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arnabmit

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DRDO amphibian waits in the wings | Business Line

KOLKATA, JANUARY 31:
Dazzling display of India's military might and the indigenous engineering excellence on the Republic Day leaves millions awe-struck every year.

Much of it is courtesy the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and its industrial partners. Nevertheless, the defence establishment is not always appreciative of the technological feats.

In 2001, DRDO entrusted one of its exclusive development partners, TIL Ltd, to come up with an amphibian vehicle, which has steel body but capable of ferrying a 42-tonne main battle tank.

In 18 months flat, TIL delivered two such units.

The indigenously developed system is capable of moving on and off road and can serve as a 24-metre long and 3.6-metre wide fully decked floating bridge within 9 minutes. The two-axle vehicle, during the DRDO technical trials, could achieve on-road speed of 50 kmph and 35 kmph cross-country.

Its twin pump jets allow the vehicle to move on water at a speed of 2.7 metre per second and let it manoeuvre – reverse, lateral and yawing. Two or more such vehicles can be joined to meet logistic challenges in war or disaster management situations.

The lone competitor, a French company, produces such a vehicle with its hull and bridge made of aluminium at a higher cost. Considering Indian defence's preference for high strength steel, the DRDO and TIL developed this unmatched system.

The two units, conceived as "technology demonstrators", realised the status of prototypes after trials.

The unique vehicle technology was showcased as the pride of the nation on 57th Republic Day parade. However, the vehicle has not yet got a chance to serve the nation.

"The unit was paraded from Raisina Hills to Red Fort for the nation, but over a decade, there has not been a single order for the vehicle", Sumit Mazumder, MD of TIL told Business Line.

(This article was published on January 31, 2014)
 

cobra commando

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India has capacity to make anti- satellite weapons: DRDO chief

India has the capability to build anti-satellite weapons but has no plans for any activity that affects peaceful use of space, DRDO chief Avinash Chander said Friday. Talking to media persons at Defexpo '14 here, Chander said anti-satellite weapon capacity includes ability to reach the target and a pinpoint hit. "Configurations are available. We are confident we can do it," he said. However, he said there were no plans for activity "which will affect space". Answering another query, he said the Defence Research and Development Organisation was working on converging technologies concerning high energy systems.


India has capacity to make anti-satellite weapons: DRDO chief | Latest News & Updates at DNAIndia.com
 

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Broadsword: BAE Systems offers to modernise ordnance factories

By Ajai Shukla
Business Standard, 10th Feb 14

British defence and aerospace giant, BAE Systems, has offered assistance in modernising the countrywide network of 41 factories in which the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) manufactures weaponry, ammunition and equipment for the defence forces. The OFB is owned by the ministry of defence (MoD).

In 2011-12, OFB factories produced Rs 12,391 crore worth of equipment for the military, with an import content of just 9.82 per cent. Yet, with the oldest of them dating back to 1801, and 8 factories over a hundred years old, an opportunity has been sensed by BAE Systems, which has spearheaded the modernisation and transformation of the UK's Royal Ordnance Factories since 1987.

Speaking to Business Standard, Mark Simpkins, the general manager of BAE Systems India, revealed: "This week we offered to partner the Indian Ordnance Factory Board in modernization their production factories. We made this offer directly to the ministry of defence, and also through the UK government. During DefExpo, we made this offer again. We await a response."

Simpkins points to the OFB's British origins, and to BAE Systems' successful experience in modernising similar factories in the UK. He claims: "Today, we are probably are the only people in the world who know exactly how to build a world class ordnance factory, by modernising older production units."

Although OFB has invested steadily in modernisation and expansion, and has increased output from Rs 6,938 crore in 2007-08, to Rs 12,391 crore in 2011-12, it is hard pressed to meet growing Indian demands for defence equipment. Besides the military, the OFB must also supply central armed police forces like the CRPF and the BSF.

With OFB capacity insufficient for meeting domestic demand, arms exports languish. Senior government officials say this is a key reason for New Delhi being unable to supply arms for the Afghan National Security Forces, even though this was requested personally by Afghan president, Hamid Karzai.

The latest report of Parliament's Standing Committee on Defence notes, "At present there is a need to augment the existing capacities of Ordnance Factories to meet the requirement of the Armed Forces and Para Military Forces. This has resulted in a very little scope available with OFB to meet the export demand."

Senior OFB officials confirm the BAE Systems offer, but say they would evaluate how that might synergise with the OFB's own detailed modernisation plans.

Sartaj Singh, the OFB Chairman, told Business Standard that the OFB would not hesitate to join hands with a foreign partner if there is a clear technological advantage.

"But we are already one of the largest and most advanced builders of weaponry in the world", says Singh, pointing out that the OFB builds more high calibre weaponry than any other organisation. "We build 450 high calibre systems each year and are already upgrading that capacity to 700 systems."

The OFB chairman claims the technology that goes into these systems --- such as electro-slag refined steel, radial forging and auto-frettaging of barrels --- is as good as any arms manufacturer in the world.

Bharat Singh, the OFB's Deputy DG for Weapons, is equally cautious. He says: "We will evaluate the BAE Systems offer carefully to see if there is anything beyond the upgrades that we are already doing, such as those for automating the manufacture of ammunition, and addition of capacities."

According to figures provided by the MoD to the Standing Committee on Defence, the OFB will spend Rs 15,764 crore on modernization during the 12th Plan (2012-17). During the 11th Plan (2007-2012) the OFB spent Rs 2,953 crore on modernization and capacity augmentation.

Over the last three years, the MoD has approved capacity augmentation projects for the OFB worth Rs 4,144 crore, for completion by 2015-16. New projects worth Rs 2,756 crore are currently being executed, while another Rs 2,400 crore worth of modernisation is being examined by the Department of Defence Production (DoDP).

The defence budget for 2012-13 allocated Rs 906 crore to OFB modernisation, and the allocation for this year is Rs 1,029 crore.
 

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dna Special: Tainted Tatra trucks rechristened BEML heavy duty trucks

Desperate to get rid of the 'taint' of Tatra scam, the ministry of defence is planning to rename the high mobility trucks to get back into business in the country.

Tatra, the all-weather trucks are being used to carry Indian Army's strike-power, were surrounded by controversy after former army chief General VK Singh alleged that there was an attempt to bribe him for clearing the purchase of 1,676 of the high-mobility trucks.

Subsequently, the CBI in April 2013 booked VRS Natarajan, chief of the Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) — the defence Public Sector Unit which manufacture these trucks in India. The BEML was the Indian partner of Tatra with UK-based Vectra Group.

After CBI probe, production of these Tatra trucks were stopped, as BEML was restricted to do business with Vectra Global. Production of Tatra was 40% indigenous and the reamining 60% was dependent on import from Vectra.

"Since 2012, BEML was restricted to import from Vectra. So, we decided to built it pure indigenous. But, we do not want continue with the 'tainted' name of Tatra. We decided to rename the home-made version of these trucks and will be called as only BEML heavy duty trucks,"said a senior BEML official.

BEML claims to relaunch six-wheeled-drive high-mobility vehicle and the eight-wheeled-drive high-mobility vehicles by early April this year.

The official told dna that ever since the decision for stopping the procurement of Tatra trucks from the UK-based company, the maintenance of the fleet of over 6,500 such trucks in India was adversely affected due to lack of spares and other parts.

An army official said entire strike-capability of Indian Army moves on these Tatra trucks. From BrahMos missile to Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher and the Smerch, field radars and mobile bridges, which helps moving tanks to cross canals or any other small water bodies are carried on these trucks.

A defence ministry official said, "It seems, BEML does not want to associate itself with the scam-ridden Tatra name."

Based on its experience in the Kargil war in 1999 and during Operation Parakram in 2002, the army decided to buy trucks with new parameters. And Tatra trucks emerged winner. Since then, army was using these truck.
dna Special: Tainted Tatra trucks rechristened BEML heavy duty trucks | Latest News & Updates at DNAIndia.com
 

Twinblade

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Lol, the idiots could have done it 20 years back and saved themselves from embarrassment and saved the country some money. As they say in hindi : "इतने की तो ठुकाई ना होवे है जितने का पैंट कोट फटवाऐ लिया"
 

Archer

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Production of Tatra was 40% indigenous and the reamining 60% was dependent on import from Vectra."Since 2012, BEML was restricted to import from Vectra. So, we decided to built it pure indigenous. But, we do not want continue with the 'tainted' name of Tatra. We decided to rename the home-made version of these trucks and will be called as only BEML heavy duty trucks,"said a senior BEML official.

So it took till 2012 for BEML to stop giving kickbacks for these trucks to the cabal supporting the import, and make these indigenous?
Brilliant..
 
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arnabmit

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And that de-linked suspension.

Bribery issues aside, Tatra trucks are hardly third class. Simple, rugged, easy to fix, air-cooled diesel engines that works in Indian summer. Respect, where it's due.
 

arnabmit

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DRDO lab produces 'smarter' ponies for Indian Army - Hindustan Times

The DRDO's Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR) laboratory in Leh has developed a technology to produce ponies that can carry more weight for the Indian Army and efforts are underway to breed more such hybrid Zanskar ponies.

"We have been working for pack animals mostly the local ponies in the Zanskar Valley in Leh. The ponies are generally used by the Army for logistics.The local ponies could carry a load of only 15-20 kg, however the mules used by Army were severely affected by the high altitude maladies. The Army was looking for sturdy and well adapted animal, with a high load bearing capacity," Dr RB Srivastava director of DIHR told HT.

With this in mind, he said: "We introduced a male pony from Austria, (Halflinger Stallion) and cross bred it with a female local pony. The cross breeding lasted for several years and finally we did the final trial of the hybrid breed in Kargil. We found them to be highly disciplined, more acclimatized with the harsh climate and more importantly they could carry a load of 50-60 kg."

After the successful trial at Kargil DIHAR has transferred the germplasm to the Army that is used for breeding and after the technology has been matured the Army has opened an establishment in the region for carrying out breeding and training of these ponies for logistic operations.

"They are called Zanskar crossbred ponies and our target is to have many more such ponies for carrying the logistic load of the Army in operational areas". Besides the breeding of ponies, he said we have also worked on vegetables.

"With our technology we have shown the potential for growing 101 vegetables in a single seasonwhich will benefit the soldiers."
 

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