DRDO, PSU and Private Defence Sector News

[RPK]

R&DE(E) to go robotic in golden jubilee year

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_r-and-dee-to-go-robotic-in-golden-jubilee-year_1505322

Published: Wednesday, Feb 9, 2011, 11:12 IST
By Rahul Chandawarkar | Place: Pune | Agency: DNA

Bomb disposing and gun-mounted robots are ready and being tested at the Research and Development Establishment (Engineers) R&DE (E) laboratory, as the Pune defence laboratory goes robotic in its golden jubilee year, beginning Wednesday.
Robots that can detect and defuse improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in trains and airplanes are also in the design stage and prototypes should be ready next year.

The R&DE (E) began its robot campaign in 2008 with the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) 'Daksh', which is a multi-functional robot on wheels with two metallic arms, four cameras and a mounted gun. It can climb stairs, break open locks, handle and defuse bombs. 'Daksh' is operated from a remote vehicle.

While two units of 'Daksh' are being currently inspected by the Indian Army, the first batch of 20 'Daksh' units are being manufactured in three different locations in India and should be delivered to the Indian Army in 2011.

Speaking to DNA at the R&DE(E) in Dighi on Tuesday, its director, S Guruprasad said, "Robotics is the need of the hour. Low intensity conflicts are claiming many innocent lives in our country. As defence scientists we are pained to see this. We are therefore motivated to deliver robots that can help in the fight against terror.''

Guruprasad told DNA that the gun-mounted robot could storm a terrorist hideout and take on terrorists, while the disruptor robot could help bomb disposal squads handle and defuse bombs in busy market places.

In 2010, the R&DE(E) had designed and launched the highly sophisticated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) 'Netra', which can help armed forces in low intensity conflicts in the jungles and mountains of India. This year, the defence scientists at the Pune-based Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) centre will also launch a 46-metre-long modular bridge which is expected to add to the might of the Corps of
Engineers in combat situations.

 

[RPK]

The unit is also envisaged to co-ordinate equipment supply and support to the Air Defence Ship Project at Cochin Shipyard Limited and to support Sonar Development Projects at the National Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), Kochi, which is a DRDO lab, BEL Chairman and Managing Director, Aswani Kumar Datt, said.

http://www.brahmand.com/news/Defenc...roduct-Support-Centre-at-Kochi/6236/3/13.html

 

[shuvo@y2k10]

it seems the finsas system is well on track.

 

[RPK]

http://www.flightglobal.com/article...studies-new-medium-multi-role-helicopter.html

AERO INDIA: HAL studies new medium multi-role helicopter

By Siva Govindasamy

Hindustan Aeronautics is studying the development of a medium multi-role helicopter that can replace the Indian air force's fleet of Mi-17s.

The project is still at the early stages and has not been sanctioned by either the service or the defence ministry yet, says Prasad Sampath, general manager of HAL's rotary wing research and design centre.

HAL is open to foreign partnerships for the programme, says Sampath, who says that these include Russian companies, Eurocopter or Sikorsky. If these manufacturers have existing products similar to these requirements, they could be modified to suit the Indian air force's needs, he says.

"We have identified that there will be a requirement for this type of helicopter and have been talking to the service on what they could need. Based on these, we have begun our initial studies," he adds.

The helicopter will be used for tactical troop movement, offshore operations, heli-borne and amphibious assault operations, anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare missions.

It is envisaged that the helicopter will have a maximum speed of 275kmh, payload at sea level of 3,500kg, range at sea level of 500km and a service ceiling of 6.5km. Sampath says that there could be a potential market for up to 300 of these medium multi-role helicopters.

 

[RPK]

HAL, GE Aviation ink pact

http://www.sify.com/finance/hal-ge-aviation-ink-pact-news-equity-lckbaMjegde.html

BS Reporter | 2011-02-10 01:00:00


GE Aviation and India’s premium public sector Aerospace Company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have signed 30-year contract that covers license to carry out repairs and overhaul of various avionics, instruments and hydraulic products for the Hawk Mk132 aircraft, an Advanced Jet Trainer operated by the Indian Air Force.

This license will provide in-house repair and overhaul capabilities to HAL for GE Aviation products and reduce turn-around-time for the repairs. HAL will build its maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities at its Bangalore and Korwa facilities in India. The current schedule calls for the Bangalore facility to be certified for repair and overhaul of hydraulics and instruments and the Korwa facility to be certified for avionics.

As part of the license agreement, GE will develop, supply and commission the test equipment and supply technical data. The agreement also includes training, technical support, post design services for one year, and spares services.

"HAL has more than 70 years of providing high quality manufacturing, research and development, and repair and overhaul services in India," said Nalin Jain, country director for GE Aviation.

 

[RPK]

DRDO working on smaller versions of remotely operated vehicles

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/repor...ersions-of-remotely-operated-vehicles_1505590

Published: Wednesday, Feb 9, 2011, 20:26 IST
Place: Pune | Agency: PTI

After successfully developing the state-of-the-art 'Daksh' - a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) -with robotic arms and grippers, the Research and Development Establishment (RDE(E))(Engineers) laboratory of DRDO is now working on its smaller versions which can have application in low intensity conflicts.

The premier DRDO lab, which launched its golden jubilee celebrations in Pune, is exploring advanced robotics technology to meet the requirements of the Indian Army and also to aid counter-terror operations and handling improvised explosive devices, chief controller of RDE S Sundaresh said in a media interaction today.

"Robotics has an enormous potential for military application and can be used in low intensity conflicts and counter-terrorism operations," said S Guruprasad, director, RDE, adding that preliminary prototypes of smaller versions of 'Daksh' were being tested by the lab for future inductions.

'Daksh', capable of being controlled over a range of 500 metres both in cross country and urban environment, has already been introduced into service of the Indian Army giving it multi-speed operational capability, he said.

The US army has been using robotic devices in the war in Afghanistan, Guruprasad noted.

The RDE is also setting up a shore based test facility in Goa to support the development of the naval version of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). The facilityconsists of development and commissioning of runway and associated equipment in partnership with Goa Shipyard Ltd, he added.

 

[RPK]

Saab to Form India Warfare Systems Joint Venture .
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704364004576131653556602530.html


BANGALORE–Sweden's Saab AB Tuesday said it will soon set up a joint venture with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. to manufacture airborne warfare systems for advanced light helicopters in India, in line with peers that are tapping the country's engineering talent and lower manufacturing costs to develop high-technology products.

"We [Saab] have board approval, HAL's board has also approved the joint venture," Inderjit Sial, head of Saab's India operations, said on the sidelines of a press conference.

The joint venture will manufacture warfare systems for HAL's advanced light Dhruv helicopters. State-run HAL currently imports these parts.


The Dhruv is a multi-role, multi-mission helicopter, which is fully designed and developed by HAL.

Saab and HAL are in discussions to finalize the broad details of the joint venture, which will import as much as 60% of its components, Mr. Sial said.

India's defense industry is attracting a lot of attention from global buyers as the country's new-found economic muscle enables it to upgrade its ageing military equipment.

Saab is also one of six companies competing for an estimated $10-billion fighter-jet contract from the Indian air force, the largest such order globally in the past 15 years.

The company is competing with U.S.-based Lockheed Martin Corp. and Boeing Co., France's Dassault Aviation SA, Eurofighter Typhoon GmbH and United Aircraft Corp. to supply fighter jets.

In January, India's junior defense minister M.M. Pallam Raju said the federal government is likely to award the contract by the end of December.

Separately, Saab AB's Chief Executive Hakan Buskhe Tuesday said the company plans to set up a research and development center in India that will employ 100-300 engineers over the next five years.

Mr. Buskhe told reporters that the research center, which is likely to be operational in the next six months, would work on projects such as radar, sensors, missiles and other air defense systems. He didn't elaborate.

 

[RPK]

UK agency inks deal with DRDO

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...y-inks-deal-with-DRDO/articleshow/7463844.cms


Tags:technology tie-ups|DRDO|Defence Science and Technology LaboratoryThe Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), an agency of the UK's ministry of defence, is looking at technology tie-ups with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to explore economies of scale across different verticals. "We are signing a letter of arrangement with DRDO. This is a very important step in binding together our science and technology programmes," said the head of UK Trade Trade & Investment's Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO) Richard Paniguian.

This delegation hopes to deepen its ties with India in industry, science and aerospace technologies. Besides, it's fielding the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft as a contenders for the $10 billion medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) contract in India. Asked if it was costlier compared to its competitors, Air Marshal Leeson, Royal Air Force, said, "It's actually a cost-effective solution. I don't accept that Eurofighter Typhoon is very expensive." Eurofighter Typhoon has industrial collaboration with Europe and joint partnerships with Germnay, Italy, Spain and the UK.

British minister for defence equipment support and technology, Peter Luff, is leading a large delegation and about 40 UK companies are expected to showcase their capabilities. Some companies with business interests in India include Cobham, Hampson, Magellan, STG and Preston.

 

[Parthy]

DRDO hopes to test fly hypersonic plane by early next year

DRDO expects to test fly India's indigenous hypersonic technology demonstrator vehicle (HSDTV) by early next year, the defence agency's Chief V K Saraswat said Friday.

"We have conducted ground testing of the vehicle for nearly 20 seconds. It has performed well. We are hopeful to flight test it by early next year at Mach 6-7 speed," Saraswat told reporters during Aero India 2011.

"India has been working on the technology demonstration project for the last five to six years. Only the US and Australia have expertise in this area in the world," the DRDO chief said.

The highly ambitious HSDTV programme involves the development of a hypersonic plane that would travel six to seven times faster than the speed of sound. It would attain autonomous scramjet flight for 20 seconds, using a solid rocket launch booster.

While the stated objective of the programme is to reduce the cost of putting payloads in outer space, it could eventually lead to India building a highly powerful hypersonic cruise missile system for its defence forces.

DRDO, which has in the past conducted extensive research and trials for the programme in India and abroad, had earlier targeted to flight test the vehicle in 2008. But the time scheduled spilled to the end of 2010.

A number of countries, including the US, China, Russia and Japan are working on hypersonic technology vehicles that could be used for several purposes, including development of cruise missiles or reconnaissance aircraft for military use or for space missions.

Last year, the US had test flown its X-51A Waverider – an experimental hypersonic plane under development. The flight lasted for over 200 seconds with the plane reaching an altitude of 70,000 feet and a top speed of Mach 6.




http://www.brahmand.com/news/DRDO-h...sonic-plane-by-early-next-year/6271/1/10.html

 

[nitesh]

cross post


http://www.ptinews.com/news/1343348_India-has-technology-to-defend-satellites--Saraswat
India has technology to defend satellites: Saraswat

Bangalore, Feb 11 (PTI) India did not believe in space wars but had all the technology required to integrate systems to defend its satellites, V K Saraswat, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, said today.

"Our country does not have a policy to attack anybody in space. We don't believe in it. But as part of the Ballistic Missile Defence Programme, we have all the technology elements which are required to integrate a system through which we can defend our satellites or take care of future requirements."

As a country, "we do not believe in space wars", he said in response to a query whether India had anti-satellite weapon capabilities.

India did not have a formal anti-satellite weapon policy of attacking satellites in space, but was well geared in case of any eventuality, he told reporters here.

 

[debasree]

thank u guys, ididnt know that drdo is working in such advanced projects,thumbs up 2 them.

 

[Oracle]

cross post


http://www.ptinews.com/news/1343348_India-has-technology-to-defend-satellites--Saraswat
India has technology to defend satellites: Saraswat

Bangalore, Feb 11 (PTI) India did not believe in space wars but had all the technology required to integrate systems to defend its satellites, V K Saraswat, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, said today.

"Our country does not have a policy to attack anybody in space. We don't believe in it. But as part of the Ballistic Missile Defence Programme, we have all the technology elements which are required to integrate a system through which we can defend our satellites or take care of future requirements."

As a country, "we do not believe in space wars", he said in response to a query whether India had anti-satellite weapon capabilities.

India did not have a formal anti-satellite weapon policy of attacking satellites in space, but was well geared in case of any eventuality, he told reporters here.

We have all the technology required, but have we integrated them and tested them? China will not knock on our doors and say 'Hello Indians, we will take out your satellites on XX-XX-XXXX, be ready'.

 

[Parthy]

We have all the technology required, but have we integrated them and tested them? China will not knock on our doors and say 'Hello Indians, we will take out your satellites on XX-XX-XXXX, be ready'.

Such testing scenarios will badly batter India's image worldwide.. Currently, all the other nations believe India to be the growing defence market. Lets not spoil anything and be vulnerable to sanctions, now (Only now, that doesn't mean that we should not do it anytime).

Lets try concentrating in building successful BMD with 98% kill rate..

 

[Oracle]

Such testing scenarios will badly batter India's image worldwide.. Currently, all the other nations believe India to be the growing defence market. Lets not spoil anything and be vulnerable to sanctions, now (Only now, that doesn't mean that we should not do it anytime).

Lets try concentrating in building successful BMD with 98% kill rate..

I understand your points. However, V K Saraswat should not talk unnecessarily. Having capability and having a tested and proven capability are two different things altogether. Have the capability and then talk about it, not harp. If you have to set alarm bells ringing, why say 'We have the required capability'? Why not 'We have a tested and proven capability'?

 

[nitesh]

We have all the technology required, but have we integrated them and tested them? China will not knock on our doors and say 'Hello Indians, we will take out your satellites on XX-XX-XXXX, be ready'.

Well what makes you so sure that they have not done any testing?

 

[Parthy]

I understand your points. However, V K Saraswat should not talk unnecessarily. Having capability and having a tested and proven capability are two different things altogether. Have the capability and then talk about it, not harp. If you have to set alarm bells ringing, why say 'We have the required capability'? Why not 'We have a tested and proven capability'?

Agreed!! That's the principle of our defense agencies.. Boast our capability despite of what we actually have. Going out and marketing themselves to raise stakes.. But at the end of the day achieve very little..

 

[Oracle]

Well what makes you so sure that they have not done any testing?

Nitesh, have we shot down any of our Satellites in space? If yes, then that would be music to my ears too! Btw, I guess you have your sources in DRDO, if you can get some more information about this, it would be great.

 

[nitesh]

Nitesh, have we shot down any of our Satellites in space? If yes, then that would be music to my ears too! Btw, I guess you have your sources in DRDO, if you can get some more information about this, it would be great.

We have shot down incoming missiles which can have unpredictable paths, so what makes so tough to hit a satellite which has a predictable path .
We need not do to a head to head hit, little bit damage is enough to shut it down. Hope this clarifies

 

[Oracle]

We have shot down incoming missiles which can have unpredictable paths, so what makes so tough to hit a satellite which has a predictable path .
We need not do to a head to head hit, little bit damage is enough to shut it down. Hope this clarifies

Yes! Thanks Nitesh.:thumb:

 

[shuvo@y2k10]

i don't know what saraswat is trying to say.is he taking about arming satellites or groung based kinetic interceptor or laser based platform airborn platform to shoot down enemy satellites?