived in the Games with its huge international participation.
The IAF too will have its NBC team ready for the Games along with the army, to provide its cover, in identification and evacuation
NBC
Last edited:
nandu
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Why India's smallest satellite is such a big deal
The ground tracking station at the Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology (NMIT) in Yelahanka, 20 km from Bangalore, where India's smallest satellite was incubated over the past two years, is abuzz.
It has been two days since Studsat, a 'pico-satellite' weighing under 1 kg, developed by students from seven colleges led by NMIT, was successfully launched from Sriharikota on board PSLV-C-15 along with four other satellites, and the amateur tracking and telemetry station is tuned to the satellite's HAM frequency.
The first 'beacon' from the satellite, signalling its health, was received at 11.07 am on July 12, much to the joy of the 35-40 students — a majority of them from NMIT, besides students from MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology, RV College of Engineering and MNS Institute of Technology in Bangalore and three other colleges in Hyderabad — who spearheaded the ambitious project, with guidance and encouragement from the Indian Space Research Organisation.
In a few days, images of the earth taken by the on-board camera will start streaming in every time Studsat passes over the station — three to five times a day — and they could be useful in vegetation, soil content and distance studies.
Measuring just 10 cm X 10 cm X 11 cm and developed at a cost of Rs 55 lakh pooled by the consortium of colleges, Studsat, which has a cubic design that enhances stability and makes optimum internal space available for components, was a student initiative spurred by a lecture by DVA Raghava Murthy, Project Director, Small Satellite Projects, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore, at the 2007 International Astronautical Congress in Hyderabad.
"By the time an MoU was signed one-and-a-half years ago, the students had already come up with an initial design. The fact that Studsat is up there sending signals from space demonstrates their capabilities," Murthy said.
Vigneswaran, who was responsible for Studsat's on-board computing, stayed on at NMIT for a year after he graduated in electronics and communications, and so did eight others who were in charge of various sub-systems such as structure, payload and communication. "I had an offer from IBM but this project was important, it was exciting. I am leaving in August for higher studies in the Netherlands," he says. His twin brother Visweswaran led the ground station development before leaving about a month ago for France, where he is studying at the International Space University.
"Most of us had offers from good companies and universities, but nothing would provided the kind of exposure and hands-on experience in space technology that this project has given us," says Chetan Dikshit, who managed the finance side of the project and will go on to do an MBA this year.
The pico-satellite tested the limits of their knowledge and skill. "Since it is so small, it has no thrusters to orient the camera. To turn the camera to face the earth, we have to perform algorithms that could take days," says Vigneswaran.
Chetan Angadi, one of the key technical leaders, says the optics were bought from the market but integration had to be meticulous since a minute difference could result in blurred images. "We expect the first images, which will have a resolution of 93 metres per pixel, to arrive after the satellite stabilises," he says. Sharath, who designed the outer structure of Studsat, says the challenge was to maintain an accuracy of 0.01 mm — "A sheet of paper is 0.03 mm thick" — in dimensions.
Besides a tracking station, NMIT set up a 'clean room' for testing, handling and integration of the satellite. Dr Jharna Mazumdar, Director of Research and Development at the institute, says NMIT spent Rs 45 lakh to install the facilities.
Mamatha, a student of electronics and communication who led the attitude determination sub-system of Studsat, and is in charge of the tracking station, says, "We have the requisite equipment now. All we need to do is pass on the passion for space science to our juniors and continue making Studsats."
While Anusat, a 40-kg satellite built by Anna University, Chennai, was launched last year, IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Bombay and SRM University are working on similar student satellites.
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/newsrf.php?newsid=13167
The ground tracking station at the Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology (NMIT) in Yelahanka, 20 km from Bangalore, where India's smallest satellite was incubated over the past two years, is abuzz.
It has been two days since Studsat, a 'pico-satellite' weighing under 1 kg, developed by students from seven colleges led by NMIT, was successfully launched from Sriharikota on board PSLV-C-15 along with four other satellites, and the amateur tracking and telemetry station is tuned to the satellite's HAM frequency.
The first 'beacon' from the satellite, signalling its health, was received at 11.07 am on July 12, much to the joy of the 35-40 students — a majority of them from NMIT, besides students from MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology, RV College of Engineering and MNS Institute of Technology in Bangalore and three other colleges in Hyderabad — who spearheaded the ambitious project, with guidance and encouragement from the Indian Space Research Organisation.
In a few days, images of the earth taken by the on-board camera will start streaming in every time Studsat passes over the station — three to five times a day — and they could be useful in vegetation, soil content and distance studies.
Measuring just 10 cm X 10 cm X 11 cm and developed at a cost of Rs 55 lakh pooled by the consortium of colleges, Studsat, which has a cubic design that enhances stability and makes optimum internal space available for components, was a student initiative spurred by a lecture by DVA Raghava Murthy, Project Director, Small Satellite Projects, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore, at the 2007 International Astronautical Congress in Hyderabad.
"By the time an MoU was signed one-and-a-half years ago, the students had already come up with an initial design. The fact that Studsat is up there sending signals from space demonstrates their capabilities," Murthy said.
Vigneswaran, who was responsible for Studsat's on-board computing, stayed on at NMIT for a year after he graduated in electronics and communications, and so did eight others who were in charge of various sub-systems such as structure, payload and communication. "I had an offer from IBM but this project was important, it was exciting. I am leaving in August for higher studies in the Netherlands," he says. His twin brother Visweswaran led the ground station development before leaving about a month ago for France, where he is studying at the International Space University.
"Most of us had offers from good companies and universities, but nothing would provided the kind of exposure and hands-on experience in space technology that this project has given us," says Chetan Dikshit, who managed the finance side of the project and will go on to do an MBA this year.
The pico-satellite tested the limits of their knowledge and skill. "Since it is so small, it has no thrusters to orient the camera. To turn the camera to face the earth, we have to perform algorithms that could take days," says Vigneswaran.
Chetan Angadi, one of the key technical leaders, says the optics were bought from the market but integration had to be meticulous since a minute difference could result in blurred images. "We expect the first images, which will have a resolution of 93 metres per pixel, to arrive after the satellite stabilises," he says. Sharath, who designed the outer structure of Studsat, says the challenge was to maintain an accuracy of 0.01 mm — "A sheet of paper is 0.03 mm thick" — in dimensions.
Besides a tracking station, NMIT set up a 'clean room' for testing, handling and integration of the satellite. Dr Jharna Mazumdar, Director of Research and Development at the institute, says NMIT spent Rs 45 lakh to install the facilities.
Mamatha, a student of electronics and communication who led the attitude determination sub-system of Studsat, and is in charge of the tracking station, says, "We have the requisite equipment now. All we need to do is pass on the passion for space science to our juniors and continue making Studsats."
While Anusat, a 40-kg satellite built by Anna University, Chennai, was launched last year, IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Bombay and SRM University are working on similar student satellites.
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/newsrf.php?newsid=13167
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http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?687659
Set Tech Agenda for Us: IAF Chief to Defence Scientists
Set Tech Agenda for Us: IAF Chief to Defence Scientists
plugwater
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Best brains booked by Bangalore, says IAF Chief; women achievers steal the show during DARE Day
It was yet another typical DRDO event with praises and pats flying from all corners. What stood out during the Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE) Day celebrations at Bangalore was the number of women achievers who were felicitated during the event. It was a heartening fact to know that so many women are working behind a number of sensitive defence programmes in India. Similar to most of the Indian events, men dominated the event with one man screaming from the rooftop saying that "it was during My tenure, I remember, I sanctioned, I had the privilege, I supported, I was, I can, I will, I shall, I am, I, I & I"¦."
The select-media which was present had very little from the speakers to report, but for the last-minute 'instant agreement' by the Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik, for an interaction. Thanks to CAS, the national media had at least some meat to file a 300-word copy. Amidst jostling & bustling by DRDO 'strong men', we asked the CAS about MMRCA status, Su-30 upgradation and the presence of Chinese air base in Tibet. The CAS, obliged with reluctance due to time paucity, saying that MMRCA finalization will be done within a year; Su-30 upgradation was on track and the airbase in Tibet is a matter of concern. Three minutes everything was over.
Earlier, during his short speech during the event, the CAS said that Bangalore has bagged the best brains in India. "There's a talk going around in Delhi that the best brains are here and Delhi is now facing acute shortage," he said and team DARE applauded. He also lauded DARE's contribution towards modernizing the IAF assets and said the lab stood apart from the rest with pure commitment and ability to deliver on time. He also wanted DRDO to be a couple of steps ahead in terms of innovation and response rather adopting a demand-driven approach.
DARE director asked the media to write some good words about DRDO (probably knowing what was in store), with the audience bursting into laughter. It was also a great moment for Indian R&D with so many youngsters, including many women, walking away with awards for excellence.
Later, when the CAS left for ADA, the media surrounded the DARE director for some bytes. Sadly, he spoke at such a feeble voice that the best of recording devices from Sony couldn't capture anything. He too left us in a hurry saying that the guests were waiting for lunch.
The programme was well organized to pin-point precision; the auditorium was best; the air-conditioning was well-controlled! News...? Well, not sure whether English words like electronic warfare systems, avionics and sensors make news any more? Hope DRDO's snail-paced branding and media managers in Dilli are listening?
At the end of it all, DRDO's Southern PRO K. Jayaprakash Rao deserves a pat on his back for doing away with 'gifts' for media. The 'no-gift campaign' launched by this blogger along with a couple of journalists in Bangalore is slowly catching the momentum, now.
http://tarmak007.blogspot.com/2010/07/best-brains-booked-by-bangalore-says.html
It was yet another typical DRDO event with praises and pats flying from all corners. What stood out during the Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE) Day celebrations at Bangalore was the number of women achievers who were felicitated during the event. It was a heartening fact to know that so many women are working behind a number of sensitive defence programmes in India. Similar to most of the Indian events, men dominated the event with one man screaming from the rooftop saying that "it was during My tenure, I remember, I sanctioned, I had the privilege, I supported, I was, I can, I will, I shall, I am, I, I & I"¦."
The select-media which was present had very little from the speakers to report, but for the last-minute 'instant agreement' by the Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik, for an interaction. Thanks to CAS, the national media had at least some meat to file a 300-word copy. Amidst jostling & bustling by DRDO 'strong men', we asked the CAS about MMRCA status, Su-30 upgradation and the presence of Chinese air base in Tibet. The CAS, obliged with reluctance due to time paucity, saying that MMRCA finalization will be done within a year; Su-30 upgradation was on track and the airbase in Tibet is a matter of concern. Three minutes everything was over.
Earlier, during his short speech during the event, the CAS said that Bangalore has bagged the best brains in India. "There's a talk going around in Delhi that the best brains are here and Delhi is now facing acute shortage," he said and team DARE applauded. He also lauded DARE's contribution towards modernizing the IAF assets and said the lab stood apart from the rest with pure commitment and ability to deliver on time. He also wanted DRDO to be a couple of steps ahead in terms of innovation and response rather adopting a demand-driven approach.
DARE director asked the media to write some good words about DRDO (probably knowing what was in store), with the audience bursting into laughter. It was also a great moment for Indian R&D with so many youngsters, including many women, walking away with awards for excellence.
Later, when the CAS left for ADA, the media surrounded the DARE director for some bytes. Sadly, he spoke at such a feeble voice that the best of recording devices from Sony couldn't capture anything. He too left us in a hurry saying that the guests were waiting for lunch.
The programme was well organized to pin-point precision; the auditorium was best; the air-conditioning was well-controlled! News...? Well, not sure whether English words like electronic warfare systems, avionics and sensors make news any more? Hope DRDO's snail-paced branding and media managers in Dilli are listening?
At the end of it all, DRDO's Southern PRO K. Jayaprakash Rao deserves a pat on his back for doing away with 'gifts' for media. The 'no-gift campaign' launched by this blogger along with a couple of journalists in Bangalore is slowly catching the momentum, now.
http://tarmak007.blogspot.com/2010/07/best-brains-booked-by-bangalore-says.html
Agantrope
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Finally some steps to have Developer-Customer relation in a smooth way
nandu
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Our order book is full for delivery up to 2012"²
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), a mini-ratna company, is a premier defence PSU that has delivered 600 vessels after its takeover by the government in 1977. While supporting the country's defence needs, GRSE foresees its profitability growing in the coming decade. Beginning its journey in 1884 with a small factory in the eastern banks of the Hooghly, GRSE is now attempting to create a global footprint. Rear Admiral KC Sekhar, chairman and managing director of GRSE, talks to FE's Indronil Roychowdhury about the company's prospects and its strategic importance. Excerpts:
What is GRSE's production plan and how is it linked with the country's defence programme?
Our plans are to first make timely delivery of orders that are placed with us. Our hands are full and our order book is quite elaborate. We have got orders for four anti-submarine warfare corvette in 2007 and we will deliver the first ship of this category to the Indian Navy in mid-2012. The navy has also placed orders for ten war jet, fast attack craft, six of which we have already delivered and the rest will be delivered by the end of next year.
The Indian Coast Guard has ordered eight inshore patrol vessels in March 2009 and we have aimed to deliver the first two by August 2011.
The ministry of home affairs has placed orders for 88 fast interceptor boats for coastal security in 2008 and we have already delivered 58. We want to deliver the rest before February 2011 because the ministry has an urgency in getting these boats, especially in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks.
So, we need to make four-five boats a month for timely delivery and this will be a very impressive production rate. So, our order book is full for delivery up to 2012 and these are all linked with the country's defence programme. We were not in a position to take any orders after March 2009.
What is the present order book size and when do you think you can start taking orders again?
Our present order book size is worth Rs 8,000 crore, but we have assessed that our future orders might create an order book worth more than Rs 20,000 crore. We are currently negotiating with the Indian Navy for getting an order of three (P17-A) frigates, which is a frontline warship equipped with surface-to-air missile, surface-to-surface missile, super-rapid gun mounting, anti-aircraft guns, torpedo launcher,"¦
chaff launcher, early warning systems, navigation & fire control radars and underwater sensors. Each of these ships would cost Rs 7,000 crore and we hope to start working on the project from December 2012 if we get the orders with the cabinet committee on security approving it.
We are also hopeful of entering the foreign market for the first time and though I shall not name the country with which I expect to sign a contract for supplying offshore patrol vessels in the next one-two months, this will be a great step forward for the Indian defence industry. We expect to sign another contract with the Indian Navy in two-three months from now and this will be for 800-tonne landing craft utility ships. We will have around 30 ships to make, putting together all these orders and there will be a time span of up to 2020 for delivering these orders. So, we are assured of a full order book up to 2020.
Aren't you planning any augmentation for faster delivery and taking more orders?
We have taken a modernisation programme of Rs 600 core, which consists of creating a dry dock and an inclined berth with a portable shelter. These are being constructed in the main yard and a 250-tonne Goliath crane is being fitted along with setting up ancilliary shops. More than 45% of this modernisation programme has been completed and we hope it will be finished by the end of 2011. Once this is over, our ship-making capacity will double and we will be able to make four anti-submarine warfare corvette. This augmentation is necessary for implementing the orders we are looking at and will also help us serve overseas markets we are looking at on a priority basis.
But as a defence PSU, we have to be very stringent about timely delivery and take orders according to our capacity. We are pumping in another Rs 40-50 crore in the Rajabagan dockyard, which we have taken over from the Central Inland Water Transport Corporation and we are developing this dockyard to make small ships. But more capacity will entail more production, which, in turn, will require more support from the ancilliaries. This will be an opportunity in a region that is considered to be the backwaters of industrial resurgence.
You said you are expecting orders from overseas markets. Can you elaborate?
There are a lot of inquiries from African countries, SriLanka, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries. A good number of delegations have also visited GRSE in the recent past. If these foreign enquiries fructify, then we may have to go for some more subcontracts. Currently, we implement 20% of our orders via subcontracts.
GRSE has been in profits for the last ten years, specially on the back of defence orders. Don't you think that a bit more focus in other segments such as portable bridge-making and engineering would have enhanced your turnover and profitability?
Other than ships, we make deck machines, marine pumps and bailey bridges, in which we have a 70% market share. We have a diesel engine plant at Ranchi, where all the engines made by MTU Germany for ship's operation and power generation are assembled and tested. Now, this diesel engine plant is part of shipbuilding, but the other segments contribute 20% to our turnover. But defence orders are the mainstay of our business and we have to increase our turnover and profitability by bagging higher value defence orders.
Our net profit in 2008-09 was Rs 55 crore, which doubled to Rs 110 core in 2009-10. Last year, GRSE's turnover was Rs 870 crore and in this fiscal, we expect to cross the Rs 1,000-crore mark. Our bottom line may be at around Rs 150 crore. So, the higher the value of defence orders, the greater our top line and bottom line will be.
Are there any problems in listing defence PSUs like GRSE?
I don't think there are any problems as such, but there are no instructions from the government as yet on doing the ground work for disinvestment. There are four PSU shipyards in the country—Mazagaon Dock Ltd, Goa Shipyard Ltd, GRSE and Hindusthan Shipyard Ltd—under the defence ministry. The ministry, at present, is not looking for disinvesting in any of them"¦.
http://idrw.org/?p=2518
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), a mini-ratna company, is a premier defence PSU that has delivered 600 vessels after its takeover by the government in 1977. While supporting the country's defence needs, GRSE foresees its profitability growing in the coming decade. Beginning its journey in 1884 with a small factory in the eastern banks of the Hooghly, GRSE is now attempting to create a global footprint. Rear Admiral KC Sekhar, chairman and managing director of GRSE, talks to FE's Indronil Roychowdhury about the company's prospects and its strategic importance. Excerpts:
What is GRSE's production plan and how is it linked with the country's defence programme?
Our plans are to first make timely delivery of orders that are placed with us. Our hands are full and our order book is quite elaborate. We have got orders for four anti-submarine warfare corvette in 2007 and we will deliver the first ship of this category to the Indian Navy in mid-2012. The navy has also placed orders for ten war jet, fast attack craft, six of which we have already delivered and the rest will be delivered by the end of next year.
The Indian Coast Guard has ordered eight inshore patrol vessels in March 2009 and we have aimed to deliver the first two by August 2011.
The ministry of home affairs has placed orders for 88 fast interceptor boats for coastal security in 2008 and we have already delivered 58. We want to deliver the rest before February 2011 because the ministry has an urgency in getting these boats, especially in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks.
So, we need to make four-five boats a month for timely delivery and this will be a very impressive production rate. So, our order book is full for delivery up to 2012 and these are all linked with the country's defence programme. We were not in a position to take any orders after March 2009.
What is the present order book size and when do you think you can start taking orders again?
Our present order book size is worth Rs 8,000 crore, but we have assessed that our future orders might create an order book worth more than Rs 20,000 crore. We are currently negotiating with the Indian Navy for getting an order of three (P17-A) frigates, which is a frontline warship equipped with surface-to-air missile, surface-to-surface missile, super-rapid gun mounting, anti-aircraft guns, torpedo launcher,"¦
chaff launcher, early warning systems, navigation & fire control radars and underwater sensors. Each of these ships would cost Rs 7,000 crore and we hope to start working on the project from December 2012 if we get the orders with the cabinet committee on security approving it.
We are also hopeful of entering the foreign market for the first time and though I shall not name the country with which I expect to sign a contract for supplying offshore patrol vessels in the next one-two months, this will be a great step forward for the Indian defence industry. We expect to sign another contract with the Indian Navy in two-three months from now and this will be for 800-tonne landing craft utility ships. We will have around 30 ships to make, putting together all these orders and there will be a time span of up to 2020 for delivering these orders. So, we are assured of a full order book up to 2020.
Aren't you planning any augmentation for faster delivery and taking more orders?
We have taken a modernisation programme of Rs 600 core, which consists of creating a dry dock and an inclined berth with a portable shelter. These are being constructed in the main yard and a 250-tonne Goliath crane is being fitted along with setting up ancilliary shops. More than 45% of this modernisation programme has been completed and we hope it will be finished by the end of 2011. Once this is over, our ship-making capacity will double and we will be able to make four anti-submarine warfare corvette. This augmentation is necessary for implementing the orders we are looking at and will also help us serve overseas markets we are looking at on a priority basis.
But as a defence PSU, we have to be very stringent about timely delivery and take orders according to our capacity. We are pumping in another Rs 40-50 crore in the Rajabagan dockyard, which we have taken over from the Central Inland Water Transport Corporation and we are developing this dockyard to make small ships. But more capacity will entail more production, which, in turn, will require more support from the ancilliaries. This will be an opportunity in a region that is considered to be the backwaters of industrial resurgence.
You said you are expecting orders from overseas markets. Can you elaborate?
There are a lot of inquiries from African countries, SriLanka, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries. A good number of delegations have also visited GRSE in the recent past. If these foreign enquiries fructify, then we may have to go for some more subcontracts. Currently, we implement 20% of our orders via subcontracts.
GRSE has been in profits for the last ten years, specially on the back of defence orders. Don't you think that a bit more focus in other segments such as portable bridge-making and engineering would have enhanced your turnover and profitability?
Other than ships, we make deck machines, marine pumps and bailey bridges, in which we have a 70% market share. We have a diesel engine plant at Ranchi, where all the engines made by MTU Germany for ship's operation and power generation are assembled and tested. Now, this diesel engine plant is part of shipbuilding, but the other segments contribute 20% to our turnover. But defence orders are the mainstay of our business and we have to increase our turnover and profitability by bagging higher value defence orders.
Our net profit in 2008-09 was Rs 55 crore, which doubled to Rs 110 core in 2009-10. Last year, GRSE's turnover was Rs 870 crore and in this fiscal, we expect to cross the Rs 1,000-crore mark. Our bottom line may be at around Rs 150 crore. So, the higher the value of defence orders, the greater our top line and bottom line will be.
Are there any problems in listing defence PSUs like GRSE?
I don't think there are any problems as such, but there are no instructions from the government as yet on doing the ground work for disinvestment. There are four PSU shipyards in the country—Mazagaon Dock Ltd, Goa Shipyard Ltd, GRSE and Hindusthan Shipyard Ltd—under the defence ministry. The ministry, at present, is not looking for disinvesting in any of them"¦.
http://idrw.org/?p=2518
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EagleOne
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In 6 months, nanotechnology centre at defence institute
Pune In around six months, the city-based Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) will have a nano technology centre on campus. The proposed facility will aim at giving a fillip to nanotechnology-related research, besides providing a platform for PhD students from across the country.
"Manpower and expert researchers are the key aspects of any technology centre. With the recruitment process over, we are a step closer to establishing the centre," said Prof Lalit M Patnaik, vice chancellor, DIAT.
The DIAT has been conducting a PhD programme for research students from universities across the country for the past two years. "The centre will be a useful platform for research students. In our department alone, we have seven PhD students. We are hopeful that five years from now, around 100 students will be assisting the faculty members in implementing projects. The facility will also help us integrate the research currently being done on individual levels," said RB Sharma, scientist F and head, Department of Applied Physics, DIAT.
With an initial investment of Rs 5 crore, the facility, to be set up on the DIAT campus in Girinagar, Khadakwasla, will have equipment such as scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, field emission microscope and so on. "Nanotechnology research comprises three stages — mathematical, experimental and device-oriented. While mathematical and simulation-related research is already being done at DIAT, the new facility will provide the equipment that can help us experiment with the developed theories and apply them in developing devices that can be beneficial for defence," said Patnaik.
At present, the research work at DIAT, which revolves around the characteristics, applications and properties of nano materials, is primarily aimed at providing a platform for developing defence-oriented devices. With the new infrastructure, the faculty is hopeful that the output of the research would be beneficial for designing devices for common utility. "We hope the foundation will be beneficial in developing applications for common people," said Tejashree Bhave, assistant professor, Department of Applied Physics, DIAT.
"The centre would make the DIAT a three-in-one facility — synthesis, characterising and prototyping of devices," said DIAT scientist A K Singh.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-...echnology-centre-at-defence-institute/652280/
Pune In around six months, the city-based Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) will have a nano technology centre on campus. The proposed facility will aim at giving a fillip to nanotechnology-related research, besides providing a platform for PhD students from across the country.
"Manpower and expert researchers are the key aspects of any technology centre. With the recruitment process over, we are a step closer to establishing the centre," said Prof Lalit M Patnaik, vice chancellor, DIAT.
The DIAT has been conducting a PhD programme for research students from universities across the country for the past two years. "The centre will be a useful platform for research students. In our department alone, we have seven PhD students. We are hopeful that five years from now, around 100 students will be assisting the faculty members in implementing projects. The facility will also help us integrate the research currently being done on individual levels," said RB Sharma, scientist F and head, Department of Applied Physics, DIAT.
With an initial investment of Rs 5 crore, the facility, to be set up on the DIAT campus in Girinagar, Khadakwasla, will have equipment such as scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, field emission microscope and so on. "Nanotechnology research comprises three stages — mathematical, experimental and device-oriented. While mathematical and simulation-related research is already being done at DIAT, the new facility will provide the equipment that can help us experiment with the developed theories and apply them in developing devices that can be beneficial for defence," said Patnaik.
At present, the research work at DIAT, which revolves around the characteristics, applications and properties of nano materials, is primarily aimed at providing a platform for developing defence-oriented devices. With the new infrastructure, the faculty is hopeful that the output of the research would be beneficial for designing devices for common utility. "We hope the foundation will be beneficial in developing applications for common people," said Tejashree Bhave, assistant professor, Department of Applied Physics, DIAT.
"The centre would make the DIAT a three-in-one facility — synthesis, characterising and prototyping of devices," said DIAT scientist A K Singh.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-...echnology-centre-at-defence-institute/652280/
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SHASH2K2
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India's Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter to be installed with Saab's CARABAS radar
at 07:00
India is deploying cutting-edge technology to defeat a simple insurgent weapon that J&K militants and Naxals are using to lethal effect: the Improvised Explosive Device, or IED. Swedish company Saab has offered to partner India's Defence Research and Development Organisation in fitting Saab's CARABAS radar on India's Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), which would allow the scanning of wide swathes of territory to detect IEDs well before they can be exploded.
Naxal IEDs--explosives that are detonated with a timer, or with signals from a mobile phone, to blow up jawans or vehicles-- are blamed for over 60 per cent of all casualties caused by the group. In only the most recent example, on May 17, a Naxal IED, buried inside a metalled road, blew up a civilian bus in the Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh, killing 36 people, including 12 Special Police Officers. Any movement of security forces in Naxal areas must be preceded by a painstaking manual search for IEDs. Many casualties have been caused during these search operations.
In the new system being evaluated, a Saab CARABAS radar, fitted in a Dhruv helicopter, does an aerial scan of the area in which security forces will be operating. The CARABAS radar is specially designed to detect metallic components of an IED, even when it is buried 5-6 metres below the ground. A computer quickly compares the image of each flight with the images of the previous flight over that area; any new metallic objects are highlighted, and their exact location mapped. Armed with that information, a bomb disposal team is sent to defuse the IED harmlessly.
Best of all, the exceptionally low frequency waves from the CARABAS radar ignore vegetation, reflecting only off man-made objects. This is especially useful in jungle terrain, where the dense foliage provides both visual and electro-magnetic cover. Naxal IED tactics involve burying IEDs several feet deep, sometimes under tarmac roads; such a system would detect even the deep-buried IEDs, which conventional, hand-held scanners, and even sniffer dogs, often cannot pick up.
"We have provided a radar at the request of the DRDO," says Inderjit Sial, the India head of Saab International India AB. "The DRDO will integrate it on the Dhruv ALH and then evaluation trials will be conducted. There is also a lighter version of the radar which can be flown on a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle)."
The helicopter-mounted CARABAS radar weighs about 150 kg. The smaller version of the radar, which has been developed for UAVs, weighs just 50 kg.
Saab believes this surveillance platform has a very high potential in India. The company has indicated that, if India chooses to deploy the CARABAS/Dhruv platform, Saab would set up its global manufacturing hub for the radar in India.
The DRDO is carefully evaluating Saab's offer. Confirming that it is evaluating a foreign foliage penetration radar, the spokesperson stated, "We are seeking foreign collaboration in this field. Talks are actively on"¦ but we have not yet made a final decision."
A key challenge the DRDO faces in integrating the CARABAS low-frequency radar on a UAV, or on the Dhruv helicopter, is the unusual shape and large size of the radar antennae, which look like two long poles. A place on the flying platform will have to be found for these antennae.
http://weapons.technology.youngester.com/2010/07/indias-dhruv-advanced-light-helicopter.html
at 07:00
India is deploying cutting-edge technology to defeat a simple insurgent weapon that J&K militants and Naxals are using to lethal effect: the Improvised Explosive Device, or IED. Swedish company Saab has offered to partner India's Defence Research and Development Organisation in fitting Saab's CARABAS radar on India's Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), which would allow the scanning of wide swathes of territory to detect IEDs well before they can be exploded.
Naxal IEDs--explosives that are detonated with a timer, or with signals from a mobile phone, to blow up jawans or vehicles-- are blamed for over 60 per cent of all casualties caused by the group. In only the most recent example, on May 17, a Naxal IED, buried inside a metalled road, blew up a civilian bus in the Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh, killing 36 people, including 12 Special Police Officers. Any movement of security forces in Naxal areas must be preceded by a painstaking manual search for IEDs. Many casualties have been caused during these search operations.
In the new system being evaluated, a Saab CARABAS radar, fitted in a Dhruv helicopter, does an aerial scan of the area in which security forces will be operating. The CARABAS radar is specially designed to detect metallic components of an IED, even when it is buried 5-6 metres below the ground. A computer quickly compares the image of each flight with the images of the previous flight over that area; any new metallic objects are highlighted, and their exact location mapped. Armed with that information, a bomb disposal team is sent to defuse the IED harmlessly.
Best of all, the exceptionally low frequency waves from the CARABAS radar ignore vegetation, reflecting only off man-made objects. This is especially useful in jungle terrain, where the dense foliage provides both visual and electro-magnetic cover. Naxal IED tactics involve burying IEDs several feet deep, sometimes under tarmac roads; such a system would detect even the deep-buried IEDs, which conventional, hand-held scanners, and even sniffer dogs, often cannot pick up.
"We have provided a radar at the request of the DRDO," says Inderjit Sial, the India head of Saab International India AB. "The DRDO will integrate it on the Dhruv ALH and then evaluation trials will be conducted. There is also a lighter version of the radar which can be flown on a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle)."
The helicopter-mounted CARABAS radar weighs about 150 kg. The smaller version of the radar, which has been developed for UAVs, weighs just 50 kg.
Saab believes this surveillance platform has a very high potential in India. The company has indicated that, if India chooses to deploy the CARABAS/Dhruv platform, Saab would set up its global manufacturing hub for the radar in India.
The DRDO is carefully evaluating Saab's offer. Confirming that it is evaluating a foreign foliage penetration radar, the spokesperson stated, "We are seeking foreign collaboration in this field. Talks are actively on"¦ but we have not yet made a final decision."
A key challenge the DRDO faces in integrating the CARABAS low-frequency radar on a UAV, or on the Dhruv helicopter, is the unusual shape and large size of the radar antennae, which look like two long poles. A place on the flying platform will have to be found for these antennae.
http://weapons.technology.youngester.com/2010/07/indias-dhruv-advanced-light-helicopter.html
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http://www.iitbombay.org/news/Current/software-tool-by-iitians-run-firms-to-aid
Research on supersonic aircraft may soon get a fillip as a group of pune-based IITian startups have developed tools to enhance the designing process and make it faster and cheaper. The software tool is called Integrated Design Using Inline Optimisation Technology, (IDIOT).
"Aeronautical researches are a lengthy affair and are spread over decades. Not only that, the design process that goes through the conceptual, preliminary and detail designing stages involves solid modeling, creation of wind tunnels, trials and tests which increase the cost of the project. IDIOT comes up with the best possible design options of various aircraft components under a given set of working conditions with the help of computer programmes, reducing the cost and time of research," said Nitin Kumar Gupta, ex-IITian and director of Idea Research. With the core team of two IIT Mumbai pass-outs along with one each from IIT Kharagpur and IIT Chennai, IDIOT was given inputs by Zeus Numerix on grid generation of the aircraft components. "We conducted as many as 450 simulations each lasting for 15-20 hours before reaching the final product," said Anurag Sharma, an ex-IITian and director of Zeus Numerix.
The group claims that this is the first time such tools have been developed in India. "India depends a lot on foreign organisations for designing such kind of tools. Private manufacturers such as Boeing, MIG or Sukhoi have their own design tools which are designed to match their specific needs. Though the tools have been designed keeping in mind the supersonic aircraft flying at multiple mach (one mach equivalent to speed of sound), they can also be used for designing of all sorts of aeronautical structures such as civil carriers, missile systems or even helicopters. The time of research is reduced to almost one third," said Dr N Ananthkrishnan, faculty, IIT Bombay.
Research on supersonic aircraft may soon get a fillip as a group of pune-based IITian startups have developed tools to enhance the designing process and make it faster and cheaper. The software tool is called Integrated Design Using Inline Optimisation Technology, (IDIOT).
"Aeronautical researches are a lengthy affair and are spread over decades. Not only that, the design process that goes through the conceptual, preliminary and detail designing stages involves solid modeling, creation of wind tunnels, trials and tests which increase the cost of the project. IDIOT comes up with the best possible design options of various aircraft components under a given set of working conditions with the help of computer programmes, reducing the cost and time of research," said Nitin Kumar Gupta, ex-IITian and director of Idea Research. With the core team of two IIT Mumbai pass-outs along with one each from IIT Kharagpur and IIT Chennai, IDIOT was given inputs by Zeus Numerix on grid generation of the aircraft components. "We conducted as many as 450 simulations each lasting for 15-20 hours before reaching the final product," said Anurag Sharma, an ex-IITian and director of Zeus Numerix.
The group claims that this is the first time such tools have been developed in India. "India depends a lot on foreign organisations for designing such kind of tools. Private manufacturers such as Boeing, MIG or Sukhoi have their own design tools which are designed to match their specific needs. Though the tools have been designed keeping in mind the supersonic aircraft flying at multiple mach (one mach equivalent to speed of sound), they can also be used for designing of all sorts of aeronautical structures such as civil carriers, missile systems or even helicopters. The time of research is reduced to almost one third," said Dr N Ananthkrishnan, faculty, IIT Bombay.
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DRDO's Combat Vehicle Development Unit Is
CHENNAI: The Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVR&DE) is working overtime to supply a range of frontline hardware to the Army.
The unit at Avadi, on the outskirts of Chennai, tasked with the design, development and testing of tracked combat vehicles and specialised tracked vehicles, has several projects in hand. Apart from the focus on Arjun Main Battle Tank (MBT) Mark II, it is also designing and developing the state-of-art futuristic main battle tank (FMBT), which is expected to cater to the requirements of the Army. "The Army expects the FMBT to be ready by 2020," CVR&DE director P Sivakumar told TOI recently. The unit is one of the 52 research units of the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DR&DO) in the country and the only one in Tamil Nadu.
Mobile platforms for missiles is another arena where its expertise is sought. For nearly a decade, it has supplied these platforms for missiles, including Akash, Prithivi and Trishul, and is presently developing several more.
Casualties are inevitable in battle and the CVR&DE's armoured ambulances come in handy. Equipped with airconditioning and heating facilities, it is designed for speedy evacuation of casualties and has excellent mobility for operation in various terrain. Another piece of equipment is the Carrier Command Post Tracked BMP-II (CCPT), designed to function as a self-propelled (SP) artillery command post. It affords nuclear, biological and chemical protection and protection against small arms. "We recently got an order for 50 CCPTs, each costing around Rs 3-4 crore," Sivakumar added.
The CVR&DE's dream project, at the conception stage, is the Unmanned Track Vehicle (UTV) through the tele-operated method the improved version is the automatic method. It is based on a wheeled vehicle platform comprising a pilot system unit and two units for surveillance. The UTVs, mainly for surveillance and detection of mines, include remote operations on wirless LAN (land area network), vision systems and robotic manipulator. A miniature model with a range of five km has been developed and will be operated with a GIS-based auto vehicle tracking system.
Bifurcated from the Ahmednagar-based Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (VR&DE) and formed as an independent laboratory in 1976, the CVR&DE has come a long way. Over the years, it has not only catered to the Army's needs but also supplied to the other services, especially the air force. It has designed aircraft subsystems, mainly related to the engine and hydraulics. For the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), it has developed 10 prototypes of the secondary gear boxes and is conducting user trials. It expects orders for production soon.
The unit with a present strength of 1,300 employees, including 290 scientists, is credited with designing and developing some of the best military hardware in the world. Among them are the Arjun Main Battle Tank (MBT) Mark I and Mark II, Ex-Tank (Experimental tank) and Combat Improved (CI) Ajeya Mark I, indigenously-developed T-72 tank with an advanced fire control system and high mobility. It is currently the mainstay of the armoured corps.
[email protected]
CHENNAI: The Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVR&DE) is working overtime to supply a range of frontline hardware to the Army.
The unit at Avadi, on the outskirts of Chennai, tasked with the design, development and testing of tracked combat vehicles and specialised tracked vehicles, has several projects in hand. Apart from the focus on Arjun Main Battle Tank (MBT) Mark II, it is also designing and developing the state-of-art futuristic main battle tank (FMBT), which is expected to cater to the requirements of the Army. "The Army expects the FMBT to be ready by 2020," CVR&DE director P Sivakumar told TOI recently. The unit is one of the 52 research units of the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DR&DO) in the country and the only one in Tamil Nadu.
Mobile platforms for missiles is another arena where its expertise is sought. For nearly a decade, it has supplied these platforms for missiles, including Akash, Prithivi and Trishul, and is presently developing several more.
Casualties are inevitable in battle and the CVR&DE's armoured ambulances come in handy. Equipped with airconditioning and heating facilities, it is designed for speedy evacuation of casualties and has excellent mobility for operation in various terrain. Another piece of equipment is the Carrier Command Post Tracked BMP-II (CCPT), designed to function as a self-propelled (SP) artillery command post. It affords nuclear, biological and chemical protection and protection against small arms. "We recently got an order for 50 CCPTs, each costing around Rs 3-4 crore," Sivakumar added.
The CVR&DE's dream project, at the conception stage, is the Unmanned Track Vehicle (UTV) through the tele-operated method the improved version is the automatic method. It is based on a wheeled vehicle platform comprising a pilot system unit and two units for surveillance. The UTVs, mainly for surveillance and detection of mines, include remote operations on wirless LAN (land area network), vision systems and robotic manipulator. A miniature model with a range of five km has been developed and will be operated with a GIS-based auto vehicle tracking system.
Bifurcated from the Ahmednagar-based Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (VR&DE) and formed as an independent laboratory in 1976, the CVR&DE has come a long way. Over the years, it has not only catered to the Army's needs but also supplied to the other services, especially the air force. It has designed aircraft subsystems, mainly related to the engine and hydraulics. For the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), it has developed 10 prototypes of the secondary gear boxes and is conducting user trials. It expects orders for production soon.
The unit with a present strength of 1,300 employees, including 290 scientists, is credited with designing and developing some of the best military hardware in the world. Among them are the Arjun Main Battle Tank (MBT) Mark I and Mark II, Ex-Tank (Experimental tank) and Combat Improved (CI) Ajeya Mark I, indigenously-developed T-72 tank with an advanced fire control system and high mobility. It is currently the mainstay of the armoured corps.
[email protected]
EagleOne
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DRDO working on border intelligence, bomb disposal systems
New Delhi The DRDO is working on a number of electronics and computer science (ECS) related projects for the armed forces and the paramilitary, including a border communication intelligence gathering system and a laser-based ordnance disposal system that are likely to be inducted in service by end of next year.
DRDO's Chief Controller of R&D for ECS Cluster of seven labs, Dr Sreehari Rao told reporters today that the border communication intelligence gathering system would be ready and inducted fully to cover all border areas before December next year.
Developed by Hyderabad-based Defence Electronics Research Laboratory (DLRL), the project envisaged fitting up of 10 static and 25 mobile stations for intercepting enemy communication.
DLRL Director G Boopati, in his presentation, said the system would be of help to both the armed forces and the paramilitary in intercepting communication of terror groups across the border.
Boopati said his lab was also working on other electronic warfare requirements of the security forces such as communication and electronic intelligence systems including jammers and integrating them on platforms.
Regarding the laser-based ordnance disposal system (LORDS), Laser System and Technology Centre (LASTEC) Director Anil Kumar Maini said the system provided the scope for destroying rockets, bombs and explosive that have completed their shelf-life without having to get closer.
The lab, he said, was in the process of integrating the LORDS on armoured vehicles so that the unwanted ordnance could be disposed of without getting any closer to it.
He said LASTEC was also working on other laser-based systems such as direct energy warfare application, low intensity conflict (LIC) applications, battlefield optoelectronic systems and advanced science and technology for future systems.
Among the LIC systems were hand held dazzlers that immobilise human targets for a few minutes, providing the much needed advantage to the security forces, apart from crowd control dazzlers mounted on vehicles and air defence dazzlers that work against enemy aircraft or helicopters.
Electronics and Radar Development Establishment's (LRDE) R Kuller said his lab was currently working on low level light radars (LLLRs) that could be deployed in mountainous areas.
He said the lab had recently tested a set of LLLRs in mountain terrains successfully. Among the LLLRs were the 'Bharani' radars for Army and 'Aslesha' radars for IAF.
Kuller said LRDE was also working on an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar for use in future Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) 'Tejas' for both IAF and Navy, apart from a Maritime Patrol Airborne Radar (MPAR) that could track even sea-skimming missiles.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-...r-intelligence--bomb-disposal-systems/655020/
DRDO preps up weapons from Star Wars
DRDO is working on a slew of directed energy weapons (DEWs), much like those used in the Star Wars films - unlike conventional weapons which use kinetic or chemical energy of missiles or other projectiles to destroy targets, DEWs decimate them by bombarding with subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves at the speed of sound. The weapons could intercept missiles soon after they are launched towards India.
DEWs deliver at the speed-of-light delivery, and cause minimal collateral damage. "Lasers are weapons of the future. We can, for instance, use laser beams to shoot down an enemy missile in its boost or terminal phase,'' said DRDO's Laser Science & Technology Centre (LASTEC) director Anil Kumar Maini. "LASTEC has the mandate to develop DEWs for armed forces,'' said DRDO's chief controller (electronics & computer sciences) R Sreehari Rao.
The aim is to develop laser-based weapons, deployed on airborne as well as seaborne platforms, which can intercept missiles soon after they are launched towards India in the boost phase itself. These will be part of the fledgling ballistic missile defence system being currently developed by DRDO.
The US, incidentally, is already conducting tests of high-powered laser weapons on a modified 747 jumbo jet, the ALTB (airborne laser testbed), which direct lethal amounts of directed energy to destroy ballistic missiles during their boost phase.
It will, of course, take India several years to even conduct such tests. For now, LASTEC is developing "a 25-kilowatt'' laser system to hit a missile during its terminal phase at a distance of 5-7 km. "All you need is to heat the missile skin to 200-300 degree and the warhead inside will detonate,'' said Maini.
"gas dynamic laser-based DEW system'', under project Aditya, which should be ready in three years. "But Aditya is just a technology demonstrator to prove beam control technology. Ultimately, we have to develop solid-state lasers,'' said Maini.
Even countries like US have now shifted their focus to the more efficient, smaller and lighter solid-state laser DEWs since chemical (dye and gas) lasers are dogged by size, weight and logistical problems.
LASER POWER:
Non-Lethal systems:
-- Hand-held laser dazzler to disorient adversaries, without collateral damage. 50-metre range. Status: Ready.
-- Crowd-control dazzlers mounted on vehicles to dispel rioting mobs. 250-metre range. Status: take 2 years more.
-- Laser-based ordnance disposal system, which can be used to neutralise IEDs and other explosives from a distance. Status: trials begin in 18 months.
Lethal Systems:
-- Air defence dazzlers to take on enemy aircraft and helicopters. 10-km range. Status: take 2 years more.
-- 25-kilowatt laser systems to destroy missiles during their terminal phase. 5 to 7-km range. Status: take five years more.
-- At least 100-kilowatt solid-state laser systems, mounted on aircraft and ships, to destroy missiles in their boost phase itself. Status: will take a decade.
New Delhi The DRDO is working on a number of electronics and computer science (ECS) related projects for the armed forces and the paramilitary, including a border communication intelligence gathering system and a laser-based ordnance disposal system that are likely to be inducted in service by end of next year.
DRDO's Chief Controller of R&D for ECS Cluster of seven labs, Dr Sreehari Rao told reporters today that the border communication intelligence gathering system would be ready and inducted fully to cover all border areas before December next year.
Developed by Hyderabad-based Defence Electronics Research Laboratory (DLRL), the project envisaged fitting up of 10 static and 25 mobile stations for intercepting enemy communication.
DLRL Director G Boopati, in his presentation, said the system would be of help to both the armed forces and the paramilitary in intercepting communication of terror groups across the border.
Boopati said his lab was also working on other electronic warfare requirements of the security forces such as communication and electronic intelligence systems including jammers and integrating them on platforms.
Regarding the laser-based ordnance disposal system (LORDS), Laser System and Technology Centre (LASTEC) Director Anil Kumar Maini said the system provided the scope for destroying rockets, bombs and explosive that have completed their shelf-life without having to get closer.
The lab, he said, was in the process of integrating the LORDS on armoured vehicles so that the unwanted ordnance could be disposed of without getting any closer to it.
He said LASTEC was also working on other laser-based systems such as direct energy warfare application, low intensity conflict (LIC) applications, battlefield optoelectronic systems and advanced science and technology for future systems.
Among the LIC systems were hand held dazzlers that immobilise human targets for a few minutes, providing the much needed advantage to the security forces, apart from crowd control dazzlers mounted on vehicles and air defence dazzlers that work against enemy aircraft or helicopters.
Electronics and Radar Development Establishment's (LRDE) R Kuller said his lab was currently working on low level light radars (LLLRs) that could be deployed in mountainous areas.
He said the lab had recently tested a set of LLLRs in mountain terrains successfully. Among the LLLRs were the 'Bharani' radars for Army and 'Aslesha' radars for IAF.
Kuller said LRDE was also working on an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar for use in future Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) 'Tejas' for both IAF and Navy, apart from a Maritime Patrol Airborne Radar (MPAR) that could track even sea-skimming missiles.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-...r-intelligence--bomb-disposal-systems/655020/
DRDO preps up weapons from Star Wars
DRDO is working on a slew of directed energy weapons (DEWs), much like those used in the Star Wars films - unlike conventional weapons which use kinetic or chemical energy of missiles or other projectiles to destroy targets, DEWs decimate them by bombarding with subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves at the speed of sound. The weapons could intercept missiles soon after they are launched towards India.
DEWs deliver at the speed-of-light delivery, and cause minimal collateral damage. "Lasers are weapons of the future. We can, for instance, use laser beams to shoot down an enemy missile in its boost or terminal phase,'' said DRDO's Laser Science & Technology Centre (LASTEC) director Anil Kumar Maini. "LASTEC has the mandate to develop DEWs for armed forces,'' said DRDO's chief controller (electronics & computer sciences) R Sreehari Rao.
The aim is to develop laser-based weapons, deployed on airborne as well as seaborne platforms, which can intercept missiles soon after they are launched towards India in the boost phase itself. These will be part of the fledgling ballistic missile defence system being currently developed by DRDO.
The US, incidentally, is already conducting tests of high-powered laser weapons on a modified 747 jumbo jet, the ALTB (airborne laser testbed), which direct lethal amounts of directed energy to destroy ballistic missiles during their boost phase.
It will, of course, take India several years to even conduct such tests. For now, LASTEC is developing "a 25-kilowatt'' laser system to hit a missile during its terminal phase at a distance of 5-7 km. "All you need is to heat the missile skin to 200-300 degree and the warhead inside will detonate,'' said Maini.
"gas dynamic laser-based DEW system'', under project Aditya, which should be ready in three years. "But Aditya is just a technology demonstrator to prove beam control technology. Ultimately, we have to develop solid-state lasers,'' said Maini.
Even countries like US have now shifted their focus to the more efficient, smaller and lighter solid-state laser DEWs since chemical (dye and gas) lasers are dogged by size, weight and logistical problems.
LASER POWER:
Non-Lethal systems:
-- Hand-held laser dazzler to disorient adversaries, without collateral damage. 50-metre range. Status: Ready.
-- Crowd-control dazzlers mounted on vehicles to dispel rioting mobs. 250-metre range. Status: take 2 years more.
-- Laser-based ordnance disposal system, which can be used to neutralise IEDs and other explosives from a distance. Status: trials begin in 18 months.
Lethal Systems:
-- Air defence dazzlers to take on enemy aircraft and helicopters. 10-km range. Status: take 2 years more.
-- 25-kilowatt laser systems to destroy missiles during their terminal phase. 5 to 7-km range. Status: take five years more.
-- At least 100-kilowatt solid-state laser systems, mounted on aircraft and ships, to destroy missiles in their boost phase itself. Status: will take a decade.
Last edited:
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