India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

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srin
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by srin »

A Sharma wrote:BDL Annual Report 11-12

Indigenisation of products like Konkurs-M ATGM,Invar ATGM and Milan-2T achieved upto 90%,80% and 71% respectively.
Thank you ! My eyes caught a couple of things ...
Solar water heating and Solar
cooking will be implemented in new
units / divisions likely to come up for
3rd Generation Missile production
and SRSAM production.
Any idea what SRSAM it is ? Spyder or Maitri ?

And then, jump to page 76 - is that a real LRSAM being shown to the Rear Admiral ?
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Shrinivasan »

A Sharma wrote:BDL Annual Report 11-12
Indigenisation of products like Konkurs-M ATGM,Invar ATGM and Milan-2T achieved upto 90%,80% and 71% respectively.
There is so much fluff in this Annual Report that data mining is very difficult... need some solid reading with a printout to glean nuggets which are buried aplenty... more info this weekend.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Shrinivasan »

^^^ some info gleaned from BDL report
1) NEW PRODUCTION FACILITIES
The Land acquisition process at Amravathi, Maharashtra and Ibrahimpatnam, Ranga Reddy District, Andhra Pradesh is in progress for the upcoming new projects of the Company.
We are llooking at a significant increase in capacity when these new facilities come onstream.

2) Akash SAM - The turnover in respect of AkashSAM `149.25 Crore,
This is the tip of the iceberg, their total order in to the tune of 20K crores.

3) The company will be taking a major leap by joining a major joint development programme of Short Range Surface-to-Air Missiles required by IAF and IN.
What SR Range SAM are they talking about... is the Trishul getting rehabed under a different name?

4) a significant miss - no news about AAD or PAD or any of our Ballistic or Cruise missiles.
Ashish J
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Ashish J »

From BDL Report:

Total Turnover 959.12 crore
Profit 348.19 crore
Material consumption 633.53 crore
Forex outgo 419.44 crore

Means actual indigenous value addition only about 200 crore on a turnover of 960 crore...rest taken up by huge profit margin and forex outgo...
Aditya_V
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Aditya_V »

Ashish J wrote:From BDL Report:

Total Turnover 959.12 crore
Profit 348.19 crore
Material consumption 633.53 crore
Forex outgo 419.44 crore

Means actual indigenous value addition only about 200 crore on a turnover of 960 crore...rest taken up by huge profit margin and forex outgo...
Not exactly, Profit is 234 crore and that comes because of 402 crore of Interest Income. otherwise BDL will be at a loss. Total costs is would 1070 crore. so Indigenous component given higher foreign vendor prices plus you forget imports can include basic components like steel sheets etc one can state apart from strategic advantages the country has gained atleast 1000 crore due to this plus knowledge.

Forex Outgo is the cash payment, it will Capex payments of 140 crore made plus some of those payments could be related to Opening and closing Inventories. Accounts payable has come down by 100 crore.

Also
vic
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by vic »

Aditya_V wrote:
Ashish J wrote:From BDL Report:

Total Turnover 959.12 crore
Profit 348.19 crore
Material consumption 633.53 crore
Forex outgo 419.44 crore

Means actual indigenous value addition only about 200 crore on a turnover of 960 crore...rest taken up by huge profit margin and forex outgo...
Not exactly, Profit is 234 crore and that comes because of 402 crore of Interest Income. otherwise BDL will be at a loss. Total costs is would 1070 crore. so Indigenous component given higher foreign vendor prices plus you forget imports can include basic components like steel sheets etc one can state apart from strategic advantages the country has gained atleast 1000 crore due to this plus knowledge.

Forex Outgo is the cash payment, it will Capex payments of 140 crore made plus some of those payments could be related to Opening and closing Inventories. Accounts payable has come down by 100 crore.

Also


Even if we assume that to be correct then foreign components are around 50% of value, Indian components would be 25% and labour 25%. Or we can put is like that 600 crore material consumption as 400 crore foreign components. That would mean at sub-component level we have only 33% indigenisation of 2nd gen (40 year old) technologies.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Aditya_V »

VIC, the 411 crores would include Capex and is on cash basis.

However, out of 959 crore sales , 643 crores is ATGM's of foreign origin, there could a few parts which are imported with very high margins made by the importers which we cannot make, they may 2% of what BDL uses but 30% of the cost.

I guess if NAG is approved, this ratio will improve much better.

I guess License production can never be compared to something like Akash.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Sagar G »

srin wrote:And then, jump to page 76 - is that a real LRSAM being shown to the Rear Admiral ?
No it's only the outer body casing, look in the next page the same thing is being shown to AVM and most probably by the same guy as well.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Vipul »

UK’s General Dynamics upbeat on India, forges strategic partnership with Tandon Group.

General Dynamics, the global defence and security major, will follow a strategy of indigenising technology capabilities in India through a technology transfer approach.The company is bidding for several major contracts in the Indian defence and security market. It has also forged a strategic partnership with the Tandon Group, Mumbai.

General Dynamics, UK, signed a £4.9 million, 7-year contract with the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), one of its first contracts in India, to support the Indian Air Force’s fleet of Hawk aircraft in 2011. Part of the contract was to ensure the transfer of technology. In keeping with this commitment, a batch of engineers from HAL completed a 10-week training programme in the UK, said Wayne Beck, Head of International Partnerships, General Dynamics, UK.

The entire weapons management programme of the IAF and Navy’s Hawk MK 132 aircraft are being provided by the company.

Beck, who is in Hyderabad as part of a major business delegation from the UK on security, led by the Minister for Security James Brokenshire, told Business Line that the company is keen to participate in projects like the BMS (Battlefield Management System), Tactical Communications Systems project of the Indian Army, and the future infantry soldier of the Indian defence sector. General Dynamics, UK, will also establish an overhaul capability to provide 3rd and 4th line servicing for the aircraft’s Stores Management Systems (SMS), which includes two Weapons Control Panels and one Weapons Programming Unit.

The company is working with the Ministry of Home Affairs to explore opportunities in several communication and security initiatives. “In collaboration with Tandon Group, we are ready to offer technology in various areas like port, border security, surveillance for police to counter terror and build national communication security infrastructure, ” said Beck, who is also the India Head of the company.

A leading counter terror capability for example is a range of optical devices that include an optical camera vision with range of 20 km. There are minute camera’s which can be buried in strategic locations to track terror movements .
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Sagar G »

Smart Munitions
Adrushy MK-I

This munition provides full-width attack capability against the moving tanks unlike the conventional pressure-actuated munitions, hence more lethal. This munition consists of a magnetic sensor to detect the vehicle in the proximity. To make the munition more difficult to breach by the magnetic signature duplicator, seismic-cum-magnetic mode of operation is provided. Tank trawl discrimination has been incorporated. Being a sophisticated munition, self-neutralisation has been
incorporated with reusable feature. Flexibility has been provided for selection of the self-neutralisation period depending o the tactical requirement of the munition field. This munition is safe to handle and also during laying, as it consists of electro-mechanical safety device with 1 h arming delay. This munition is both waterproof and shockproof. This munition is indomitable with capability of armour penetration– 90 mm causing ‘K’ kill. Technologies established during the development of
the store are passive magnetic sensor–to provide fullwidth attack capability; smart fuze–with field-settable SN
period up to 160 days; and tank trawl discrimination capability, safety and arming device (elctromechanical timer), antitilt
device, armour penetration up to 90 mm through shapedcharge warhead. It has undergone users trial successfully
and 5500 numbers were productionised. Munitions were used during operation Parakram in 2002 successfully and
commendation from Army HQ.
Adrushy MK-II

Another good example of the sensored smart munition is antitank Adrushy MK-II. Technology breakthrough has been achieved by developing active sensor based on the smart fuze which is brain of the Adrushy munition MK-II for the first time in India. This has added feather in the cap of India Army. The productionisation of these munitions will make us self-reliant and will save foreign currency to the extent of more than 100 crore. This munition discriminates the tank-trawl/ plough, track and wheeled vehicles, also has survival capability against blast of CLMC (V) and 100 per cent performance
against tanks. The state-of-the-art fuze has been developed consisting of active sensor and microcontroller-based signal processor. The active sensor consists of a set of transmitter and receiver coils, initially in balanced condition. When
tank passes over it, the balance gets disturbed and in turn generates voltage across the receiver coil. This signal
forms the signature of the target. The signature collection was done through the field trials. The software has been
developed for analysing the signature and for taking appropriate decision for firing the munition. This makes the fuze smart.
Successful development of this smart influence Adrushy munition MK-II by ARDE has made India proud and at par with the world market. Technologies established during the development of the store are: (a) active sensor based on induction balance principle, and (b) smart fuze microcontroller-based software to determine the exact instant of firing under tank, to provide discrimination between track and wheeled vehicles, and survival against CLMC(V). Users trial work done successfully and inducted into Services. Order quantity of 20,000 has been placed by the Army.
ANTITANK SCATTERABLE MUNITIONS Any guesses on which front it will be used :twisted:

Remote delivery systems deploy large number of scatterable munitions from the air, which automatically activate as
these hit the ground. Even these smart munitions are indispensable weapons of war. Under this category of antitank remotely delivered sub-munitions for 122 mm rocket and Pinaka rocket have been developed and are under evaluation phase. This sub-munition consists of miniature passive magnetic sensor for detection of the vehicle which provides full-width attack capabilities. Electronic timer generates the set SD period. As per Geneva protocol, a self-deactivation facility has also been provided as a backup. Vertical landing is ensured with the help of pyrocutter device and 6 legs arrangement. Handling and operational safety has been provided through safety arming device.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Shrinivasan »

Sagar G wrote:Smart Munitions

Adrushy MK-I
Adrushy MK-II
ANTITANK SCATTERABLE MUNITIONS
Excellent find Sagar... reading through the whole document would show how much research is going on in Desh on these... where we falter is in production of these...
Any news about a Cluster Munition called Sithapal which was being developed?
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Post by Shrinivasan »

Of late people think that CL-20 based explosives are a solution to many problems.. here is an article from Defence Science Journal describing the process of development of e-CL-20 which is a further synthesis version of CL-20 explosives.
http://publications.drdo.gov.in/ojs/ind ... /view/1428
spending sometime in this site would help us get educated on the nuances of many technologies and make us appreciate the good work done by DRDO labs.
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Post by Sagar G »

Shrinivasan wrote:where we falter is in production of these...
Everybody does.
Shrinivasan wrote:Any news about a Cluster Munition called Sithapal :lol: which was being developed?
None but I do hope they change the name.
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Post by Katare »

Nothing in recent years have gladdened my heart than this single line -

Dr Saraswat mentioned that according to the Economic Analysis Wing of the Government of India, the Self Reliance Index of the DRDO has increased to 55% from the earlier 30% and the DRDO currently has orders worth Rs 1.42 lakh corer.

Gentlemen this is real progress by DRDO that has been independently quantified by another govt institution.

Assumption here is that this means that Indian forces are now acquiring 55% of their total procurement from domestic sources as compared to 30% in APJ Kalam era.

If this means that DRDO's product now contain 55% domestic contents as compared to 30% 10+ years back than it only brings us from "maha pathetic" conditions to pathetic state, still real and quantified progress.

DRDO working on Rs 6k cr AWACS project: Saraswat
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Post by Sagar G »

A TFTA brochure by DRDO from def expo 2010, has a lot of info about systems developed/under development.

DRDO DefExpo 2010
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Post by Vipul »

Hindustan Aeronautics is ready to take on challenges: Tyagi.

Ahead of the Aero India 2013 in Bengaluru from Feburary 6-9, the chairman of the state owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, RK Tyagi, chairman in his first exclusive interview to a financial daily says that the company is ready to take on challenges. Excerpts from the interview

1.India's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) has been getting delayed, what is the latest update and what is happening with the naval version?

Ans:LCA is a prestigious national project in which HAL is the lead production agency and ADA is the lead designer. At present the design and production activities are going concurrently. However, HAL is geared up to commence delivery against the current order for LCA within three to six months of the aircraft certification (Initial Operation Clearance - IOC). We hope that ADA achieves IOC by the second quarter of 2013.

We have already initiated proactive action pertaining to tooling, assembly jigs and build requirements and we are in the process of streamlining various productionization activities which would lead to ramping up of production rate.

The maiden flight of the Naval variant of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), NP-1, was carried out successfully on April 27, 2012. Flight with undercarriage retraction was carried out on June 27, 2012. Presently the Naval LCA is being prepared for shore based testing facility trials.

2.Media reports indicate that HAL cannot and does not have the capacity to take in work orders and deliver on time when the 126 MMRCA deal is finalised. Your comments.

Ans:We are fully ready and geared up for MMRCA assignment. It is important to know that over the last 70 years of existence HAL has designed and manufactured 29 types of aircraft. This proves that the fundamental are in place to take-up any project including MMRCA.

HAL has taken up many programs under Licence manufacturing and has successfully absorbed the technology and completed the programs. And are confident that if the documentation is complete and there are no mismatches, we will be able to absorb the technology quickly and meet the challenging program timelines.

The price negotiations of the MMRCA (Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft) project have begun. HAL has been designated as the lead production agency. The process for setting up the required infrastructure for the project has already been initiated by HAL to meet the challenging timelines. A dedicated team under the leadership of a General Manager has already been put in place to co-ordinate and oversee all the activities pertaining to the MMRCA project. HAL has finalized the factory sites at Bangalore for the manufacture of aircraft and engine and activities for infrastructural build up are under progress.

3.How many Advance Light Helicopter (ALH) 'Dhruv' been exported so far? Latin American countries are very keen to buy these helicopters, is this correct.

Ans:HAL so far has exported 10 "Dhruv" helicopters ; 7 to Ecuador, 2 to Nepal and 1 to Mauritius. In addition, one ALH is in operation in Maldives. ALH is considered one of the best helicopters in 5.5 tones class in the world.

Yes, quite a few Latin American countries viz. Chile, Brazil, Columbia etc have evinced keen interest in the "Dhruv" helicopter. HAL is actively following the leads to expand the footprints of the "Dhruv" helicopter in the global market.

4.'What are your expansion plans for HAL?

HAL has adopted two-pronged strategy towards new business development. First approach is to consolidate our existing businesses and the second is to explore new opportunities and businesses. A new strategic electronic factory was recently inaugurated in Kasaragod, Kerala in November 2012, which will be engaged in production of avionics systems.

We have planned state of the art manufacturing facilities for MMRCA, LUH and the Medium Lift Helicopters projects.

Centres of Excellence in Transmission and Composites and a separate factory for manufacturing engines for helicopters exclusively are also being conceived.

LCA production facilities will be augmented to increase the production up to 16 aircraft per year. Helicopter Division facilities will be augmented to take up the production of LCH in addition to the current ALH production.

In addition, the Company is in the process of finalizing the Modernisation Plan considering the current and new programs, the delivery schedules and the required rate of production. The plan would provide a road map for creation of new facilities, induction of new technologies, augmentation/upgradation of existing facilities to cater to the Design & Development and manufacturing activities.

Outsourcing is being planned in a big way and HAL has drawn up plans to outsource more than 30% of the manufacturing task. This strategy would enable HAL ease the capacity and will allow us to focus on high value addition jobs or new business opportunities. The company is also exploring to enter into allied fields to widen its product and service profile. Also, we are pursuing strategic business alliances through partnership, Joint Ventures, with OEMs to gain access to technology and access to the global market, and we aim to leverage the Indian market to gain access to the global market.

5.In November 2012, the govt announced 10% disinvestment and restructuring of HAL --- what has happened since then?

Ans:The decisions related to disinvestment are taken at the Governmental levels. The Department of Disinvestment (DoD) had informed in September 2011 that Defence Minister has consented for disinvestment of 10% stake in HAL through an Initial Public Offer (IPO). The MoD had thereafter, constituted an Expert Group in October 2011 under the Chairmanship of B K Chaturvedi, former Cabinet Secretary and Member Planning Commission on Strengthening and Restructuring of HAL. The Group submitted its report along with recommendations to the Government on 7th September 2012, which is under consideration of the Ministry.

6.Why did the MoD reject HAL's proposal to build basic trainer aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF)?

Ans:MOD has not rejected HAL's proposal. The sanction for the design and development of the Basic Trainer Aircraft is awaited. To save on the timelines, HAL has initiated the development activities with its own funding. Most of the preliminary design activities including configuration studies & sizing, cockpit layout finalization, wind tunnel model testing have been completed. Fabrication of a full scale functional mock-up is under progress. We are planning to showcase a mock-up of HTT-40 during the upcoming Aero-India 2013.

On the cost front, the estimated cost of HAL built trainer is comparable with the other basic trainer aircraft available today and not the twice as claimed by some. The cost comparison should be done by taking into account "life cycle cost or through life sustainment cost" ensuring the maintenance support to the fleet for the next 30 years in which HAL will be competitive.

7.What about the project to build an Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) which has been delayed for 13 years already.

Ans:The IJT project of HAL is presently in at an advanced stage of development. Two prototype aircraft and three Limited Series production aircraft are being flight tested towards obtaining IOC. The design modifications have been made on IJT and flight testing has recommenced since February 2012.

I do feel that the loss of any aircraft needs to be avoided, however, such incidents of loss of prototypes have occurred in many such development programs undertaken in other countries as well. We have faced major delays in getting the new Russian engines for IJT. These issues are being sorted out.

HAL is making all out efforts to achieve the IOC as quickly as possible. The project is being closely monitored to ensure that any support / decisions required are given in a fast track mode. More than 600 flights have been completed so far. However, considering the number of test flights that need to be completed, the IOC is expected during the second half of 2013.

8. The indigenisation of the Sukhoi aircraft has more or less remained a pipe dream. It was supposed to reach an indigenisation level of 50-55 per cent in Phase IV of the delivery schedule. Your comments

Ans:The 1st phase-IV Su-30 aircraft was delivered in the fiscal 2010-11. The Transfer of Technology as planned in each of the four Phases has been completed. The level of indigenization has now exceeded 50%. In fact, we signed a contract for 42 numbers of Su-30 MKI frontline Fighter Aircraft with the Ministry of Defence and Russian firm Rosoboronexport in New Delhi on December 24, 2012. HAL's total responsibility for this supersonic multirole aircraft has now gone up to 222. This will further boost our confidence and operations as we have already delivered 119 Su-30 aircraft to the Air Force. The Su-30 MKI project provides solid platform to indigenous manufacturing and technical competence creating hundreds of direct and indirect jobs. HAL's hand-holding with private entrepreneurs has also ensured creation of strong infrastructure and quality avionics products. Today, 157 Indian vendors are involved in providing 13,350 components of the aircraft while another 19,450 components are manufactured at HAL's Nasik and Koraput Divisions.
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Post by Shrinivasan »

May interesting Gems in this (f)article... many questions were condescending and even downright rude...

1) "Media reports indicate that HAL cannot and does not have the capacity to take in work orders and deliver on time when the 126 MMRCA deal is finalised." this assumption based question was systematically debunked. i like his answer, hope it turns out to be true.

2) "Why did the MoD reject HAL's proposal to build basic trainer aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF)?". again demolished, glad to hear that HTT-40 has been taken up using HAL funds and we will see a mock-up in AI2013. Hope this project gets active support from IAF/MoD and moves forward... no doubt Ajai Shukla's of the world want this project canned.

icing on the cake "On the cost front, the estimated cost of HAL built trainer is comparable with the other basic trainer aircraft available today and not the twice as claimed by some. "

3) "What about the project to build an Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) which has been delayed for 13 years already." tone of questioning sucks.. wonder why HAL chairman didn't give him the bird and walk off

4) "The indigenisation of the Sukhoi aircraft has more or less remained a pipe dream. " this is the ultimate insult... Does this DDM reporter even hear his own BS being uttered... still Mr Tyagi recounted the levels of indigenisation in detail.

Overall, HAL seems to be on a path of expansion on all fronts.. hopefully these measures bear fruits in the long run...
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Post by suryag »

The maiden flight of the Naval variant of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), NP-1, was carried out successfully on April 27, 2012. Flight with undercarriage retraction was carried out on June 27, 2012. Presently the Naval LCA is being prepared for shore based testing facility trials.
So NP did exercise the retraction of the gear during the four flights it has undertaken till date
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Post by Indranil »

Shrinivasan wrote:
May interesting Gems in this (f)article... many questions were condescending and even downright rude...
It is no business of a reporter to ask only pleasing questions! Actually IMHO he/she asked questions which are on the minds of most HAL-watchers. And Mr. Tyagi answered them well.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by sum »


3) "What about the project to build an Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) which has been delayed for 13 years already." tone of questioning sucks.. wonder why HAL chairman didn't give him the bird and walk off
Actually, felt this was a valid question!
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by PratikDas »

FWIW, My vote is for this line of questioning - objective and uncharitable - given the context of HAL and those specific projects. If someone took the same approach with Research Centre Imarat, DRDL, the Brahmos team, ADA or other centres of excellence, I'd have a problem with that.

And yes, Mr. Tyagi did answer well.
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Post by pentaiah »

can not LCA data be used to develop sub sonic IJT or even basic trainer like Iskara and save time, it might even share tool design jigs fixtures
and achieve EOQ for common material (in terms of volumes)?
Just thinking loud.

Trainer landing gear of terra firma might have same parameters as carries based landing gear (becuae of trainee hard landing and Naval pilots hard landing due to circumstance and environment .... I am again with cooks tpoi and thinking)
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Post by vic »

Tyagi has for all practical purpose has said that no more LCAs in 2013 (except LSP-8)
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by AbhiJ »

Indian Developments in Materials for Military Aero Engines
The Indian aircraft industry is still in its nascent stages of growth. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is the only significant player, manufacturing aircraft and engines, albeit under license production. Even so, most of the materials and material technologies have been sourced from the original manufacturers (OEMs) of the engines and aircraft.

In the recent past, a number of new material technologies have been recently introduced which are required in the production of Sukhoi aircraft (Su-30) and its engine (AL31FP). Kaveri, the proposed engine for LCA Tejas is the only programme which aims to design and develop indigenous engine and also to develop indigenous capabilities in the areas of materials and manufacturing technologies. In a sense, the development of indigenous material technologies in India is linked to Kaveri programme. Assessment of materials and manufacturing technologies presented here is largely based on the Kaveri experience in which many industries and research laboratories are participating. GTRE is also developing a smaller engine called “laghu Shakti.”

Primary mill products

Most of the primary alloys used in gas turbines are being manufactured at Mishra Dhatu Nigam (MIDHANI), Hyderabad. MIDHANI has been successful in indigenous development and manufacture of various mill products of several grades of super-alloys, Titanium alloys and steels. In addition MIDHANI also produces several Russian grades of steels, Titanium alloys and super-alloys. Some of the most important alloys produced at MIDHANI are:

Space & Missiles – MDN-250, Ti-64, Ti-15-3,
Kaveri Engine – Su-718, CM247LC, Su-263, Ti-29A (834), Ti-64, GTM900, BS-347,
LCA – 17- 4PH, 15- 5PH,
MIG series – AE961W, AE646M, A286, BT-9,
Sukhoi-30 – BT-20, BT-18

Infrastructural constraints have restricted MIDHANI to expand its range to newer alloys such as 720Li and large diameter products in nickel base super-alloys which are required for turbine and compressor discs and large casings of engine. Thankfully the facilities at MIDHANI are being upgraded and these upgrades are expected to enhance its capabilities in this area.

Forgings

The Foundry and Forge (F&F) plant of HAL has the capacity to produce rings, blocker forgings, closed die forgings and precision forgings in a wide variety of Al, Mg, Cu alloys and steels.

Its association with the Kaveri Engine programme has resulted in HAL’s F&F plant to develop the technologies to manufacture a large number of ring, open die forgings and blade forgings in various grades of super-alloys and Titanium alloys. Some of the important forgings include ring rolled products in super-alloys – Su-718 and Su-263, Titanium alloys – Ti64 and Ti685, and steels – S-80 and E16NCD 13. In addition HAL’s F&F plant has demonstrated the capability to produce complex airfoil forgings for compressor blades and vanes in Su718, Ti64 and GTM900.

The other benefactor of the Kaveri Engine programme is this regards has been the Steel Industrial forgings Limited (SIFL), Trichur, which has also developed small closed die forgings in Ti6A14V and 718 for Kaveri engine.

The turbine’s Discs are the most critical components in a gas turbine. These have to be manufactured to very strict specifications of mechanical properties, macro-structure, micro-structure and integrity. A collaborative programme between Bharat Forge Limited, (BFL), Pune, Project Office (Materials), Defence (Materials) and CRI (M) has resulted in the successful development of all the three Kaveri fan discs using the Ti64 alloy. The discs were made using indigenous forging stock of requisite specification produced at MIDHANI.

Castings

The DMRL has successfully developed complex airfoil castings for the Kaveri turbine using the Nickel base alloy CM247LC. The castings are hollow with internal cooling channels and have to meet very stringent dimensional, micro-structural, chemical and porosity requirements. This is one of the most complex processing steps, each requiring a very strict control. The DS castings have been qualified by airworthiness agencies (CEMILAC) for use in Kaveri engine. Recently, vaccume diffusion brazing process for tip and root of HPY blade of Kaveri engine has been developed in collaboration with Godrej and Boyce, Mumbai.

The DMRL has also developed the jet fuel starter castings for the LCA Tejas as well as the castings for the Adour engine (used in the Jaguar). The technology developed at DMRL is currently being transferred to HAL, Koraput. HAL has investment casting facilities although so far it has been manufacturing only equiaxed castings of Russian grade super-alloys. Recently, HAL (Koraput) has also developed shroud castings in CM247LC and 718 alloys for Kaveri engine and these castings have been qualified by CEMILAC. HAL has also acquired capability to manufacture DS and single crystal castings of turbine airfoils for Sukhoi aircraft engine AL31FP.

The development of Platinum-Aluminide coatings and thermal barrier coatings (TBC) are also in progress at DMRL in association with ARCI, Hyderabad.

Advanced materials and Processes

DMRL has been working on Titanium-Aluminides (TiAl) and has developed alloy compositions with adequate ductility. Compressor blades of a α2-Ti3Al TiAl alloy have been forged at HAL (F&F). DMRL has also demonstrated processing of TiAl alloys by isothermal forging route to get equiaxed structure of α2 + γ. Development of discs in Titanium alloys Ti26A (Ti685) for Adour and Kaveri engine has been carried out at DMRL. The near-isothermal forging process along with extensive use of modelling and simulation has been used at DMRL to optimise the process. Discs in Ti26A alloys for Adour engines will soon be produced in larger numbers by MIDHANI employing the DMRL infrastructure and technology with appropriate augmentation of the infrastructure required for the production batches.

Recently, DMRL has also carried out development of disc and integral shaft forgings for the Kaveri engine using the Ti834, which is a new Titanium alloy developed for use at 600 degree C. While many important technologies have been developed for gas turbines, some of these technologies developed cannot be said to have attained a maturity level typical of production environments. This has been largely due to the small volumes and only a few batches of components that have been produced so far. Also some of the materials’ technologies already employed routinely in gas turbines in western countries are still not indigenously available. The most important of these are:

Single crystal alloys and castings for turbine airfoils,
Blisk Technology for compressor discs both in titanium alloys and super alloys,
Inertia welding for engine parts such as compressor drums,
Large diameter forging stock, large width plates and sheets in super alloys and titanium alloys,
Super-alloy discs for compressor and turbine.

Many of these have not been attempted due to non-availability of the required equipment/ infrastructure, for example large capacity press to forge discs using the super-alloys or inertia welding facilities. In addition there are several gaps in knowledge and in the understanding of various aspects of materials and processes which need to be developed for efficient exploration of materials technologies.

Looking Forward

Despite the relatively small size of aerospace industry in India, the future growth prospects of this sector in a fast emerging economy make it imperative that critical gaps in technologies are filled. It may require augmentation of infrastructure on the one hand and generation of knowledge and acquisition of expertise and highly skilled human resources on the other. Some of the core technologies and critical facilities that need to be established are:

Large forge capacity, large billet capacity,
Inertia welding and linear friction welding,
Augmentation of investment castings – DS and single crystal,
Composites – fibre C/SiC, etc.,
Facilities for testing both the materials as well as the components,
Life prediction technologies,
EBPVD for TBC,
Advanced machining such as creep feed grinding,
EDM/laser drilling, laser peening Ultrasonic peening, electro-chemical machining, etc.,
Advanced inspection and NDT such as phased array ultrasonic, 3D x-ray tomography in production environment

Notwithstanding the augmentation of infrastructure, it is equally essential to integrate design, materials and manufacturing capabilities available within the country to evolve indigenous solutions for problems unique to our environment. It may be possible to overcome certain manufacturing limitations by smart design. In addition to infrastructure requirements, capability to design processes, techniques, tools and acceptance criterion will play an important role in indigenous development of engine and its components with satisfactory performance.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by suryag »

vic wrote:Tyagi has for all practical purpose has said that no more LCAs in 2013 (except LSP-8)
Vic ji what made you conclude that?
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Post by Prem Kumar »

Thanks AbhiJ. There are 2 quotes in that article:
HAL has also acquired capability to manufacture DS and single crystal castings of turbine airfoils for Sukhoi aircraft engine AL31FP
Also some of the materials’ technologies already employed routinely in gas turbines in western countries are still not indigenously available. The most important of these are:

Single crystal alloys and castings for turbine airfoils
Interesting: even though HAL has the ability to manufacture SC castings for AL31FP, they dont have the materials technology for the same. The manufacturing ability exists but the material knowhow doesnt.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Shrinivasan »

sum wrote:
3) "What about the project to build an Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) which has been delayed for 13 years already." tone of questioning sucks.. wonder why HAL chairman didn't give him the bird and walk off
Actually, felt this was a valid question!
Question is valid... only the tone is what i am questioning...
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Shrinivasan »

vic wrote:Tyagi has for all practical purpose has said that no more LCAs in 2013 (except LSP-8)
They better focus on the Naval Tejas and getting the production lines up and running... which is better than start making LCAs one by one!!!
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by member_20036 »

Tamil Nadu: Kattupalli port inaugurated by Jayalalithaa

http://www.pardaphash.com/news/tamil-na ... 04597.html
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Vipul »

Pipavav Defence offers 26% stake sale.

Pipavav Defence & Offshore Engineering Company, the country’s largest defence ship building company in the private sector, founded by Nikhil Gandhi, has offered to sell 26 per cent of its equity. A group of corporate majors is interested.

The talks are in an advanced stage and Pipavav’s board would soon meet to decide on the buyer, based on the offers received, a source involved with the negotiations said. The promoters were seeking close to Rs 8,400 crore, or Rs 120 a share, the sources said. The stock closed at Rs 87.85 today, up 1.9 per cent.

The investor would get up to three board seats, including the position of co-chairman, and have a say in day-to-day management. According to the deal structure, the Gandhis would first dilute stake from 45 per cent to 35 per cent; then, new shares would be issued to the strategic investor via preferential allotment. The investor would also make an open offer to the other shareholders, in line with takeover law. The exercise would cost the strategic investor about Rs 2,200 crore. The investment would be utilised to build new facility for the army projects bagged by the firm.(?????)

Many top companies, in India and abroad, are interested in Pipavav Defence due to its healthy order book and its operating facility. For them, the investment makes sense as Pipavav has already set up India’s first modular yard with the second largest dry dock in the world; it can dock ships of any size, including the largest aircraft carriers. It has also got the first licence in the country to build warships and a contract worth Rs 3,000 crore to build five gunboats.

The majors are also attracted by the Government of India’s plans to offer $250 billion (Rs 13.3 lakh crore( worth of contracts over the next five years in defence hardware. Mahindra recently announced it would get into the defence sector with Rafael. Last year, Reliance Industries had announced a joint venture with Dassault Aviation of France to get into the defence sector. This week, Larsen and Toubro inaugurated its own shipyard in Tamil Nadu.

Indian companies are going in a big way into the defence sector after the latest defence procurement policy to encourage sourcing from home.

By bringing in a strategic partner with 26 per cent stake, the Gandhis are expecting to infuse more cash into the company. Apart from its orders from the navy and from other countries, it has also signed a joint venture with Mazagon Dock Ltd to compete for Indian defence ship orders. Most shipyards in India are owned by the government and are unable to meet the huge demand of ships. Pipavav Shipyard was set up to cater to the demand.

For the Gandhis, this will not be the first exit from the businesses they have founded. Earlier, they had founded Pipavav Port, which they later sold to the multinational AP Moller-Maersk group. They were also the first to set up a special economic zone near Mumbai, which they later sold to Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by SSridhar »

Exclusive Satellite for defence Purposes on the Cards - The Hindu
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will develop an exclusive satellite for defence purposes at a cost of Rs. 450 crore, said D.N. Reddy, Chairman, Recruitment and Assessment Centre (RAC), DRDO.

Scientists have started working on the project and it would be over in three years, he said. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an international conference on new horizons in green energy with smart communication system (ICGESCS-2013) held at Arunai College of Engineering, Tiruvannamalai, he said DRDO is undertaking research on replacing fossil-based fuels with plant-based fuels like ethanol and methanol. He also opined that there should be energy audit in every sector as we do financial audit.

Listing new developments in DRDO, Mr. Reddy said that his organisation has plans to provide solar photovoltaic panels produced with thin film technology to Army jawans who work in inhospitable weather conditions at high altitude.

In his capacity as member of University Grants Commission, Mr. Reddy said that India is planning to start 20 innovation universities across the nation to give impetus to research and facelift to universities. The Union government would provide Rs. 100 crore to Rs. 300 crore to each innovation university, he said.

Delivering inaugural address at the conference earlier, Mr.Reddy sai, “Communication sector consumes about eight terawatt of electricity every year. This is used for fixed and mobile telecommunication apart from data centres. As network equipment have become more IP based, energy requirement has steadily increased. We adopt a strategy called ‘green integration’ to make our telecommunication systems energy efficient. But green integration is not limited to telecommunication. It is a set of solutions that contributes to the environment in terms of energy and structure.”
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Shrinivasan »

Hope this fructifies soon, it would help in extending the range of our maritime Surveillance UAVs by a significant margin. Also before our Boomer(s) start prowling Indo-Pacific and Western Pacific, we need a dedicated satellite network in place... our current communication Infra should suffice for the whole IOR. all the best DRDO-ISRO.
some months back I heard that the Satellite is ready and is just waiting for GSLV to be ready.
<Rumor> Our defence sats have already been launched by the French some moons ago </Rumor>
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by suryag »

Please ... we should learn a thing or two and decentralise, please have bids out for TATA SEL/L&T and let them play the role of lead integrators with any special DRDO payloads. We should get DRDO out of this or else it will be another lab which is trying to master both R&D and Production
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Prem Kumar »

Wasnt this same news published 2 to 3 years back. There was supposed to be a dedicated Naval satellite already launched by now & another one called CCI-Sat.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by ramana »

GD, Dr Reddy is from RECW!
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

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World Class in Avionics - Frontline
Everything about the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), situated on the outskirts of Hyderabad, is outsized: its campus, its deer population, the density of trees, the buildings that house its laboratories, its arched main entrance, and so on. Its scientists dream big too. If S.K. Chaudhuri, its Director, is fond of recalling how the RCI is “the brainchild” of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former President and a missile technologist himself, the young G. Satheesh Reddy, its Associate Director, is articulate about “the dream” that drives the centre and has made it “a world-class laboratory” in avionics today. “The dream was that new ideas should always be floating in the air of the RCI,” Satheesh Reddy said.

If the RCI engineers know how to dream, it has paid off. For it is today a “global frontrunner” in developing avionics for India’s missiles. Its goal, according to Satheesh Reddy, “is to do research in the frontier technological area of avionics and produce highly accurate, reliable and miniaturised avionics systems for the country’s defence”. The RCI’s avionics include inertial navigation systems (INS), mission computers, radio frequency and imaging seekers, battery systems, control actuation systems, and telemetry and telecommand systems. In other words, the entire electronics in a missile system is developed at the RCI and incorporated in every type of missile that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) produces. The navigation system itself includes accelerometers, gyroscopes, on-board computers (OBCs) and seekers. The RCI makes all these not only for missiles but for ships, submarines, battle tanks, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles and torpedos. “Avionics is unique whether we do it for aircraft, helicopters, ships, submarines, tanks or unmanned aerial vehicles,” Satheesh Reddy, who is a specialist in avionics, said.

The DRDO has a troika of missile-making laboratories in Hyderabad—the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), the Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL) and the RCI. While the DRDL has designed and developed missiles such as Akash, Nag, Prithvi, Astra, the submarine-launched K-15 and its land version Shourya, the ASL has developed the strategic Agni-I, II, III, IV and V missiles, which are armed with nuclear warheads. The RCI develops the avionics for all these missiles and also for BrahMos, the supersonic cruise missile which is a product of the Indo-Russian cooperation.

Kalam motivated Chaudhuri to move from the DRDL to the RCI. “The RCI is the umbilical cord that connects the other two missile laboratories,” said Chaudhuri. “In a missile, the energy is from the DRDL and the ASL because they provide the propulsion (motors). The brain, eyes and the heart are from the RCI,” he explained. In other words, while the DRDL and the ASL provide the “ shakti”, that is, propulsion to the DRDO missiles, the RCI imparts them with “ gnana”, that is, it develops the sensors, the navigation systems and the seekers for them. Chaudhuri said the RCI’s guidance systems gave them the “ ichcha”—it tells them where they should go; and steering is “ kria”.

“Our challenge is in the atmospheric phase” of the missile’s flight, where there are aerodynamic forces, said Chaudhuri. “Our [a missile’s] mission is over in 12 minutes,” chipped in Satheesh Reddy. “We do not have any correction mechanism to control the missile from the ground except in air defence applications. So we rely on avionics to take the missile to the target accurately.”

In terms of size and manpower, the RCI is the largest of the 52 DRDO laboratories situated across the country. Its campus is spread over 920 hectares of thick scrub jungles, with hills, ponds and a lake too. About 1.5 lakh trees make it a densely wooded campus. About 500 deer and scores of peacocks roam the campus. The RCI was set up in 1988 with Kalam as its founder-Director. Imarat is the name of the village where it was set up, and Kalam was keen that “Imarat” should be added to the “Research Centre” so that the village would find recognition on the world map. Kalam visualised the RCI as a hub of interaction between its scientists, and professors and research scholars from the academia.

More than 100 industries work with the RCI. About 2,000 personnel, including 500 scientists, work in its network of laboratories, which include the Information Technology Command and Data Centre for Enterprise, Resource and Planning, the Advanced Simulation Centre, the Remote Simulation Laboratory, the INS Calibration Laboratory, the Advanced Hardware In-loop Simulation Centre and the Radar-seeker Development Centre.

The centrepiece of these laboratories is the Navigation and Embedded Computers Complex (NECC). While the complex itself occupies six hectares, the built-up area is spread over 18,000 square metres. If Satheesh Reddy has lavished his attention and time in building this massive complex, it shows. Its spacious laboratories, wide corridors and broad glass doors and windows are spotlessly clean. Its facade is attractive. A big model of a gimbal, a device used in missiles/civilian rockets, welcomes the visitor. Huge murals depict the history of the development of the navigation systems in India and its pioneers such as D. Burman and Paritosh Banerjee. The work initiated by Burman was taken forward by Banerjee, and later by Avinash Chander, Ramana Sai, G. Vidya Sagar, Venkateshwarlu and now by Satheesh Reddy. Avinash Chander is Chief Controller, Missiles and Strategic Systems, DRDO.

Satheesh Reddy is not only the RCI’s Associate Director but also Director of the Inertial Navigation Laboratory and Fibre Optics Centre. He recently won the Astronautical Society of India’s “Rocketry Award” for his pioneering contributions and path-breaking work in rocket and related technologies. Satheesh Reddy is a specialist in navigation systems and he developed the avionics, including the ring-laser gyroscope navigation system for the target missile (Prithvi), for the DRDO’s missile interceptor programme and the fibre-optic gyroscope-based INS for the interceptor.

Chaudhuri said: “We not only do research but produce the systems. We started working on the INS in the late 1970s when we did not have any of these sensors and systems and were importing them. In parallel, we started working on the sensors—how to make them. For without the navigation systems, you do not know where you are.”

The INS consists of three accelerometers and three gyroscopes, all of which are sensors. The accelerometers measure the missile’s acceleration. The gyroscopes measure its rate of angular rotation. The gyroscopes will pick up even a small change/variation in the missile’s flight. The acceleration and angular rotation provide the missile’s velocity, position and orientation every millisecond, which are used by the missile’s guidance and control systems. The robustness of the gyroscopes and accelerometers determine the accuracy of the missile’s flight.

The RCI’s forte is its ability to manufacture mechanical gyroscopes, laser gyroscopes and fibre-optic gyroscopes. The challenge in making them is that they should be able to perform in a dynamic environment. “The mechanical gyroscopes have remained our workhorse from the late 1980s. They are world class,” Chaudhuri said. RCI engineers, headed by Satheesh Reddy, have developed the latest ring-laser gyroscopes too, which were used in the Agni-IV and Agni-V missions in 2012. There are plans to set up a government-owned-company-operated (GOCO) facility to produce the ring-laser gyroscopes.

K. Ram Babu, Technology Director of the Laser Systems, said the development of a variety of gyroscopes was an important achievement. “Ring is a system,” he said. “It has three gyroscopes. We produce them. Gyroscope technology has a lot of optical, mechanical and electronic components. A number of technologies are involved in it.” The optical blocks used in the gyroscopes are made of glass ceramics and they are so ultra-smooth that when these optical blocks are brought close to each other, they stick together. “We have overcome all the challenges and we are able to produce gyroscopes in numbers. We can produce 15 gyroscopes a month,” said Ram Babu and his colleague M. Sree Ramana.

Satheesh Reddy said the RCI, battling a technology-denial environment, had produced fibre-optic gyroscopes, ring-laser gyroscopes, dynamically tuned gyroscopes, and highly accurate accelerometers, which were all world class in terms of technology. “We indigenously developed and produced these sensors. We developed the algorithms on our own. The sophisticated software is completely developed by us. They have put India on a par with any advanced nation in the area of navigation systems for missiles,” he asserted. The technology for producing these navigation sensors has been transferred to the industry.

In the Remote Simulation Laboratory (RSL), the entire avionics system is simulated for the Agni series. Since they are fire-and-forget missiles, if any of their systems malfunction in flight it cannot not be rectified, according to Pulak Halder, scientist at the RSL.

The nerve centre of the RCI is the most advanced NECC, which develops the avionic systems for the DRDO’s missiles. The driving force behind the realisation of the complex is Satheesh Reddy and it is not surprising that he and his colleagues working in the various laboratories in the complex are proud of its accomplishments. In its big Exposition Hall are on display the array of systems that constitute the core avionics: mechanical gyroscopes, micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) gyroscopes, quartz gyroscopes, ring-laser gyroscopes, missile interface units (MIUs) for Agni and the underwater launched K-15 missiles, the OBCs, System on Chips, and launch processors for Astra, control and coding units for India’s Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, and precision optical components for the INS alignment with GPS receiver. Also on display are the optical components of the ring-laser gyroscopes, prototypes of micro-INS, gyroscopes used in submarines, navigation systems for ships and high-temperature antenna used in the re-entry vehicles of the strategic Agni missiles. These re-entry vehicles should withstand more than 1,800° Celsius when they re-enter the earth’s atmosphere. The NECC developed every one of these items, which lie in the area of cutting-edge technologies.

“In a nutshell,” said M. Kannan, scientist at the NECC, “this building has developed the inertial navigation systems and the spacecraft navigation receiver systems for Agni- I, II, III, IV and V; Prithvi; Astra; BrahMos; the missiles used in our Ballistic Missile Defence shield programme and the underwater launched missile. The Navigation Laboratory has state-of-the-art equipment, facilities and infrastructure supporting several DRDO organisations, including the Aeronautical Development Establishment and the Aeronautical Development Agency, both located in Bangalore; the Naval Science and Technology Laboratory in Visakhapatnam, for torpedos and high-speed and low-drag bombs; and for the Services’ different needs.”

Another top product from the NECC is the System on Chips, which is the OBC itself, weighing less than 10 grams. “The development of the System on Chips is a feather in the cap of the RCI. We are proud that we have these cutting-edge technologies,” B.H.V.S. Narayana Murthy, Director, Real-Time Embedded Computers, said.

In the massive hall of the Testing and Calibration Laboratory of the NECC, the various components of the avionics package of the DRDO’s missiles are tested. In fact, all the systems that finally go into a missile are tested in this facility. They are subjected to real-time trajectory simulation with both flight motion simulator and GPS-GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System) simulator. Each and every avionics package undergoes temperature and stress tests here to ensure that the quality of their systems is good. Since any navigation system is built around gyroscopes and accelerometers, which are sensors with error-sources inherent in them, calibration is done here to determine the errors, quantify them and remove them.

Today, the RCI has diversified into making navigation systems for the Indian Navy and the Army’s battle tanks, unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters and aircraft. These systems will replace imported systems. In the past four years, the Navy has given many projects to the RCI. They include developing navigation systems for gun control and radar control for use in the Navy’s vessels.

If India is self-reliant and world class in the avionics systems for its family of missiles, it is because the RCI has produced a variety of OBCs and MIUs with medium speed to very high computational power, multiprocess systems, and reliable communication network. It has developed and produced a variety of electromagnetic actuators, hydraulic actuators and servo valves for controlling the movement of missiles. “In fact, the servo valves produced in large numbers by the RCI offers a new model for production by GOCO facilities,” said Satheesh Reddy.

The RCI has produced OBCs and MIUs on two single chips, called SOC-computer and SOC-interface, under the leadership of Narayana Murthy. It has produced, under Satheesh Reddy’s leadership, a small GPS-GLONASS-GAGAN module, weighing just 17 grams, which can be used for satellite-aided navigation of aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), micro-air vehicles and short-range tactical missiles. Reducing the size of the navigation systems, including miniaturising the OBCs and MIUs, has resulted in small-sized avionics package, thereby reducing the missiles’ weight and, therefore, giving them a longer range. This has given the DRDO missile technologists confidence to design and develop in five years missiles weighing only 10 tonnes but with a range of 2,000 km.

The RCI is striving to become a world leader in navigation systems and avionics by pursuing continuous R&D in advanced technologies such as micro-nano sensors, multiple types of high-accuracy sensors, and multiple navigation methodologies and systems. It is trying to realise the entire avionics on a single module.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

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System of Systems - Frontline
C.G. Balaji and his enterprising team are not given to exaggeration. When Balaji, Associate Director of the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), says that a seeker device in a missile is “a system of systems”, that its development involves multidisciplinary work and that “realisation of this product takes years”, or when M. Gangadhar, senior scientist, reveals that “a seeker accounts for 60 per cent to 70 per cent of the cost of the missile system” and that “it contributes more than 90 per cent to the kill”, they do not seem to be overstatements. Balaji and his team work in a massive building with a simple board that reads, “Radar Seeker Development Centre”.

As we enter what is called an anechoic chamber, we are struck by its huge dimensions. At one end of this dark, cavernous chamber is a device called radar-based seeker. As the name implies, the seeker is a device in a missile that seeks out the target. It is used in interceptor missiles, surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and air-to-air missiles, all of which attack specific targets. While an interceptor attacks and destroys a ballistic missile coming from an adversarial country, SAMs and air-to-air missiles attack enemy aircraft or helicopters. A seeker is used in the terminal guidance of a missile’s flight, that is, it is switched on in the final phase of the flight. “By using a seeker, we can get terminal accuracy and we can have a hit or near-hit. The weight of the seeker will vary according to the role it has to perform,” said Balaji.

The seekers developed by Balaji and his team were used in the seven highly successful interceptor missile flights of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The team comprises Gangadhar, V. Ashok Reddy, S.B. Gayen, D. Niroop Singh, N.N. Murthy and S. Ramesh, all senior scientists. In these seven missions, the seeker acted as the interceptor’s “eye” and calculated the velocity, position and direction of the enemy missile. The seeker conveyed all this information to the on-board computers, which then directed the interceptor to manoeuvre itself close to the target ( Frontline, December 28, 2012).

Balaji said: “Development of a seeker involves multidisciplinary work and it includes developing servo-systems, transmitters, sensing receiver, front-end receiver, and so on. These are all unique systems. Their development cost is enormous. Testing them is difficult and takes a lot of time. You have to plan to the minutest detail. Realisation of this product takes years. The time taken to manufacture them is high. In fact, a seeker is a system of systems,” he said. The purpose of setting up the anechoic chamber, he said, was to simulate open space, with the target missile flying in and an attacker, equipped with the seeker, speeding to destroy the target.

The infra-red seeker, developed by the RCI, underwent a number of trials and achieved a major success in the anti-tank missile Nag, developed by the DRDO, G. Satheesh Reddy, Associate Director of the RCI, said. The RCI is working on a laser seeker. “It has also developed a millimetre-wave seeker, which has undergone trials in a Nag missile. After some trials, this seeker can be produced in numbers,” Satheesh Reddy said.

The Terahertz Laboratory is doing innovative extra-mural work. It is developing a system on the basis of the terahertz spectrum (a thousand gigahertz is one terahertz), which can be used in the imaging of organs and in industrial quality assurance, satellite communication and astronomical studies. Arabindo Ghosh and V. Sarala, senior scientists, said this system could also be used to identify concealed explosives, contraband, non-metallic items and improvised explosive devices.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by nash »

I heard about laser fuze or laser guided not about laser seeker :-?
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by ramana »

Laser guidance is based on laser seeker. Some sort of electronic -optic sensor.
Vipul
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Joined: 15 Jan 2005 03:30

Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Vipul »

Wipro arm sets up aerospace motor facility.

Wipro Infrastructure Engineering, an arm of Wipro Ltd, today set up an aerospace actuator manufacturing facility near Bangalore.

With the setting up of this facility that is spread across 7.2 acres in Devanahalli Special Economic Zone near the Bangalore airport, Wipro has broadened its scope of offerings for the aerospace segment – from designing, engineering to manufacturing for Indian and the global market.

Actuator is a type of motor that powers engines, landing gear, flight control systems and other related equipments in an aircraft and related equipments.

For this facility, Wipro will be investing Rs 65 crore that can produce 2,000 actuators in a year and can expand it to manufacture 8,000 actuators every year, according to company officials.

Further, Wipro Infrastructure Engineering has plans to double the initial investment over the next six years to expand capacity and add new product lines in precision manufactured components.

The manufacturing facility will start production in April, Wipro officials said.

“Due to geo political security concerns, defence offset obligations and pick-up in commercial aviation, we see opportunities in this segment and are investing accordingly,” Sunil Rajagopalan, Business Head for Wipro Infrastructure Engineering - Aerospace and Defence told Business Line.

Manufacturing in the aviation sector is at the same stage as automobile manufacturing 20 years back, he added.

According to industry watchers, there is considerable cost pressures faced by actuator makers in the developed markets due to slowdown in their economies, high oil prices and companies are constantly looking to cut prices and look at cheaper manufacturing destinations.
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