DRDO, PSU and Private Defence Sector News

[EnlightenedMonk]

Most certainly our bright stars to look out for in the near future...

 

[nitesh]

The Statesman

Powering future warfare
Sri Krishna

NEW DELHI, April 25: The ElectroMagnetic Pulse (EMP) bomb which has multiplied the destructive potential of electromagnetic energy would dominate future warfare, according to a scientist.

In a paper on ‘Emerging Trends in Airborne Defence Technologies’, Mr Sreenath Bhat has said the EMP bomb generates a broad band, high intensity, low duration burst of magnetic energy which disrupts or damages any electronic equipment miles away from the locus of explosion.

A nation having superiority over the electromagnetic spectrum will be the most powerful in the future warfare scenario, he has stated.

In a paper published in DRDO Science Spectrum 2009, Mr Bhat said the high intensity EMP can be generated using a low scale nuclear explosion at high altitudes. Although the electric field created from a EMP lasts for only a short time, its effects can be devastating. It is predicted that a single high altitude burst 200 miles above the USA could propagate an EMP enveloping the entire US.

“Electrical systems connected to things that can conduct current like wires, antennas and metal objects will suffer significant damage. EMP effects on electronics include interference of radio frequency links, irreparable damage to microcircuits and even the disabling of satellites. Thus, the EMP bomb could be the super weapon of the future which could paralyse the enemy in a matter of a few seconds. Pentagon has predicted the use of EMP bombs by 2012,’’ the paper said.

It went on to say that scientists are working on the creation of EMP bombs that can target artillery shells and missiles and disrupt their trajectory in mid-flight. They could be of crucial assistance in today’s urban warfare where one bomb could take out the enemy’s electrical infrastructure before the arrival of ground troops. Thus in the blink of an eye, the EMP bomb can throw civilization back by 200 years.

 

[nitesh]

Parachute factory rises to demands of market - Kanpur - Cities - The Times of India

KANPUR: Whenever a news of Indian defence forces acquiring overseas weapons and aeroplanes hits headlines, more iron is added to the steely determination of few good men who are focused on making India self-sufficient in field of defence productions here in city.

Sandwiched between Delhi-Howrah railway route and prestigious NH-2, is factory of OPF (Ordnance Parachute Factory), where a silent technological revolution unfolds every day. The factory has received fresh orders for parachutes from Mongolia and workers in factory are busy checking the tenacity of cord-strength of para-chute, so vital for the para-trooper's life.

Talking to TOI, joint general manager, VK Chaudhari said," This is testimony of our indigenous specialisation in defence production. We are producing one of the best parachutes in the world and their is increasing acceptance of our products in international markets."

The acceptance is indeed growing, particularly in Asian markets. About 600 break-parachutes used to slow down multi-utility Sukhoi air-craft worth Rs 1.5 crore were exported to Indonesia recently. Similarly, Algeria and Malaysia have also received break parachutes used in Mig-29, Mig-23 and other Mig series aircrafts developed in parachute factory of Kanpur.

Chaudhari added, "Even developed nation like Japan have also expressed interest for the parachute orders. India is one of the leading parachute markets apart from UK, USA, Germany and South Africa because of hard-work of our men."

This government-owned parachute factory is dedicated to the cause of meeting parachute requirements of Indian armed forces and is only one of its kind in entire Asian continent. Detailing about the technical aspect while making a parachute, Chaudhari said, "Strict adherence is maintained on quality-check during construction of parachutes like what should be dropping load and what should be dropping height. What is aero-foil design of canopy and how does air rams into cells of parachutes when it opens."

Chaudhari further added, "Currently we are working on reducing lift to drag ratio of our parachutes so that time spent by a para-troopers in air gets reduced and stealth is added to them."

The other prestigious production from the stable of OPF include Nuclear-Biological-Chemical (NBC) suit, an all-weather stocking which has been handed over to Army and Air Force.

Chaudhari added, "Apart from that various other stocking requirements of clothing, leather, textile and general store items of Armed Forces are also met by us."

 

[nitesh]

DRDO products not just for armed forces anymore

An explosive detection kit that can determine threat levels by sniffing out the smallest quantity of explosives, acoustic life detectors to locate people trapped under rubble in the aftermath of disasters and providing potable water by using mobile water purification systems.

These are some of the products being used the security forces that would soon be available for sale in the market.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has forged a Public Private Partnership (PPP) with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) to market its products and dual-use technological processes.

Launched four months ago, the “Technology Assessment and Commercialisation” initiative was unveiled today in the capital by DRDO and Ficci.

The initiative aims to set up a framework wherein DRDO's non-sensitive products and spin-off technologies in healthcare, disaster management, and computing and simulation can be introduced into the market.

The private sector in India has been quite receptive to this idea, with Larsen and Toubro, Alkali Metals Ltd, GTL Ltd, etc having submitted expression of interest to Ficci for technology transfer from the defence R&D leader.

Of the 50 DRDO laboratories, 26 are taking part in this initiative and 200 technologies have been assessed so far for marketing.

The initiative would eventually zero in on 40 of the most marketable products and processes and create business development models to market them, said Len Denton, programme manager of IC2 Institute, University of Texas, Austin. The university is the programme partner to identify and market the products.

M Natarajan, scientific advisor to the Defence Minister, said apart from developing cutting-edge defence technologies, the DRDO would increasingly participate in the market to deliver hi-tech non-military products.

The PPP has taken into account the twin problems of not compromising classified information and marketing DRDO products at the same time, said Dr Prahlada, DRDO's R&D chief controller.

A special purpose vehicle (SPV) has been conceptualised to put 10 products on a fast-track for marketing and sale. In the next 3-5 years, another 200 DRDO products and their spin-off technologies can be marketed, he added.

 

[Daredevil]

BEL in talks with Thales of France to make radars

BEL in talks with Thales of France to make radars

The deal to form a joint venture with defence electronics firm Thales Group is expected to be finalized in 3 months

Bangalore: Public sector Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) is in advanced talks with Thales Group, a French defence electronics firm, to set up a joint venture to make radars for both the military and civilian markets in India, a person close to the development said.
BEL also expects to source advanced radar technology from Thales, which makes the avionics in the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft.
The deal is expected to be finalized in three months, the person mentioned earlier said. He did not want to be named at this stage of the talks.
Both BEL and Thales declined comment.
The proposed venture is part of BEL’s plans to expand its business and double revenue to Rs10,000 crore by 2011-12. The firm earned 86% of its annual revenue of Rs4,611 crore in 2008-09 from the defence sector. It has an order book of Rs10,100 crore.
“The (local) market for radars is growing. It is not only the demand for larger national security by the military, but also the civilian security forces,” said Deba Mohanty, senior fellow in security studies at the Observer Research Foundation. “Such kind of joint ventures should actually be the model for bridging technology gaps.”
He did not have an estimate for the radar market in India.
Earlier on Tuesday, BEL chairman V.V.R. Sastry told reporters BEL was in talks with reputed foreign and Indian players for forming joint ventures in areas such as missile electronics, guidance systems, microwave super components, electro-optics and airborne electronic warfare systems.
“We are in advanced stage of finalization with some companies for the joint ventures,” he said, but declined to give details. Sastry is set to retire on 30 April and Ashwani Kumar Datt, director of other units at BEL, will take over on 1 May.
India opened its defence sector to private investment in 2001 but has kept a ceiling on foreign investment in Indian defence companies to a maximum of 26%. Since then, the Indian defence sector has attracted foreign equity worth a mere Rs68.7 lakh, according to a note in March by the department of industrial policy and promotion, under the ministry of commerce and industry.
BEL, the sole maker of radars in the country, has to get the government’s approval before formalizing any joint venture. BEL currently makes military radars such as Rohini and 3D tactical control radars it jointly developed with the Defence Research and Development Organisation. Some radars meant for military use can be modified for civilian use for security and surveillance purposes.
Thales has an existing 26% investment in a joint venture with New Delhi-based Samtel Display Systems Ltd—Samtel Thales Avionics Pvt. Ltd—to locally produce and sell avionics systems and helmet-mounted sight display systems for IAF.
BEL has a memorandum of understanding with Astra Microwave Products Ltd, a Hyderabad-based electronic components firm, to set up a joint venture to make microwave components. Astra has a 51% stake in the new venture, which will become operational this year.
BEL also has pacts with Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd and Elisra Group of Israel to jointly develop unmanned aerial vehicles and airborne electronic warfare systems.

BEL in talks with Thales of France to make radars - Corporate News - livemint.com

 

[Daredevil]

Bharat Electronics to enter defence portfolio

Bharat Electronics to enter defence portfolio

Press Trust of India / Bangalore April 28, 2009, 14:48 IST

Bharat Electronics Limited today said it planned to diversify its portfolio with 70% focus on the defence sector and 30% on sectors with future market opportunities for growth, including homeland security, infrastructure and e-governance.

"BEL is taking proactive steps to protect and further consolidate its leadership position in the Indian Defence sector while accelerating efforts to get into new business areas", company CMD V V R Sastry told reporters here.

The company had appointed KPMG consulting firm to identify new growth opportunities. BEL was looking at avenues like energy efficiency solutions, nuclear power instrumentation and was in discussion with reputed foreign and Indian players for forming joint ventures in areas of defence electronics.

It was exploring joint venture opportunities in the field of missile electronics and guidance system, microwave super components and airborne EWs. "Some of these proposals are in the advanced stages of finalisation", he said.

An MoU had been signed with the Hyderabad-based firm m/s Astra Microwave Products Limited for microwave components. Another pact had been inked with Boeing to jointly develop an analysis and experimentation centre in India to offer customers the ability to make better informed decisions on modernising the country's defence forces. MoU had also been signed with SELEX Galilieo.

MoUs had also been signed to explore formation of joint venture for solar photovaltic business. BEL had been selected as offset business partners by multinational companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.

Bharat Electronics to enter defence portfolio

 

[nitesh]

National : DRDO explores advanced research for next generation weapons : 562925

Hyderabad , Apr 30 The Defence Research and Development Organization is now looking at advanced research for next generation weapons and wars, Chief Controller of R&D (SI) DRDO Dr Prahlada said here today.
"At present the DRDO&aposs concentration is on advance research for next generation weapons," Prahlada told PTI on the sidelines a press meeting.

" Since the future wars are likely of low intensity conflicts, wanting to cause maximum damage, DRDO is looking at what technology needs to be required and what has to be done. How the industry, government and academia in the country be involved in this task,"he said.

For the purpose, DRDO has already identified 20 areas for advanced research including nano photonics, tera hertz, network centric operations, hypersonic, software radios.

"The research work is expected to complete in three years and each year, three hundred crore rupees will be spent on research,"he said.

 

[nitesh]

Broadsword: The Naga Chilli: Spicing up DRDO research

The Naga Chilli: Spicing up DRDO research
(Part I of a two-part article on defence R&D in the northeast)

by Ajai Shukla
Business Standard, 4th May 09
Tezpur, Assam

The Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO) offers intellectual challenges, but not an adventurous image. A DRDO director is perceived as a man in a white coat working in a laboratory or gazing at computer monitors. But the Defence Research Laboratory (DRL) in Tezpur, tucked away in the northeast, is far removed from these stereotypes. DRL’s Director, Dr RB Srivastava, will spend time next month sitting in the jungle on a machaan, observing how rampaging elephants react to his revolutionary new weapon: the Naga chilli, or bhoot jolokia, which DRL had proclaimed in 2001 as the hottest chilli in the world.

Chilli power is measured in Scofield Heat Units (SHUs); a spicy Indian green chilli logs in at about 100,000 SHUs. Most people, even Indians, would be reduced to tears by eating anything above 200,000 SHUs. The Naga chilli, DRL discovered, measured 855,000 SHUs, far higher than the reigning champion, the 577,000 SHU Californian Red Savina chilli. When the sceptical Chilli Pepper Institute in the USA examined this claim in 2005, they found the DRL had underestimated. The Naga chilli actually measured over a million SHU.

DRL, Tezpur is harnessing all this spice into military applications, such as high-effectiveness tear gas. Meanwhile the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) asked DRL to explore the possibility of using Naga chilli to keep wild elephants away from villages and fields. The DRL’s solution --- a nylon rope coated with Naga chilli placed across paths leading towards human habitation --- will be tested in May and June.

Dr Srivastava laughed as he told Business Standard, “The WWF says I will have to be on the machaan when we test the chilli garland. I told them, God knows how the elephants will behave!”

DRL is also experimenting whether Naga chilli, as a food supplement, might help soldiers in coping with high altitude environments? The laboratory is also working out ideal cultivation practices --- how much water, how much shade, etc --- that will add more zing to this chilli.

What makes DRL Tezpur different from every other DRDO laboratory is its sharp focus on the specific problems of northeast India. And for jawans deployed here, few issues are as important as the provision of clean drinking water in remote posts separated from each other by days of marching across mountains and jungles.

Water in the northeast suffers from a chronically high iron content. In most places it is 10-20 parts per million (ppm), going up to 30-40 ppm in many areas. DRL took on the challenge of bringing this down to the World Health Organisation (WHO) permissible limit of 0.3 ppm.

DRL’s first developed a portable water testing kit, with which soldiers could test water wherever they moved. The kit monitored 11 parameters, including P-h level, hardness, and iron content. Initially it lacked an arsenic detector; that was developed and patented last year. The technology for the water testing kit was transferred to three private companies. It proved highly effective during the floods around Nasik last year.

Next, DRL’s Water Chemistry Division developed the simplest of technologies --- using sand, marbles etc --- to bring down the iron level to 0.3 ppm. The Iron Removal Units (IRUs), which cost just Rs 30,000/- each, purify 300 litres per hour without using electricity. The commercial alternative was ceramic-based filters, costing Rs 3-4 lakhs each, which could only reduce iron to 5 ppm.

Even as the army orders IRUs by the hundred, DRL has just put out an improved Mark II version. Using fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) technology from the Light Combat Aircraft programme, this weighs just half of the earlier steel IRU. The army has accorded its ultimate accolade, fitting three of these filters in the Tezpur Inspection Bungalow for visiting VIPs. A hundred more are on order.

By 2012, DRL plans to develop a portable filter that jawans can carry in their haversacks. This will bring down iron content to safe levels, as well as arsenic, fluoride and manganese contents, all chronic problems in the northeast.

(Tomorrow: Part II: DRL’s major success: a gene sequence identified)

 

[nitesh]

Broadsword: Defence Research Laboratory, Tezpur: The DRDO’s most unusual lab

Defence Research Laboratory, Tezpur: The DRDO’s most unusual lab
(Concluding part of a two-part article on the DRDO in the northeast)

by Ajai Shukla
Dateline: Tezpur, Assam

During the Second World War, Field Marshall William Slim, the commander of the 14th Army in Burma discovered that the anopheles mosquito was causing more casualties to his men than the Japanese. Ruthlessly practical, he decreed that catching malaria was a disciplinary offence, punishable by imprisonment in a military prison. Today’s Indian Army, still serving in the mosquito-ridden jungles of the northeast, continues Slim’s dictat: sleeves must be rolled down after sunset; mosquito nets are compulsory at night.

Now, however, the jawans have a formidable ally: the Defence Research Laboratory (DRL) Tezpur. While other Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO) laboratories focus on weapons and sensors, DRL tackles problems that concern every citizen of the northeast: malaria; the pestilent dim-dam fly; water-purification in remote areas; and power generation from bio-resources.

Such projects are far removed from the glamorous end of defence R&D. But Business Standard learned during a visit to DRL Tezpur that, measured in terms of intellectual property, this is the DRDO’s most successful laboratory. Four months ago DRL’s Molecular Biology Facility became the first Indian institution to file, with the World Gene Bank, the detailed structure of the gene that provides mosquitoes with resistance to insecticides. This gene sequence is now available internationally for research against the mosquito.

And in just the last two years, DRL has filed for eight Indian patents and an international patent for an herbal anti-malarial.

DRL’s success rests on a simple method: tapping into local tribal knowledge of herbs and plants that repel mosquitoes, leeches and other pests and provide relief from their attacks. DRL scientists in Tezpur then use modern laboratory techniques to identify the active ingredient in these local herbs. These ingredients are then packaged into convenient dispensers for soldiers as well as civilians.

DRL’s Director, Dr RB Srivastava, shows us a sheaf of letters from private companies requesting Transfer of Technology (ToT) for his products. During May 09, DRL will hand over technology for the commercial production of five anti-mosquito products, including an herbal anti-malarial that replaces Good Knight; and a bio-larvicide that feeds on mosquito larvae.

DRDO keeps the ToT fee nominal, to encourage as much manufacture as possible. Malaria, points out the DRL Director, can only be tackled at a broad societal level. Only half in jest he says, “Mosquitoes have developed the technology for flying across cantonment walls. We can’t confine ourselves to the military in dealing with issues like malaria.”

But why, I ask, is a defence laboratory researching malaria, an area better left to hospitals, academic research institutions and the Ministry of Health? Dr Srivastava explains that DRL scientists collaborate with the National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR) for technical training and analytical assistance. But there is a marked reluctance within central institutions for working and researching in the difficult border areas of the northeast.

The northeastern state governments turn to DRL as frequently as the military does. DRL is Arunachal Pradesh’s referral institute for water quality studies After DRL’s malarial applications won first prize in a Tripura government science exhibition, shutting out competitors like the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Tripura government has turned to DRL for an anti-malaria programme.

DRL’s bold charter criss-crosses the dividing line between civil and military. A great success is its one-week mushroom farming training programme, run for batches of 25-30 local youths. DRL estimates that each graduate who opens a mushroom farming unit employs about 30 locals, bringing them into the national mainstream and narrowing the extremists’ recruitment base.

 

[nitesh]

The Hindu : National : HAL to flight-test jet trainer

The sources said HAL had created a record in the design and development of the IJT — the time taken from the drawing board to the first flight was two years.

 

[Daredevil]

ISRO over the moon as 1.35 lakh apply for 300 jobs

MUMBAI: India’s successful moonshot, Chandrayaan-1, has not only enriched the country’s brand value but also flooded Isro offices with more than
a lakh job applications from youngsters, which the space agency’s officials say is unprecedented.

V Jayaraman, director of Isro’s Hyderabad-based National Remote Sensing Agency , told TOI on Wednesday that Chandrayaan’s success has spurred the demand for jobs in Isro. “The organisation has acquired a glamour value thanks largely to the moon mission, and students in standard X and XI from all over India are knocking on our door,’’ he said.

Jayaraman said that at present there were more than 1.35 lakh applications for a mere 300 openings in different categories at Isro. He said that from among the applicants, about 70,000 students qualified for the entrance examination which was held on April 26. About 46,000 actually took the test.

“From centres like Mumbai, New Delhi and Chennai, we usually receive on average about 4,000 to 5,000 applications. But this year the figure from these places has shot up,’’ Jayaraman said. He cited the economic slowdown as a possible factor for the surge in applications.

Isro’s chief spokesperson S Satish said that many people who had left Isro for IT organisations now wanted to return to the space agency.

ISRO over the moon as 1.35 lakh apply for 300 jobs- Jobs-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

 

[nitesh]

DHRUV, A STAR IN ECUADOR

Kudos to HAL. Read this, great job. Wishing for more success.

 

[nitesh]

The Hindu : National : HAL’s intermediate jet trainer HJT-36 makes maiden flight with Russian engine

BANGALORE: Overcoming numerous integration issues the indigenous intermediate jet trainer (IJT) Hindustan Jet Trainer-36 (HJT-36) presently under development at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has crossed a major milestone making its maiden flight with the Russian AL-551 engine.

Piloted by HAL’s Executive Director Squadron Leader (retd) Baldev Singh and the Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) Wing Commander K.D. Bhat, the HJT-36’s Prototype One (PT1) undertook a 30 minute flight on May 9 landing without any hitches. However, being the PT1’s maiden flight only general manoeuvres were gone through with, no major checks undertaken.

Last June, though way behind schedule HAL had received a prototype of the AL-55I and integrated it on the PT1. After successfully conducting ground and taxi trials on the ‘yellow banded’ engine (not a fly worthy engine) it was sent back to Russia for flight trials and certification tests. But delays in Russia meant that HAL could not adhere to its schedule of flying the trainer in November with the AL-551 engine. Though the new engine arrived in February HAL was faced with a number of issues during the integration of the engine with the aircraft’s other systems, not least being issues with the throttle control and the various indicators in the cockpit (which prompt the pilot to take corrective action).

Acknowledging the delays officials on the HJT-36 programme told The Hindu that the trainer’s Initial Operational Clearance could still be obtained by June 2010 since most of the engine integration issues were over. “Since the trainer’s avionics are already in place and it will carry only practice weapons — gun and rocket pods — we don’t see huge delays.”

 

[nitesh]

BHEL bags Rs 1475 cr order for thermal power plant- Engineering-Ind'l Goods / Svs-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

NEW DELHI: Government owned power equipment maker Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has bagged an order worth Rs 1475 crore for a 600 MW
thermal power plant in Chattisgarh. BHEL will supply the main plant package for the greenfield power project.

 

[nitesh]

see what these babaus have done:

MEA shoots down defence ministry's helicopter export

The prospects for India’s most promising defence export — the Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) — have just been dealt an unexpected blow. India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has turned down a Bolivian request for a line of credit to buy seven Dhruvs from Bangalore-based manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Senior officials in India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) are livid. India’s defence exports languish at about Rs 300-400 crore per year, barely 1 per cent of the Rs 30,000 crore spent annually on importing weaponry. The export of seven Dhruvs, each worth Rs 44 crore, would have effectively doubled defence exports.

 

[nitesh]

Cross posting:

The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Thrust on scaling up indigenous content of military arsenal

Final complement of 16 Arjun Main Battle Tanks flagged off

— Photo: V. Ganesan

ROLLING OUT: MBT Arjun tanks for the Army at the Heavy Vehicles Factory, Avadi, on Monday.


CHENNAI: The Defence department’s thrust on scaling up indigenous content of its military arsenal will lessen the country’s dependence on import of critical components in the next few years, A.Sivathanu Pillai, Chief Controller Research and Development, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), said on Monday.

Interacting with reporters after flagging off the final complement of 16 Arjun Main Battle Tanks to the Army’s 43rd regiment at the Heavy Vehicles Factory at Avadi, Dr.Pillai said the Army, Navy and Air Force had already ushered in a great degree of indigenisation in weaponry.

“The DRDO is looking to raise the ratio of indigenous content in military equipment from the current level of 30 per cent to about 70 per cent in the next seven years or so,” Dr.Pillai told The Hindu.

Already, the DRDO had led the indigenisation drive under the Component Design Execution (CODE) programme across various weaponry systems such as vessels for the Navy, light and medium combat aircraft for the Air Force, missiles, sensors and state-of-the-art radars.

Capacity exists


Dr.Pillai said the roughly 200 public and private production units engaged in manufacture of defence equipment had the scalable capacity to meet the requirements as and when Army indent volumes increased in future.

He pointed out that even for the fully indigenous MBT Arjun mission, the DRDO had collaborated with a host of agencies led by the Combat Vehicles Engineering Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE).

Dr.Pillai underlined the fact that self reliance in design and development of military weaponry through synergy among various agencies was a shared goal of the entire nation. “However, complete self reliance is impossible for any country to achieve.”

The HVF at Avadi, which was tasked with manufacturing 124 MBT Arjun units for the Army, has so far handed over 45 tanks. “The fine-tuning of the tanks will continue and the remaining units are scheduled to be ready for commissioning in early 2010,” Dr.Pillai said.

D.Bhardwaj, Director General Mechanised Forces, said the jointeffort and the will to succeed against odds displayed by various agencies in putting out MBT Arjun proved to the world that India was a force to reckon with when it came to weapon design capabilities.

The Army, which was proud to possess the tank, was confident that MBT Arjun would rank among the best tanks in the world, he said.

Awesome features


CVRDE Director S.Sundaresh said MBT Arjun’s core strengths of excellent mobility, superior firepower and protection features made it comparable with the best armoured machines in the world. The design engineering feats achieved by the MBT Arjun team at Avadi includes developing the Kanchan Armour, hydro-pneumatic suspension, armament system, integrated fire detection and suppression system and system integration of complex weapon platforms.

Earlier, the fanfare that marked the rollout of the tanks befitted the over three-decades-old Arjun saga that has been characterised by design hiccups, technology denial and re-engineering and retrofitment of the tank’s medium fording capabilities.

As an MBT Arjun tank decked with garlands, ribbon strips and balloons led out a formidable-looking line-up of tanks, the collective roar of the 1,400 HP engines almost drowned the cries of “Bharath Mata ki Jai.”

 

[nitesh]

HAL Newsletter

Update on LCH? Well, there are some issues regarding the weight that are being sorted out. This has delayed its first flight. The first helicopter may fly this November, and that is not going to be the final variant. Our efforts to reduce the weight further would continue.

 

[nitesh]

DIAT signs MoU with Russia

PUNE: The Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Russia regarding academic
development of scientists and students of both the countries

It may be noted that the DIAT is a premier DRDO establishment. It imparts education and training on defence technology to officers of the armed forces, scientists of the DRDO, technical officers of the Ordnance Factory Board, directorate of quality assurance, public sector undertakings and friendly foreign countries. In 2006, it was accorded the deemed university (DU) status.

 

[Sridhar]

HATSOFF to Bangalore: Chopper training centre


Express News Service
First Published : 02 Jun 2009 04:03:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 02 Jun 2009 11:39:07 AM IST

BANGALORE: The foundation stone laying ceremony for the helicopter training centre, Helicopter Academy to Train by Simulation of Flying (HATSOFF), was held on Monday.

HATSOFF - which is an equally- owned joint venture between HAL and CAE - will be operational by mid-2010.

Speaking on the occasion, Sanjeev Sahi, director (HR), HAL, said that this facility would be the first of its kind once operational. “HATSOFF will offer level-D simulator training to helicopter pilots and maintainers. By partnering with CAE, we are making sure the simulation technology is at the leading edge in order to play a key role in training and producing skilled and mission-ready helicopter crews. HAL is committed to enhancing the safety of helicopter operators in India and to provide a complete service offering for our military and civil clients of the Dhruv helicopter,” Sahi said.

The HATSOFF centre will be equipped with a CAE-built fullmission simulator featuring CAE’s revolutionary roll-on/ roll-off cockpit design, which enables cockpits representing various helicopter types to be used in the simulator.

When fully operational, HATSOFF will be able to train up to 400 helicopter pilots each year.

Initially, HATSOFF will offer comprehensive training to civil and military customers operating four helicopter types: the Indian Army/Air Force variant of the HAL-built Dhruv, the civil variant of the Dhruv, the Bell 412 and the Eurocopter Dauphin.

The training centre will feature multimedia classrooms, computer-based training, brief/ debrief facilities and a training management information system.

The CAE-built full-mission simulator for HATSOFF will feature a common motion system, vibration platform and visual display system, besides four separate cockpit modules that can be used in the full-mission simulator.

When a cockpit is not used in the full-mission simulator, it will be used as a fixed-base flight training device (FTD).

The simulator will be certified with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Indian DGCA level-D standards, the highest qualification for flight simulators.

HATSOFF to Bangalore: Chopper training centre

 

[Sridhar]

DRDO AIMS TO STRENGTHEN INDIGENISATION PROGRAMME

In an effort to strenghten indegenisation of artillery equipment, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has launched a programme named Component Design and Execution (CODE). The programme targets 70% indegenisation, up from the present 30%, in the next eight years. DRDO director A Sivathanu Pillai said the stress would be on localisation of component production, for which around 30 different industries have been identified.

Talking to reporters after handing over 16 MBT Arjun tanks to the 43rd regiment of Indian Army at the DRDO facility at Avadi, Sivathanupillai said the Ministry of Defence has given special importance to self-reliance in artillery equipment manufacturing.

The MoD has been keen on self reliance as it suffered a lot during the four-decade long development of MBT Arjun, when they found difficult to get technology and components from foreign countries.

MoD also believes that indegenisation would also considerably bring down the cost of design and development of artillery.

"We have also tied up with companies like L&T and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) for development of software exclusively for the Indian Army. Development of own software is very important, as the emerging focus is on electronic warfare," Sivathanupillai said.

Terming MBT Arjun as one of the most sophisticated battle tanks available in the world at present, Sivathanupillai said another batch of 79 more Arjuns would be commissioned by March 2010.

With the new additions, the Indian Army now has 45 Arjuns. With an engine power of 1500 hp and a 120-mm rifled gun that hit targets accurately while on the move, it is a MBT Arjun is a big boost to the Army's fire power.

He said India's missile development programme was also progressing successfully. BrahMos and Prithvi missiles have been commissioned and now the focus is on Nag, the anti-tank missile being developed under the integrated missile development programme, he said.

Defenceindia : Workplaces get high on FUN quotient!