DRDO, PSU and Private Defence Sector News

[cobra commando]

Laser weapons, swarm drones on DRDO menu

 

[porky_kicker]

A month ago I posted the pic of a system which I inferred to be a HPM DEW.

At that time available info indicated the same.

New info available now changes that.

The said system is actually a mobile RCS etc measuring and testing system. ( What the heck, never saw that coming )

Hence I have corrected the info posted by me earlier. Sorry for the goofup.

 

[Chinmoy]

The photo has a logo saying "KELTEC". Wasn't KELTEC taken over by the Brahmos Corp. in 2007 ?

https://www.financialexpress.com/ar...keover-of-keltec-by-brahmos-aerospace/246945/

They do manufacturing work for brahmos and ISRO. Also the 4 large holes look like space for retro rocket motors. Which rocket has retro rockets mounted on the interstage ?

@porky_kicker That is not a missile interstage, but casing.
@Gautam Sarkar Look carefully, those are not retro rocket outlets you are talking of, Infact those are inlet for fuel line.

 

[porky_kicker]

@porky_kicker That is not a missile interstage, but casing.
@Gautam Sarkar Look carefully, those are not retro rocket outlets you are talking of, Infact those are inlet for fuel line.

It is the missile interstage casing ( casing is written on the section ). AFAIK casing simply implies the physical structure without the fittings and appendages like fuel lines , gauges , sensors , motors etc.

So how does it make any difference to the question ?

Anyways did you identify the missile ?

 

[Chinmoy]

It is the missile interstage casing ( casing is written on the section ). AFAIK casing simply implies the physical structure without the fittings and appendages like fuel lines , gauges , sensors , motors etc.

So how does it make any difference to the question ?

Anyways did you identify the missile ?

Yes... Its casing, but not inter stage. Its a fuel pump casing.

 

[Aaj ka hero]

It is the missile interstage casing ( casing is written on the section ). AFAIK casing simply implies the physical structure without the fittings and appendages like fuel lines , gauges , sensors , motors etc.

So how does it make any difference to the question ?

Anyways did you identify the missile ?

I say this is Asat missile casing, you can tell the correct answer I know I may be wrong.

 

[porky_kicker]

Yes... Its casing, but not inter stage. Its a fuel pump casing.

It was labelled as interstage casing explicitly. And the reason why it got me interested in the first place.

Do you recognise the missile ?

 

[porky_kicker]

@porky_kicker That is not a missile interstage, but casing.
@Gautam Sarkar Look carefully, those are not retro rocket outlets you are talking of, Infact those are inlet for fuel line.

Just for the sake of discussion

Inlet for fuel line ?

Do Inlets for fuel lines need structurally integrated buffer placeholders ( cavities extending from the holes ) to keep them in place ?

Unless

The radial holes are for retro motors for axial thrust whose exhaust shape is conformal with the same.

Something like this , note the exhaust. There are different configurations of the same.

The holes along the surface of the circular body is for retro motors to provide lateral thrust

Importantly why need fuel lines in solid fuel missiles , considering all recent missiles are solid fuelled.

 

[Enquirer]

There is a huge chance that the system was not Astra. I've gone thru the brochure and noticed something interesting. @porky_kicker have hidden some facts which gave rise to the doubt in his mind and didn't shared the facts here.
But anyway it's not a prototype of MRPKS or Astra as both of them are single stage system whereas it is a twin stage one.

It's not 100% clear that this one is a twin stage missile/rocket.
It's possible that the top half of the fins are control surfaces while the bottom half are static.
The different coloration doesn't seems like it's demarcating sections.

Also the MRPKS project was only for prototype development....it's not surprising that a small vendor bagged the order.

 

[Chinmoy]

Just for the sake of discussion

Inlet for fuel line ?

Do Inlets for fuel lines need structurally integrated buffer placeholders ( cavities extending from the holes ) to keep them in place ?

Unless

The radial holes are for retro motors for axial thrust whose exhaust shape is conformal with the same.

Something like this , note the exhaust. There are different configurations of the same.

View attachment 37550

The holes along the surface of the circular body is for retro motors to provide lateral thrust

Importantly why need fuel lines in solid fuel missiles , considering all recent missiles are solid fuelled.

If you would notice the radial holes, they are not perpendicular to each other, but infact runs from one end of the casing to other.

Something like this.

In case of retro motor fittings, it would have been something like this.

So retro motor fitting concept could be denied here IMO.

Now coming to buffer placeholders, YES....... Depending of the shape and size of fuel tank or combustion chamber, it could be there. Moreover look at the placeholders, they are designed to affix something with them internally.

 

[Chinmoy]

It's not 100% clear that this one is a twin stage missile/rocket.
It's possible that the top half of the fins are control surfaces while the bottom half are static.
The different coloration doesn't seems like it's demarcating sections.

Also the MRPKS project was only for prototype development....it's not surprising that a small vendor bagged the order.

If you would zoom and look into the circled portion, you would see that the top and bottom half are distinct from each other. So while designing a AAM or SAM, why would anyone create a weak spot around the center of gravity?

Have a look at this other picture.

This is the other half of the fin structure. Now they are not small vendors, but they do make some critical missile components other then the body.

 

[Enquirer]

View attachment 37580
If you would zoom and look into the circled portion, you would see that the top and bottom half are distinct from each other. So while designing a AAM or SAM, why would anyone create a weak spot around the center of gravity?

It could be for ease of construction - modular design! If you build a long tube, how will be accurately place/build the various sections? You might need other reinforcements in the alternative

If a two stage missile with a join can sustain the forces, then a single stage missile with a join(for ease of construction) can also sustain all the forces.

Think of submarine.....

Also if it were a two stage missile then the terminal stage has no control fins

 

[Chinmoy]

It could be for ease of construction - modular design! If you build a long tube, how will be accurately place/build the various sections? You might need other reinforcements in the alternative

If a two stage missile with a join can sustain the forces, then a single stage missile with a join(for ease of construction) can also sustain all the forces.

Think of submarine.....

Also if it were a two stage missile then the terminal stage has no control fins

Yeah modular construction is always there in case of a missile. But in case of a AAM or SAM no one designs a missile body with two modules joined in the area of the center of gravity which would experience the highest stress in case of a high G maneuver. Even BRAHMOS body structure is not a modular built.

As far as terminal stage guidance is concerned, it could be gained by TVC nozzle.

But in all probability, these are parts of some test missile model. May be for wind tunnel test or so, because no third party vendor would advertise a missile body in their site unless and untill they designed the whole thing.

 

[Chinmoy]

.Interestingly once Indira Gandhi out of the blue mentioned anti gravity devices being researched from ancient texts. Again don't know if it was a joke or for real.

That's true. Infact report was out that we were able to levitate a 6kg test subject to a height of 1 meter or so. But then nothing else came out. Most probably the project went into back burner.

 

[Holy Triad]

DRDO chief Dr Reddy said technologies like pilot associate, advanced avionics, body confirming-shared aperture, serrated doors, IR paints and high-temperature radar absorbing paints for nozzles are being launched in India.
@DRDO_India
@adgpi
@writetake

 

[porky_kicker]

Advance lightweight torpedo.

It comes with pump jet propulsion

 

[porky_kicker]

Another example of a retro motor

 

[Holy Triad]

Cross posting from kaveri engine thread:


Kaveri engine : DRDO finds cost high; Safran struggling to fulfil its €580-million offsets obligation.




The plan to develop the indigenous Kaveri fighter jet engine as part of the Rafale offsets deal with the help of French technology is believed to have fallen through after the Indian side found the pricing prohibitive. At least three people, who were part of the discussions, told ET that the project is now as good as over. The engine was supposed to power the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) as well as future fighter jets. The talks with French engine manufacturer Safran, which makes the engines and electronics for the Rafale fighters, seem to have hit a roadblock after it emerged in detailed studies that only a part of the offsets — just over €250 million — could be utilised for the project.


Defence Research and Development Organisation would have had to provide the remaining €500 million, said sources. ET has learnt that DRDO did not find this price reasonable and is no longer considering the upgraded Kaveri engine for the next batch of 83 LCAs to be made in India or the Mark-2 version of the jet planned in the near future. The fighter jets are now likely to be powered by engines supplied by US’ General Electric. DRDO has spent more than €240 million on the Kaveri project so far without success. Four Years of Work Needed As per the Rafale contract, French companies have to invest 3.4 billion euros worth of offsets in India by 2023. Of these, Safran alone has to execute offsets in excess of 580 million euros.

The company, sources said, is now struggling to fulfil its obligations. Other firms undertaking offsets for the Rafale deal — Dassault, Thales and missile manufacturer MBDA — have already submitted detailed plans to execute their obligations and have commenced work with Indian partners. Sources told ET that advanced talks on reviving the Kaveri engine took place between DRDO and the French manufacturer, which were followed by a detailed project assessment, which brought out that four years of work was needed to get the engine back on track.



As per the proposal being discussed, the Kaveri engine, which was more or less abandoned as a project in 2014 since it did not provide enough thrust for the fighter jets, was to be modified into a worldclass product with transfer of technology as well as manufacturing rights. Engines are the most critical systems on fighter jets, and few nations have been able to master the technology to manufacture them. Rough estimates show that for a fleet of 200 LCAs in service, the cost of engines alone would be in excess of 25 billion euros over the lifecycle of the planes. India has been struggling to develop its own combat jet engine despite efforts stretching over two decades. Efforts are also on to develop a graded down ‘Ghatak’ version of the Kaveri engine for use in the unmanned aerial combat vehicle being developed by India.

idrw.org .Read more at India No 1 Defence News Website https://idrw.org/kaveri-engine-drdo...o-fulfil-its-e580-million-offsets-obligation/ .


Source article: https://m.economictimes.com/news/de...jet-engine-crash/amp_articleshow/70684809.cms

 

[Prashant12]

MoD To Revive HAL’s Helicopter Maintenance Project In Goa Announced By Manohar Parrikar In 2016

Indian Army’s Dhruv helicopter (Representative Image) (Noel Reynolds/Wikimedia Commons)


The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) proposed project of helicopter maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) in Goa, which failed to start despite its announcement in 2016, is likely to take off as the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is planning to move forward with the project, reports The New Indian Express.

According to the report, the Union Minister of State for Defence Sripad Naik on Thursday (15 August) said that he would “revive” the proposed project, for which the land acquisition has already been done.

The project was announced by former defence minister Manohar Parrikar in October 2016 and is proposed to be set up at Honda village in Sattari taluka of North Goa.

State-owned HAL and French company Safran had entered into a joint venture - Helicopter Engine MRO Private Limited - to set up the helicopter maintenance plant in Goa.

"The project was announced, but it is yet to take off. I will revive it. If there is any issue with the agreement with the France-based company, then we can have a tie-up with any other similar company after terminating the earlier commitment," Naik was quoted in the report as saying.

"The land required for the facility has already been procured and it needs to start immediately. I will have to go through the agreement," he added.

As per the plan, both the companies will invest a total of Rs 170 crore in the facility in a phased manner. The proposed facility will perform maintenance, repair and overhaul of engines that are fitted on HAL-designed and manufactured helicopters.

"The engines of advanced light helicopters of various versions, light combat helicopters and future light utility helicopters that are common between HAL and Safran will be maintained at this facility," he said.

As per the report, Indian Armed Forces, with a fleet of more than 1,000 engines including 250 TM333 and 250 Shakti, are one of the largest operators of the Safran-design helicopter engines.

https://swarajyamag.com/insta/mod-t...-in-goa-announced-by-manohar-parrikar-in-2016

 

[porky_kicker]

L & T sharang RWS................