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

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

Post by kit »

nam wrote:With the drop in the rouble value.. the Russian kit becomes even more economical! Watch how in the name of "RFP", "competition" etc, our companies are undercut. :roll:
.
economical does not equal quality, timelines,spares and reliability. It was a good idea to take out the "lowest bidder" finalisation for contracts
Barath
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Barath »

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ ... 090271.ece

DRDO and Safran to develop engine for indigenous stealth fighter [AMCA mk2 engine]. Mk1 is GE 414 engine

Details on AMCA config and progress .

It will be a 25 tonne aircraft with internal carriage of 1,500 kg of payload and 5,500 kg external payload with 6,500 kg of internal fuel.

... configuration has been frozen, Preliminary Service Quality Requirements (PSQR) are finalised and the preliminary design review is complete. The Critical Design Review (CDR) is expected later this year with the roll out planned in 2024 and first flight planned in 2025, Dr. Deodhare stated.

TEDBF is progressing, Kaveri is confirmed shelved
Karan M
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Karan M »

Prem Kumar wrote:Even Germany, with sugar-daddy US around and no direct conflict, has pumped up their Defence budget to 2% of their GDP with an immediate infusion of EUR 100 Billion.

We are in an active conflict situation with 2 hostiles, both nuclear armed. Pegging our GDP at a measly 2.1% is not going to cut it, especially since our Capex is much smaller, due to the need to maintain a large army. Its got to be more than that *plus* has to be spent on domestic suppliers, so that we get more bang for the buck.
Exactly.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by nachiket »

Karan M wrote:
Prem Kumar wrote:Even Germany, with sugar-daddy US around and no direct conflict, has pumped up their Defence budget to 2% of their GDP with an immediate infusion of EUR 100 Billion.

We are in an active conflict situation with 2 hostiles, both nuclear armed. Pegging our GDP at a measly 2.1% is not going to cut it, especially since our Capex is much smaller, due to the need to maintain a large army. Its got to be more than that *plus* has to be spent on domestic suppliers, so that we get more bang for the buck.
Exactly.
What's the point when we can't even fully utilize the budgeted funds? We need to spend the money we do have far better than we do currently. The biggest problem right now is lack of orders for indigenous weapons and equipment. So many indigenous systems readily available to fix many of the glaring holes in capability we have right now and we simply don't order anything. Throwing more money at the MoD is not going to help.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Pratyush »

The only thing that will help is full force CAASTA sanctions.
Kakarat
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Kakarat »

https://twitter.com/livefist/status/149 ... _UNrazE4PQ
Indian MoD accords in-principle approval to four projects under Make-I (Government Funded) to Indian industry:
Image
Karan M
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Karan M »

nachiket wrote:
Karan M wrote:
Exactly.
What's the point when we can't even fully utilize the budgeted funds? We need to spend the money we do have far better than we do currently. The biggest problem right now is lack of orders for indigenous weapons and equipment. So many indigenous systems readily available to fix many of the glaring holes in capability we have right now and we simply don't order anything. Throwing more money at the MoD is not going to help.
Increase the budget and dedicate it to ordering local.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Prem Kumar »

Rewards & Punishments should also be instituted: in both MoD and Armed Forces.

Individuals & organizations that spend on local, effectively consume their budget, meet their targeted defense needs (like X squadrons, Y artillery regiments etc) need to be promoted. Laggards will stay where they are or get punishment postings.
nishant.gupta
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Post by nishant.gupta »

Bharat Forge Limited has arrived with its new cutting-edge weapon system, the Close-In Weapon System (CIWS). It is specifically designed and developed to keep aerial threats at bay and continuously protect the vast airspace.
https://twitter.com/KSSLindia/status/14 ... _E_qUJ9O6Q

A kill probability of 90% with just 2 rounds of ammo sounds good. Costs are not mentioned here but this could provide a low cost drone killer option.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Atmavik »

It’s now or never for Desi MIC. The stars have aligned
Karan M
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Karan M »

nishant.gupta wrote:
Bharat Forge Limited has arrived with its new cutting-edge weapon system, the Close-In Weapon System (CIWS). It is specifically designed and developed to keep aerial threats at bay and continuously protect the vast airspace.
https://twitter.com/KSSLindia/status/14 ... _E_qUJ9O6Q

A kill probability of 90% with just 2 rounds of ammo sounds good. Costs are not mentioned here but this could provide a low cost drone killer option.
Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited
@KSSLindia

A CIWS developed in collaboration with BAE Systems and IAI has proven lethal against various air targets, including small aero-models and drones. It's time to meet world’s technologically advanced air defense system at OD 5C in DEFEXPO India 2022.
What in this is actually Indian?
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by nishant.gupta »

Is it not better to have a foreign collaborator with the technical know-how to help iron out any issues instead of reinventing the whole wheel.

But to put a better perspective, an old article from 2018 linked here which requires at least 40% indigenisation as well as most of the units to be manufactured in India.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ne ... s?from=mdr
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Post by Prem Kumar »

The RM and PMO have to be vigilant. Quite a few screwdriver-giri projects will be passed off as Atmanirbhar. IDDM category should be given maximum % of Capex allocation. Foreign collab is ok only if local players & DRDO don't have a competing product or are unable to develop one in a reasonable timeframe.

Even the foreign JV products must be given a timeframe to achieve progressive indigenization
Karan M
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Karan M »

nishant.gupta wrote:Is it not better to have a foreign collaborator with the technical know-how to help iron out any issues instead of reinventing the whole wheel.

But to put a better perspective, an old article from 2018 linked here which requires at least 40% indigenisation as well as most of the units to be manufactured in India.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ne ... s?from=mdr
Please define 40% indigenization and what reinventing the wheel means? If all BF is doing is just licensed assembly, the article is more PR than substance.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by SinghS »

There is a disconnect between Indian businesses and Indian science. Indian businesses are usually run by people with traditional "Bania" mindset. Indian polity too is of this nature. This is evident from the many ways the opposition and media is ever ready to sell the country for a few gold coins. You can see how GTRE is funded.

We as people believe that everything can be sourced form somewhere and can be used or sold for further profit. It is no big deal, what great or new our design and development engineers can do? Thus internal R&D is neither encouraged and nor valued. There is a very practical reason for this thinking: They have never funded and given time to their people to enable them to do something, Thus they know the outcome too.

R&D is only looked in terms of investment and immediate returns on them. That's why basic science which is the foundation of engineering is underfunded and dying in India.

For real R&D by the industry - the leaders must value the IP, not only the short development period or a quick opportunity for sales. If we look at China, the nation and its industry has invested in education and hardcore R&D for decades patiently. This is bearing fruits now for them.

We have a real problem regarding screwdriver -giri as nation. Ours unfortunately is a land of lone warriors and glorified managers.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by VinodTK »



Kalyani | Creating World-class Artillery Systems for the Armed forces
Prem Kumar
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Prem Kumar »

Excellent video! We should be ordering all of them in the 100s. The light-weight mountain artillery gun & the truck mounted, 1 tonne Garuda can play havoc in the LAC.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Vips »

India's first indigenous flying trainer HANSA-NG completes sea-level trials.

India's first indigenous flying trainer 'HANSA-NG' designed and developed by CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories, has successfully completed the sea-level trials at Puducherry from February 19 to March 5.

The aircraft was flown to Puducherry covering a distance of 140 nautical miles in 1.5 hours at a cruising speed of 155 km/hr on February 19, NAL said in a release on Saturday.

The objective of these trials were to evaluate handling qualities, climb/cruise performance, balked landing, structural performance including positive and negative G, power plant and other systems performance at sea level, it said.

All the objectives of the sea-level trials were met and the aircraft was ferried back to Bengaluru on March 5, after completing 18 hours flying in Puducherry, it said.

The aircraft was piloted by Wing Commander K V Prakash and Wing Commander Dilip Reddy of Aircraft & Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE), and the flight was monitored by NAL designers and Wg. Cdr. Reeju Chakraborty as Flight Test Director from telemetry.

According to NAL, HANSA-NG is one of the most advanced flying trainers powered by Rotax Digital Control Engine with unique features like Just-In-Time Prepreg (JIPREG) Composite Lightweight Airframe, glass cockpit, bubble canopy with wide panoramic view, electrically operated flaps, etc.

It is designed to meet the Indian flying club needs and it is an ideal aircraft for Commercial Pilot Licensing (CPL) due to its low cost and low fuel consumption, it said, adding that NAL has already received more than 80 LoIs (Letter of Intents) from various flying clubs.

NAL Director Jitendra J Jadhav said a total of 37 flights and 50 hours of flying have been completed and few more flights will be conducted before getting Type Certification by DGCA.

Type Certification is likely to be completed by April and thereafter the manufacturing will enhance the aerospace ecosystem under 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', he said.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Jay »

Pratyush wrote:The only thing that will help is full force CAASTA sanctions.
I badly wish we get sanctioned. Combined with the display for Russian weapons failure on TV is the only thing that will convince our Babus, and Generals/Admirals alike that there is no other option except for going desi.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by kit »

Any sanctions on India would have global ramifications .. At this stage of world geopolitics it will have far reaching consequences...for the west.. the rise of BRIC 8)
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Neela »

Vips wrote:India's first indigenous flying trainer HANSA-NG completes sea-level trials.


It is designed to meet the Indian flying club needs and it is an ideal aircraft for Commercial Pilot Licensing (CPL) due to its low cost and low fuel consumption, it said, adding that NAL has already received more than 80 LoIs (Letter of Intents) from various flying clubs.

.
Sweet.
Add FAA and EASA certification to this and you have a low cost trainer + hobby flying with potential for 100s of aircraft. East Asia, South America markets also offer huge potential with our cost of production.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by jaysimha »

https://www.drdo.gov.in/sites/default/f ... rch_22.pdf
DRDO news letter
MARCH 2022 | VOLUME 42 | ISSUE 03
DRDO AT REPUBLIC DAY-2022
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Post by jaysimha »


Perspective - Budget 2022-23: Self-Reliant in Defence | 16 February, 2022

Speakers
Mr. Sunil K. Misra, Director General, Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers
Maj Gen (Retd.) Dhruv C. Katoch, Director, India Foundation
Mr. Sachin Agarwal, CMD, PTC Industries
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Post by jaysimha »

Sir J C Bose Memorial Oration Organised by SSPL, DRDO, New Delhi
Prof Jena is delivering oration on “High-speed RF electronics and quantum devices with nitride semiconductors”


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hb2WXSdlFE
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Post by jaysimha »

Alread one news is posted about ISRO doing this..
But this one from drdo
-----------------------

Ministry of Defence

DRDO and IIT Delhi scientists demonstrate Quantum Key Distribution between two cities 100 kilometres apart
Posted On: 23 FEB 2022 8:18PM by PIB Delhi
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1800648
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Vips »

We Are Hopeful Of Not Only ATAGS To Be Inducted But Garuda And Light Weapon Also —Baba Kalyani, CMD Bharat Forge.

Baba Kalyani, CMD, Bharat Forge is aiming to establish Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd (KSSL) as a leading Indian OEM of the world in Defence & Aerospace. Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd (KSSL), the defence arm of Bharat Forge is developing an entire range of field Artillery for Army: Bharat 52/ 45, Garuda 105 and ATAGS with DRDO. Fact that in decades, Indian Army could only acquire UK's BAE System M777 howitzer into its Artillery, reflects how heavy our defence import has been — a dereliction in addressing the huge technological gaps. Army's Artillery Rationalisation Programme (FARP) for ~3000 155 howitzers calls for breakthrough after OFB/DRDO just kept delaying. Until the Kargil War, when we woke with sleeping Bofors only to realize the missing ammunition for the unremitting war over the frozen mountain. It was realized that no amount of ‘strategic deliberation’ will be effective if we simply don’t have the capability to make our own guns. The so called—small arms—is no small feat either as it is the fountainhead of military might of more than a million strong men in uniform. When the realization came and Government opened the door for its own industry—the private industry – while still holding the ‘state control over the defence’, it burst with immense possibilities. Domestic industry infused the flow of technology with staggering efficiency based on modern machine, smart assembly line and injecting new age tools like AI and Machine Learning.

Bharat Forge takes that up and as government put more faith in their capability. And the man who laid the robust foundation in Metallurgy in India that forms the bedrock of military hardware, Bharat Forge’s CMD Baba Kalyani speaks with Manish Kumar Jha of BW Businessworld on such issues.

He speaks with Manish Kumar Jha on his boldest steps and efforts, where he is striving to build indigenous capabilities for Indian Armed Forces. He also puts forth his vision for the critical advance technology based on his acclaimed know- how in metallurgy and that is the coveted area for advanced materials and complex structure for the aero engine & propulsion system. He says: “Our level of expertise in this area is extremely high, even on a global basis. So I think it's a very natural, position that you start looking at this, and you look at artillery gun.” From there he touches upon the complexity of aero engine which is basically full of forgings and full of metal, says: “Except that from steel now you're going to titanium to a nickel-based alloy because you have to deal with temperatures of a 1000- 1100 degrees.”

But on fundamental, it is the story of the indigenous effort for developing a howitzer that Indian Army is asking for long. The advanced towed artillery guns system (ATAGS) a 155 mm/52 calibre gun system designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), that is on priority and going through trails under the extreme General Staff Qualitative Requirements (GSQR). On the very first, ATAGS set to be the most advanced and the first gun in the world which has the capability to fire BMCS zone 7. And on the high altitude trials in Sikkim, the ATAGS created a new record as it fired at 13,000+ feet height and successfully completed 500+ km in treacherous high-altitude terrain up to 15,400 feet; proved extreme mobility in the narrow mountain curves. While it did have some setback in the last trail in the Pokhran under 50 degree+ temp, it sums up the determination and herculean effort towards indigenization that such calibre of next generation of military equipment requires.

So, when do you expect this advanced towed artillery guns system (ATAGS) to be inducted by the Indian Army as I posed this to Baba Kalyani? “I think, I hope this year. I'm expecting not only the ATAGS to be inducted but our Garuda gets inducted. I'm also hoping that Light weapon gets inducted,” he says with confidence that reflects his impeccable work in the complex field of metallurgy.

Excerpts: part 1

Manish K. Jha: For decades, India Army has been looking at robust artillery system. You thought of bringing your critical experience in metallurgy into building artillery guns. But, Defence is about heavy investment and much longer acquisition process. What inspired you to plunge in and make it the core of your vision?

Baba Kalyani: Everything that you do has to have make business sense. So that's a normal process. For us being in the defence sector is not something new. You know, we have been in the defence sector from the day I started working in 1972. Except in those days, private sectors' participation in the defence sector was largely confined from sub supplier to ordnance factories. So we made raw components or sometimes finished components for ordnance factories but it was at a component level, it was not about making systems or making platforms. So in the seventies, for example, we used to make 81 millimetre mortars that was very popular with the Indian army at that time. In the 80s we started making larger mortars, 120 millimetre, started making shells 105, 120 and 130 millimetre and later on in the 90s when the Kargil operation started, India ran out of ammunition for the artillery guns of Bofors, which was 155 millimetre. So, we got an emergency request from the MOD to make ammunition. The definition of ammunition at that time was ready-to-fill-shell because no private sector company was allowed to be in the exclusive business to fill explosives. Nobody had licenses to do that. So we did the metal parts finished machine. They're ready for the fuse to go in it where you fill the explosives, threaded the fuse and the shell was ready to fire. So we did a lot of that.

“It’s not that we've not been in defence. We’ve been in defence for a long period of time. And the basic reason for this is defence by and large, at least in this area of defence land systems, artillery guns, smaller arms, armoured vehicle and to some extent, aircraft is largely dependent on very high metallurgical skills and metallurgical components, which is our area of expertise has been, and still is.”

Now our level of expertise in this area is extremely high, even on a global basis. So I think it's a very natural, position that you start looking at this, and you look at artillery gun. What is the main parts of an artillery gun? It's the gun barrel, the breech, the recoil system and the muzzle. Rest of it is just fabrication. Then there's the control system, which is a lot of electronics control system, etc. So we make our own barrels. And that's the most difficult part in an artillery is to make barrels. We make our own barrels. We have a huge capacity and two production lines. We make our own breech, we make our own recoil systems, and we make our own muzzle brakes. Now we make our own electronic control systems that go into this. We have a lot of sub supplies, who we work with, but they're all local. Now, if you don't make these things and you still say, you make artillery guns it's meaningless.

Image
Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS)

“And we make things I mean the ATAGS gun is of course designed by the DRDO. So we work with DRDO on that but there are another five platform that we have designed on our own with our own technology, and our own intellectual property. And I don't think there is a company in India who has done this. Not a single one.”

Manish K. Jha: You have a great foundation in Metallurgy. Your skills and expertise in metallurgy give you an extension and a progression into the defence. But again, in defence, there a single end user – the armed forces. It’s a difficult proposition which requires a huge investment first, then you wait for the order. How difficult for you to enter into big advanced artillery kind of machine, which indeed required a long gestation period of trials and rigorous efforts?

Baba Kalyani: Actually, if you look at the ATAGS program, this was a program that was, generated by DRDO, The basic design is from the DRDO, and they chose production partners. And this program should have been over a long time ago because our problem in India largely is-- it takes just too long a time.

For testing, having test facilities available, although as facilities are available to private sector now for the last few years, but there is always a queue because there are not enough test facilities. You need to have almost double or triple test ranges.

But when you're designing a gun and you're making something, you make an improvement then you need to see how it works. So you need to be able to test fire, but you can't wait for one year to go and fire, then it takes a longer time. But in spite of this, I think we have made good progress. I think we should now see very quickly the induction of this gun in the Indian Army. In the meantime, we have designed three more platforms. One platform has been tested for almost close to a four to six months in the Northern and Eastern areas in the mountains, which is our, what we call as Garuda, it's a very unique technology. It's a 3 ton 105 field gun. Now, this is the capability that we have and it's been fired, it's been tested even on the vehicle on which this gun sits. So we not only design the gun, we can design the vehicle. We can do all this thing.

Image
'Garuda' design and developed by KSSL

“And this is, if you look at advance countries you look at the United States, you look at Europe, Germany, and France. I mean, this is how things happen in those countries. And this is exactly where India is moving and thanks to the prime minister's push on Atmanirbhar Bharat and push on make-in India that we are now getting the critical mass that is required in our defence ecosystem.”

Manish K. Jha: You said, you have been focusing on the lighter infantry field artillery platforms. What is your priority areas among all of these? As we are aware of the fact that trials are so rigorous for you to go through and it is a costly affair too? How painful has been the journey?

Baba Kalyani: Well, first of all, I don't think it's painful. We have fired almost 2800 rounds. I don't think anybody fires that many rounds for it to go through. But with that experience, when we fielded our 105 light gun mounted on a vehicle, we fired only 60 rounds. Of course, if you go to through further trials, but we were able to prove that everything works exactly the way it should work. So, I think it's also a learning curve. It's also an experience when you do anything for the first time. Anybody in the world, no matter what you're making -- a car or an aircraft-- you're bound to have some teething troubles. But anyway, the second one you learn from the first, you make the third one, you learn from the first two. So, we made ultralight gun and that fired extremely well.

Image
ULH ( photo credit: KSSL)

I say 155/39 calibre and at a very, very competitive costs. And we have now made a truck mounted MGS with 15539. So we have done the initial profiling on that. That's not enough for testing. We still have to do a lot of tests on that, but performance is excellent. I believe if you see the videos of that firing and the truck doesn't even move. And if you see the videos of some other guns in firing that gun and jumping eight feet.

So I think there's a lot of good engineering that we are able to bring in into the system. We of course use a lot of our capabilities in simulation. If we have, we are able to do computer simulations from many of these things. So we know how the sub systems will behave, how they will work.

And fortunately, for us in this COVID period, the one thing happened was, earlier we were dependent on electronics and electronic controls from outside. “In most Indian defence platform, usually the electronic is all coming from outside, but in our case, we earlier had electronics coming from outside. But in this COVID period we were able to develop everything here. So now it's a 100% indigenous gun. And the advantage of this is, now, we can keep making it. This is, let's say over Mach I, Mach II will be even a greater performance. We are expecting this gun fires 48 kilometres.”
If you put a rocket propulsion, ammunition on it, it will go 70 kilometres. Okay. Now we can make the 52 caliber to 58 caliber, but you'll be, I think our Mach 2 or Mach 3 program and then to a 62 caliber. Will go pretty much to 90, to a 100 kilometres in five years. And this capability apart from one or two countries in the world, nobody else has.


Manish K. Jha: So when you do you expect this advanced towed artillery guns system (ATAGS) to be inducted by the Indian Army?

Baba Kalyani: “I think, I hope this year. I'm expecting not only the ATAGS to be inducted. I'm also hoping that our Garuda gets inducted. I'm also hoping that pro light weapon gets inducted.”

Timings, maybe different, but I think at some point in time, the system will realize that here's a company that has the capability and the maturity to design, develop and produce an indigenous product, a real Atmanirbhar product and not dependent on anybody else.

Manish K. Jha: Let’s talk about the policy part in the context of private domestic OEMs. Government has also recently announced the 5 key areas under the Make I program. How do you look at such initiatives and why not you become part of that for next generation artillery projects?

Baba Kalyani: Gun program cannot be ‘make one’, we've already developed it. Make one programs are to develop something completely new. So if you look at the make one program. The five programs are were announced yesterday. There were, I think there were three programs for the air force. There were two programs for the army. One of them was based on cyber security and one program, which is of our interest, is it light tank that's, again, metal, you know, has a gun and all those kinds of things.

Image
Bharat Forge Armoured Troops Carrier

Manish K. Jha: What is your thought on the light tank? On the fact that your foundation is so strong in this area and again, it is an extension. Indian Army has let out a RFI and Light tank is such an urgency for the mountain corps division.

Baba Kalyani: Just wait for a year. You will see a light tank coming out of our workshops

Manish K. Jha: What about the design?

Baba Kalyani: We're already working on it.

Manish K. Jha: Please do elaborate more in terms of weight issue in the RFI which is 25 tonnes, a stringent requirement and the firepower that nobody in the world has been done so far.

Baba Kalyani: Nowhere in the world has anybody made a 105 artillery gun with 900 kg. Nowhere in the world! All the 105 artillery guns in the world are 3 tons (3000 Kg). 105 is the smallest gun and the Indian army has almost 2000 guns that was the old British field gun. Out of the mainstay of artillery in the old days, then came the 130 millimetre, which the Russians got in that caliber. And then the NATO came up with the 155 caliber, which has now become a pretty standard caliber.

If we can design a gun, which is 3 tons all over the world to 900 kilograms, you think we can't design a tank, which is 50 tons to 25 tons.

Image
Bharat Forge - Barrel and Breech

Manish K Jha: In the Indian Army, we need a multiple combat platforms-- like light tank, light armoured vehicle and Anti-tank Guided Missile Vehicle (ATGM), and NBC Reconnaissance Vehicle (NBCRV). It is something very similar to what US Army a Stryker Combat Vehicle has built on a common chassis and are cost effective? Are you proposing something?

Baba Kalyani: So we proposed light armoured vehicle during the Galwan crisis, they wanted a vehicle that can go to 18,000 ft.

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Bharat Forge's ECars

They couldn't find a vehicle in India that will go at 18,000 feet and perform our M4 did, a fully indigenous vehicle designed and produced here and not we have the order. We are making it for the Indian army.

Manish K. Jha: So how did you manage to do so quickly? It does take a long time.

Baba Kalyani: We have 2000 engineers in this company; 60 years of experience. So much of networking, plus you have these huge DRDO labs. I mean, this nation has technical and scientific orientation.

[img]http://static.businessworld.in/upload/g ... ig.jpg[img]

And if you're look at our ultra-light artillery, our 155/39, steel, we have got in two one like the M 777 titanium and M 777 took 46 crores per gun.

Manish K. Jha: Let’s talk about R&D and your collaboration with DRDO in terms of your participation in the artillery field program and along a couple of other complex program. How does it work? So far, the DRDO is more keen to the transfer of technology to industry then on the collaboration at development stage? What are the bottlenecks here?

Baba Kalyani: The way it used to work in the past as the DRDO's production partner was only ordinance factory and defence PSUs. There was hardly a private sector participant. I think the only program--a large size program where there was a private sector participation was Pinaka rocket program. 10 years ago, that was the only one where private sector was involved. It was only for the DPSUs and ordnance factories and things like artillery, small arms. Now, you know, ordnance factories at one time were great, but I think over a period of time, we all know what has happened to them. Now, hopefully with this reorganization of ordinance factory, they will come back to life again in some form or the other, but the change in direction in DRDO now is that DRDO is not a fundamental research organization. Fundamental research happens in academic institutions and science institutes.

“DRDO is applied research organization. They take fundamental research and then they apply it in creating products. But their biggest problem or bottleneck was that they were not able to create products of world-class quality because their production partners didn't have the ability to do that. Now with private sector getting in, and not only Bharat Forge, there are many other companies that DRDO works with. DRDO probably works with more than 200 private companies. They have now production partners, which can make world-class products.”

And that is the big advantage. So what is DRDO doing? DRDO is doing the basic design. Okay. They don't do every detail like board and produce some 10,000 drawings of every component. They give you an envelope design.

The conceptual design is done by DRDO. And whoever is the production partner in case of ATAGS, it is the Tata and us, we start making the product based on their design. But it is not that Tata product is exactly the same as our project. They use their own engineering knowledge. The way they think is right. We use our own engineering knowledge, but the performance, what is important is the performance characteristics have to be the same. Now this is a very, very good approach because with this approach, you have the best of both worlds. You have the best of industry capability. The best of applied research capability of DRDO.

And actually now DRDO has gone one step further. They have also started working with other laboratories of the government of India, like CSI and also academic institutions, IITs and all that kind of institutes. With that, I think they are making much more rapid progress from what they were making before. And every nation in the world has its own DRDO okay. France has its own. Germany has its own U.S. development known DARPA is there. England used to have under MOD earlier like ours. But when the privatization happened during PM Thatcher's time, the British, DRDO was given to a university named Cranfield University. So Cranfield University now houses, the British defence DRDO organization. And I think they have now they have spread it even further that you know, the land system is one area. So, this is how it's going all over the world.

Manish K. Jha: This is a sole agency of the government of India which is opening to OEMs like yours. Did you get to test your equipment there? You have to buy simulator from somewhere. So, how does it work with DRDO?

Baba Kalyani: Very well. Extremely well. Any research applied research organization has two things. They have a lot of scientific based data, a whole library of data with them, and they have people who are experts in each area of the product that you're making. Now let's take a gun, for example, not people think artillery gun is simple. The most difficult part of an artillery gun is barrel and breech. So you can make a gun without making the barrel and breech that is the only fabrication that even if you go outside this factory, I can get that made with a fabricator.

Why barrel and breech are important? Because the amount of calculations that go into creating you know, the whole pressure, the ballistics data, the strength of material data and all those kinds of things is humongous. Believe me, it's very, very large. And it requires a lot of experts who have knowledge in this area. In the old days, everything used to have formulas, I mean, some of them are the old formulas now. And in the new age, a lot of formulas, got replaced with simulations, but even to do a computer simulation, you required a lot of knowledge. And that knowledge, no foreigner is ever going to give you for sure. And that is why DRDO is extremely important. It's important for national security, it’s important for industry to develop natural capability.

Manish K. Jha: So, so you have achieved such a complex advancement in metallurgy. And the question that always comes to mind, where is the advanced material capability? Where is the capability for such complex mix of metals to sustain the extreme heat as part of the propulsion system and where is the material for the blade? What is your take on this?

Baba Kalyani: Everything is available. So you've now moved from artillery to engines. So we'll talk about engines. Engine is the highest level of technology that is required. Now let's talk about aero engine. First of all, if you look at the Aero engine again, it's all full of forgings and full of metal, except that from steel now you're going to titanium to a nickel-based alloy because you have to deal with temperatures of a 1000- 1100 degrees. Whereas in artillery, I don't have to deal with a 1000 - 1100 degrees. My instantaneous temperature when I fire a shell, maybe 3000 degrees, but that's for microseconds. The aero engine is constantly at 1100 degrees. So you need all these materials. Now, what we have done in this country, we have created one material, research lab, which is DMRO. I think they do a good job. They have very good metallurgical engineers and we have one DPUSU who will make the components for this. That is called MIDHANI. Who will make the metal? Now our problem is we are so short-sighted that for 15 years.

“We, as a company- Bharat Forge has been telling the government of India that you have this whole titanium ore on the Eastern coast, right from Andhra to Kerala it is called ilmenite. And if you give this ore to an Indian private sector guy, we will set up a plant. Actually, I’ve given this proposal five times now. We will set up a plant where we will convert.”

I mean, they had a purification process called beneficiation, you need to beneficiate the ore then you need to separate the ore, then you need to convert it to sponge by melting titanium sponge and the titanium sponge has to be re-melted, double melted or triple melted to create that in ingots then titanium, and have to be forged down to create titanium pellets from each of them made turbine blades and turbine shafts and all those kinds of things.

The largest producer of titanium, which is the base material for all the air crafts made in Russia. There are only two companies in the world that control titanium. One is in Russia. It's VSMPO. The whole world depends on it, including Boeing, Airbus, everybody; for fighter jets for commercial jet. And the second is in Canada. We are supplying ore titanium ore to VSMPO for some amount of money. And we are buying a thousand times the titanium.

Manish K. Jha: This is an important development. Could you talk about your collaboration in making components for the aero engine?

Baba Kalyani: No, we make for Rolls Royce, UK. We make engine components. You should see our engine. We have got an aero engine manufacturing facility here. High nickel-- same is the case with high nickel components. The titanium is in the front part. The hard part is all high nickel components. We don't have a nickel mines so we are all dependent on important nickel. And that's a problem. You know, we have not paid attention to our supply chain. We are not paid attention to what is required, what is important. And the technical part of all this comes to high temperature blades and it has to be made from a single crystal. A single crystal is a very complex metallurgical technology.

“There are very few companies in the world who have developed single crystal technology. Now the Russians apparently have given us that TOT for single crystal technology. When they gave us the Sukhois. But even today we can't make it. So this is like getting the Bofors technology for artillery gun 1984 and we are in 2022 and we still haven't been able to make it.”

Manish K. Jha: Kalyani defence and also Bharat Forge, of course, as a parent company, you have been forging a lot of collaboration with key foreign OEMs of the world. What are the objectives? What are the technologies you get out of such collaborations in defence and aeropsace?

Baba Kalyani: I mean, first of all, we have, two collaborations in our defence sector. Not more than that. And honestly, we are still at a very nascent stage of this, the real challenge with technology partners and collaborations from outside. “Whether it's Israel, whether it's France whether it's US, you know, nobody is willing to give you the, technology, the real technology. They are only willing to give you peripheral technology. And we have a lot of discussions on this with our partners, trying to make them understand that this will not work.
For 40 years, India has been making TOT agreements with many companies. I mean, mainly the Indian government with and DPSUs and all that. Today, we should have had a fantastic defence industry. How come we are still importing 70 percent?”

Manish K. Jha: What about the exports?

Baba kalyani: We are seeing tremendous interest in ATAGS, tremendous interest in Garuda tremendous interest in. TC 20, we have yet to name that gun. We'll properly give it a name but those two are mounted on vehicles. One is a big one, 1 55 caliber, 39. We can make it to a 52 caliber. Other one is the 105 Garuda. And of course ATAGS.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by jaysimha »

https://www.nseindia.com/
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited>>Corporate Information>>Corporate Announcements>>Investor Presentation>>Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has informed the Exchange about Investor Presentation Dated 09-Mar-2022 13:34:25

https://archives.nseindia.com/corporate ... 3.2022.pdf
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Post by Vips »

Former ISRO scientist’s startup to make low-altitude, high-resolution radars.

Tapan Misra, a retired scientist of the Indian Space Research Organisation, has founded a startup to make synthetic aperture radars (SAR) that will operate at low altitudes and can be fitted on drones to get more accurate images that can be used for military and civilian purposes.

“Initially we are developing a drone-based SAR. It will be a very high-resolution SAR which can provide very clear pictures even from low altitudes. I do not think there is anyone who is offering a drone-based SAR, because in the low atmosphere there is a lot of disturbance that interferes with the quality of the image. Usually, SARs are mounted on moving platforms like a reconnaissance aircraft or on satellites,” said Misra, who is chairman of the startup SISIR Radar, named after Sisir K Mitra, founder of the radio physics department of Calcutta University.

Misra’s son Soumya Misra and daughter-in-law Urmi Pambani are also part of the Ahmedabad-registered startup.

“If I make the same SAR that the ISRO is making, why will people come to me? We are trying to develop an SAR that can provide continuous imaging at a very high resolution. This is not possible for a normal SAR. We expect our product to be ready within the next two years,” said Misra, who was moved out as director of Ahmedabad’s Space Applications Centre in July 2018 and appointed an adviser to the ISRO chairman—a post from which he retired in January 2021.

The new startup is based out of temporary premises in Kolkata. “Though registered in Ahmedabad, we are currently based in Kolkata. The city has provided us with angel investors and it also has a number of microwave engineers, which is hard to find in Gujarat. My son and daughter-in-law have given up well-paying jobs to help me start this venture. My son is a graduate from IIT-Kanpur and has experience with startups,” Misra said, declining to name the investors or the funds invested in the startup.

When asked how a drone-based SAR will help civilians, the former ISRO scientist said, “A company providing crop insurance need not hire satellites. It can use a drone-based SAR to scan the farm and capture the images needed for insurance purposes. These drones can monitor pest attacks, observe mining activity and keep an eye on an infrastructure project or work under the rural job guarantee scheme.
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PBNS Exclusive with Dr.Tessy Thomas, The Missile Woman of India
Mar 11, 2022
Dr. Tessy Thomas, also known as the “Missile Woman of India”, is a distinguished Scientist and Director General (Aeronautical Systems), DRDO.

In an Exclusive conversation with PBNS, Dr Tessy speaks about the innovation growth of India & the increasing representation of Women in the scientific field.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by MeshaVishwas »

Goldmine!
Dr. Satheesh Reddy interviewed by Sh Manish Jha
DRDO’s Rustom II UAV Has Reached The Target Altitude Of 28,000 Ft; No Need To Import ISR Drones: G Satheesh Reddy
Defence is the thrust. Government has focused much on policies and, is looking at the various possibilities that could boost defence manufacturing in India. It is ample now. Multiple announcement in the framework of the DAP 2020 has laid out concrete measures as it is unfolding the intention as how the defence sector is going to be. According to SIPRI, the five biggest spenders in 2020, which together accounted for 62 per cent of global military expenditure, were the United States, China, India, Russia and the United Kingdom. US military expenditure reached an estimated $778 billion and China’s military expenditure, the second highest in the world, is estimated to have totalled $252 billion in 2020.

While India’s defense budget reached USD 70 billion in the current financial year (2022-2023). Leave aside the U.S. military spending and the military advancement for the reason that are a plenty but China cannot be taken off the map. We are already dealing with the Chinese military at our doors and that warrants a dictum of ‘capability- comparison.

Firstly, within the defence budget, the capital outlay, which focuses towards the modernization of Armed Forces has been increased by 12.82 percent with an allocation of USD 20.36 billion. Also, In recognition of the modernization deficit, the defence budget sets aside 25 percent of the total R&D budget for private industry. So what is our total defence R&D? Taking account of Defence Budget 2022-23, it comes around INR 12000 crores and another rough calculation of the R&D for the Industry makes it about INR 3000 Crores.

In the current defence budget of 2022-23, R&D allocation is less than 2 percent of total defence budget. The Lok Sabha Standing Committee on Defence 2019-2020 mentioned the PRC’s R&D at 20 percent of the Chinese defence budget.(Ginormous gap in funding needs to be addressed, quick consult with Google uncle says Slit eyed commies were spending anywhere between 10% to 15% of defence budget on R&D in late 2000s) On 2021 budget, it would mean that China could spend as much as $70 billion this year just on equipment alone which is for the procurement and military R&D. While the defence has been the catalyst for many technological breakthroughs, it is more so applicable today with a total transformation of battlefield.


In the context, R&D in defence exhorts greater attention to fund such technology development in microelectronics, hypersonics, artificial intelligence (AI), cyber security, and similar high-priority military capabilities. This would propel the militarization of the fourth industrial revolution through artificial intelligence, big data, man-machine interfacing, autonomous unmanned systems, 5G networking, and the like—in order to create new dominant military-technological advantages. This builds up the case of Indigenization.

Such is the impact of the policies that put overall priority on R&D in Defence. The statistical spread is intended to understand the ecosystem of defense innovation. And within that India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has been spearheading some of the most successful defence innovations, including the gradual advancement of indigenous missile programs. In its new avatar, with structural changes and thrust on accountability, DRDO has set up to push the boundaries. Dr G Satheesh Reddy, Secretary DDR&D and Chairman DRDO has been responsible for much of the changes lately. In an exclusive interaction, Dr Reddy speaks with Manish Kumar Jha of BW Businessworld on the wide range of technological breakthroughs and innovations which are taking place in DRDO’s laboratories spread across India. In the interaction, he projected the defence innovation in its timeline for that is so vital for the applications and its efficacy in the making of a military hardware. He also speaks about the crucial thread between DRDO and industry.

Beginning with the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems (ATAGS) to Light Tank, Satheesh Reddy talks about the collaboration with Bharat Forge and TATA. Though fully designed by DRDO, he is forthcoming on giving due credits to the industries involved in the project. “We have developed two guns with two industries. Major things are common. However, these are separate units which are made with their own expertise,” he says.
But the bigger announcement he makes it for the staggering effort towards building the A medium-altitude long-endurance UAV (MALE UAV). What about having such capability which could do credible ISR activities and import substitute? That is about Rustom II as he tells me: Firstly, I would like to share a good news with you about the test we have done a day before. We have touched above 27500 feet altitude. So we have almost reached the target altitude.
On the crucial mission for AMCA, Reddy talks about the critical technologies for the aero engine: advanced materials, processing mechanism for the single crystal blade and success story for the propulsion systems.

On the naval front, DRDO has displayed the Air Independent Prolusion (AIP) System. The higher capacity fuel cell for AIP is the challenge that Reddy talks about. Much is at stake for the P 75 I which is going to unravel the next generation submarine for the Indian Navy.

But what are the futuristic and exponential technological breakthroughs that DRDO is working on? Certainly, that remains for the Hypersonic Technology and Quantum Communications. It is no mean task.
Excerpts:

Manish K. Jha: India’s Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems (ATAGS) is under the final leg of the trails with BFL and TATA. At what stage of the trails we are at? I understand, after the last trail, some changes are incorporated. When do we expect final trails and subsequent induction?

G Satheesh Reddy: Firstly, we have done a winter trials in Sikkim for a long time. They were all very successful. Then we did last year in the summer trails in Pokhran and there were some simple issues of rate of firing and related things. This means that to sort out these issues, it will take a little more time. We have done the test. Everything is proven. ATAGS have two versions—one gun is from TATA and one is from BFL.

Manish K. Jha: Because they are built up on the same fundamental- GQRS, so how will you decide based upon the qualitative comparison as laid down? Could you elaborate the process involved after such rigorous trails?

G Satheesh Reddy: At the moment, we are not thinking on that. We have developed two guns with two industries. Major things are common. However, these are separate units which are made with their own expertise. After the complete trials are over, then we will sit together with Armed Forces, Army, Industries and Acquisition wing and then we will think about how to go about exactly.

Manish K. Jha: A lot of focus is on developing MALE indigenous drones. In fact Prime Minster has spoken about it -- having such capability which could do credible ISR activities. We have also cancelled the import route of drones and instead given a push to our home grown R&D. DRDO’s Rustom has gone through some advanced stage trials with fantastic results, reaching 18000 feet. So where are we now and at what stage of development?

G Satheesh Reddy: We have made a lot of changes and modifications into the new version, Rustom II, and firstly, I would like to share a good news with you about the test we have done a day before. We have touched above 27500 feet altitude. So we have almost reached the target altitude. And, we are going to do some more trails for altitude & endurance. I'm sure in the next about one and a half months, we will be completing all the activities to meet the required parameters.

Manish K. Jha: And how long it will be able to fly for ISR activities?

G Satheesh Reddy: It is 18 hours and about 28,000 feet.

Manish K. Jha: And how could we have the combat capabilities for Rustom II?

G Satheesh Reddy: That we need to discuss with Armed Forces. This is basically made for surveillance applications.


Manish K. Jha: So when do you think Rustom II will ready to be inducted by our Armed forces? Where is the need to import drones?

G Satheesh Reddy: I am sure, once we meet service requirements, it will be inducted by the Armed Forces. In that case, we don’t need to buy or procure drones from other countries


Manish K. Jha: Can we completely substitute the import option?

G Satheesh Reddy: Definitely! Once an indigenous system is made, we don't need to buy from outside. And so the moment we meet all the requirements, we sit with armed forces, DG Acquisition, and all stakeholders to evolve a plan and timeline based on the collective decision.


Manish K. Jha: As reported, DRDO is collaborating with French OEM for developing an aero engine for the AMCA project which is under the SPVs norms. Will it be jointly developed under the open architecture matrix, having full access and rights of the said engine with DRDO? We have been talking about this but we have not reached the point where things start moving on the ground yet.

G Satheesh Reddy: And my answer is very clear on this. As far as the aero engine is concerned, the country has worked on Kaveri engine. By the time it came up, the requirement of the LCA Tejas had changed. So Kaveri could not go into it. But with necessary Technologies, some things that have been develop. Kaveri dry engine which is about 50 KN are underway for some other application :twisted: . Now coming to AMCA, we need a higher thrust engine, which is not available anywhere in the world today of exact fitting and with specified thrust requirement.


Manish K. Jha: It's all the new project all together from scratch?

G Satheesh Reddy: Absolutely! These will be new technologies and new engine completely.

Some technologies which are developed, will be of huge help but it's altogether a new design.
(So something the size of the GE F414 but a generation ahead in terms of performance/life/weight etc)

Manish K. Jha: Are you also are talking with other players like GE because we have inked a deal with them for LCA Tejas?

G Satheesh Reddy: With GE, we are in touch for LCA MK 2 engine of 98KN.


Manish K. Jha: Expect any breakthrough soon?

G Satheesh Reddy: We have to wait for some time. We are holding the discussions because there are a lot of technical aspects to be taken into account. A lot of details that go into such collaborations. Analysts have to study and come back. And, we are also waiting for some more reports and analysis from Safran.
(So a very pragmatic decision to do Mark 1 and Mark 2 for the AMCA)


Manish K. Jha: So, during the discussion, it came up that as you know, these are the material based on advanced and complex metals but mostly mix of Titanium and Nickel based material. Have we done something in such areas?

G Satheesh Reddy: Our laboratory DMRL has been working on all materials and processing technologies; for making very specific, things like for example, a single Crystal Blade technology has been developed by DMRL. It is supplying to HAL for its engines and GTRE for other engines. So, one by one, the Technologies are being developed in advanced material domain.


Manish K. Jha: But these are a group of rare materials and some of them you need to explore from outside?

G Satheesh Reddy: Some of them are already available in the country. We are developing the processing technologies and such that the product can be developed. These are all the things DMRL is working and they're in a good shape and many other things are coming up for specified materials.

Manish K. Jha: So, with Single Crystal Blade, DRDO has achieved major milestone in engine manufacturing fully?

G Satheesh Reddy: Yes.


Manish K. Jha: On Light tank, as you told me last year, DRDO will be ready for most capable Light tank for such high altitude. Could you please give us the update on the recent development on the ongoing Light Tank project which is being undertaken with private industries?

G Satheesh Reddy: Light Tank Project is taken up by DRDO. We have already designed and, we are developing the prototype. Light Tank should be ready very soon.


Manish K. Jha: While DRDO has been successful in testing Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle using the indigenously developed scramjet propulsion, China has leapfrogged in doing successful run of first hypersonic weapon. What could be the potential application and range of such hypersonic weapon? When do we see that being developed and inducted by our military?

G Satheesh Reddy: You know that we conducted trials of hypersonic test demonstration vehicle and it was very successful mission. That was one of the experiments and we would be conducting some more trails on this to develop the critical technologies. So once we develop the technologies, we will think of next course of action.

We are working on the scramjet engine required and the materials required for it, and various thermodynamic aspect of the system. We are working on the materials which can withstand the thermodynamic stresses in the hypersonic vehicles. That we are into that very seriously.


Manish K. Jha: So lets talk about the Air independent Propulsion (AIP) system. DRDO is developing AIP for P75 which will get refitted into. Then we have the P75 I my which is again futuristic and requires a higher capacity of fuel cell for AIP. What are these two? Can you link these two development for our submarine program?

G Satheesh Reddy: Firstly, an independent propulsion System (AIP) is based on fuel Cell and that technologies have been developed in the country.

It has gone through the ground prototype test for 14 days, which is a mandatory requirement and it has passed successfully. So we say that the technology has been completely developed in the country.
Now the next step is to make a version to be fitted into the submarine. So we need to make a plug and then incorporate it in the P-75 [Scorpene class submarine]. That's the first task. So our focus is on developing a plug and integrating it into the submarine. Once this technology is fully put into use in a [P 75 ] submarine then we'll see after that. The next course of action will depend on the approach of Navy. As far as we are concerned, AIP is already developed within the country and our focus is to get it integrated with the platform.


Manish K. Jha: RFI for P 75 I talks about a foreign Partner under the Strategic Partnership (SP) model. Foreign OEMs who wish to participate, will have to have this technology (AIP) running and in operation. That is the prerequisite for the collaboration. So how does DRDO look at this?

G Satheesh Reddy: I don't want to comment on anything. These things require discussions with the Navy. We will see that.


Manish K. Jha: New startups are emerging in defence cyber and space sector and many of these startups are providing data-based services for security and defence applications. Due to the unavailability of the indigenous large scale cloud infrastructures services, they are forced to go to foreign cloud infrastructure services. Consider the criticality, are there any plans to indigenize such Cloud Infrastructure? Why aren't we doing something about in India?

G Satheesh Reddy: I think, there are efforts in the country to make out indigenous Cloud Infrastructure. DRDO is not working on this as of now.

(With distinguished ministers like Shri Rajeev Chandrashekhar who understands National Security and niche tech areas I think this is one field we can excel quickly)

Manish K. Jha: In budget 2022, finally, R&D got some encouragement and budget increase. What is added to DRDO in Defence budget?

G Satheesh Reddy: There is about INR 1000 Cr increase in our budget. Every year, there has been a continuous increase by the government. We have a lot more responsibilities also to promote R&D in academia, start-ups and industries. So, we should be able to do well with the current budget in all the aspects that government is expecting from us.
(Good move but want something like a non lapsable rollover clause to ensure AK Antonyesque paisa vaapsi does not happen)

Manish K. Jha: You have been spearheading some of the most advanced projects despite the limited and constrained budget if we compare to the other R&D agencies across the world. Having said that I would like to ask you about some of the exponential technological breakthroughs that DRDO is working on? And something that is being done by very few in the world?

G Satheesh Reddy: Very recently, we have done quantum communication between two places 100 Km apart. So, we are one of the very few nations in the world who have done such communication over an optical fibre for 100 Kms.


Manish K. Jha: Could you please update on Deck based fighter Jet?

G Satheesh Reddy: Discussions between DRDO and the Navy are going on


Manish K. Jha: But what about the folding blade as it is the major part of the modification for the deck based combat jet?

G Satheesh Reddy: It is being worked out


Manish K. Jha: So, do we need a separate program for this?

G Satheesh Reddy: Yes, a separate project is needed.

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

Post by jaysimha »

International Training Course on
Mountain Geo-Hazard Assessment and Management (MGAM-2022) 21-25 March, 2022
at Research & Development Centre, DGRE Manali (India)
Image
https://www.drdo.gov.in/mgam-2022
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Kanoji »

[quote="MeshaVishwas"]Goldmine!
Dr. Satheesh Reddy interviewed by Sh Manish Jha
DRDO’s Rustom II UAV Has Reached The Target Altitude Of 28,000 Ft; No Need To Import ISR Drones: G Satheesh Reddy

Thanks for posting this. Heartening to see the Rustom II has reached the target altitude. I have a mango man question. Will the testing of UAV' s like Rustom II also follow a path of testing with clean configuration and then test again with ballast in place of sensor packages and then finally test with full sensor package?

https://swarajyamag.com/defence/eight-i ... ill-impact
On a related note the article linked above lists the defence programs that will be collateral damage from the Russian war on Ukraine. I hope this is another blessing in disguise that will spur local research and development.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by k prasad »

BRF Guroos.... another mango question:

Given the TB2's seeming success in Azerbaijan & Ukraine (seeming because, at least in Ukraine, its reputation is largely based on psyops and propaganda videos), does anyone know if we have similar plans or projects for large-order induction of armed MALE/HALE UAVs that will be deployed within the next year or so?

From what I gather, the armed Herons are only 4 in number (the rest being for surveillance only), Rustom-II / TAPAS is still a ways off (especially with weapons integration, testing, & certification), and the 30-unit order for MQ-9 Reapers has been cancelled. Am I wrong to think this isn't a very happy short-term situation?
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Karan M »

k prasad wrote:BRF Guroos.... another mango question:

Given the TB2's seeming success in Azerbaijan & Ukraine (seeming because, at least in Ukraine, its reputation is largely based on psyops and propaganda videos), does anyone know if we have similar plans or projects for large-order induction of armed MALE/HALE UAVs that will be deployed within the next year or so?

From what I gather, the armed Herons are only 4 in number (the rest being for surveillance only), Rustom-II / TAPAS is still a ways off (especially with weapons integration, testing, & certification), and the 30-unit order for MQ-9 Reapers has been cancelled. Am I wrong to think this isn't a very happy short-term situation?
The TB2 is toast against any country with a decent AD network as its vulnerable, relatively large and slow. The issue is worse for the larger UAVs. That's the reason IAF isn't too on board the entire armed UAV gig. Against our opponents namely the PRC, its a pretty hard sell.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by kit »

k prasad wrote:BRF Guroos.... another mango question:

Given the TB2's seeming success in Azerbaijan & Ukraine (seeming because, at least in Ukraine, its reputation is largely based on psyops and propaganda videos),
is the TB2 that much of a success in Ukraine ? Not sure , it does not look like it
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by hnair »

Karan M wrote:
The TB2 is toast against any country with a decent AD network as its vulnerable, relatively large and slow. The issue is worse for the larger UAVs. That's the reason IAF isn't too on board the entire armed UAV gig. Against our opponents namely the PRC, its a pretty hard sell.
You are fighting a losing battle, saar! I have tried to post on the futility of ordering 100s of Rustoms etc here and elsewhere.

People don’t realize that they are hankering after a solution that made a lot of sense to the US war machine’s focus from 2001 to 2015: a satcom enabled long endurance, propellor driven UAV with repurposed ATGM class missiles for light vehicles and human targets. It works really well as a cheaper solution than 1000s of boots on the ground against insurgence to militia class opponents. And these crafts are not cheap solutions per se. Just cheaper than losing manpower on the ground and paying out a lifetime of compensation to the survivors back in US. In a certain sense they replaced the Tomahawks, because those things didn’t do the work in Sudan or Afghanistan earlier in the 1990s. Those are expensive per pop to, unlike the ATGM derived munitions which are already there by 10s of 1000 and easier to produce. The drones as a replacement, were a lot more easy to deploy, operate, is reprogrammable and reusable than a 6 pack of Tomahawks. And all these under 100% air dominance and airspace control

Even before khan surrendered to Taliban and went home, they started getting serious on more important stuff against a bigger and capable adversary than a Toyota riding Abdul: The Chinese and their better AD capability as you point out

Same #1 challenger for India too

In that situation, why waste time or money on the slow moving props and why not leapfrog this phase to move on to the more survivable TF powered ones like Ghatak? Even the SeaGuardian made some sense because of its alleged ASW capabilities but for AShW, nothing beyond what a LEO satellite can’t handle.

Let the ME guys have fun plinking Hiluxes. They have money to spare. Not India.

Next item in this list of things India should buy: Truck mounted artillery, after watching Transformers franchise. No one seem to want to talk to actual users in India, during trade fairs etc about their opinion in such cool stuff working in freeze, slush or sand. Halo effect is the bane of Indian jingo since earliest times.

Added later: k prasad, post not against you :)
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by k prasad »

hnair sir, no worries... this sort of discussion was exactly what I was hoping for with my question.
kit wrote:is the TB2 that much of a success in Ukraine ? Not sure , it does not look like it
Hence my qualification with 'seeming', sir. I think there might be limited successes against armor that is separated from integrated mobile SAM assets, but the extent of these successes is quite hazy in Ukraine, at least.

My question is, we need full spectrum combat capabilities, from US-style low-footprint cross-border strikes on pigsties to attacks against large armor formations. Wouldn't low(er)-cost MALE platforms deployed in numbers give us both these capabilities? In case of large armor assaults like in Ukraine, we can use them to both engage armor and act as spoilers for enemy SAMs, which are pretty expensive assets too. If we can use UAVs to identify the SAM assets, engage them, and get the enemy to fire them, it might just give a few precious minutes to manned fighters that follow, either in SEAD/DEAD or ground attack ops.

What I'm wondering is, wouldn't it be better to have the enemy use up their SAMs on half-million or million dollar machines and reduce the risk to expensive manned aircrafts. We can afford to lose larger numbers of these UAVs rather than men and combat aircraft, especially if they're manufactured in India, which means our production capacity during wartime and possible embargoes is waaay better for UAVs than combat jets.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Prasad »

Rustom-II is a surveillance drone. Unlike the bayraktar which is armed. We need a desi vehicle to police our long borders from the air and collect intel along the way. MALE Armed drones will not survive the battle enough given the kind of AD systems PLA will put in place over Tibet. Smaller ones perhaps might, the kind that can do the job of a forward observer for arty but attrition is likely to be high.

The HAPS kind of drones again might be useful for comms and surveillance. Let's not forget that we have a massive IOR region to keep an eye on and there we definitely need a MALE/HALE.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by k prasad »

Agreed on lack of survivability and need for surveillance drones, my Namesake :-) .... my point was more in terms of conceding that, but contrasting with the loss of manned platforms, and whether using these UAVs could help improve survivability and mission success, saving lives, even if it costs us some (or even a lot of) lower-priced, India-built UAVs.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by jaysimha »

Ministry of Defence

DEFENCE EQUIPMENT PROJECTS UNDER MAKE IN INDIA SCHEME
Posted On: 14 MAR 2022 3:05PM by PIB Delhi
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1805750
Many significant products including
☻155mm Artillery Gun system ‘Dhanush’,
☻ Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’,
☻ Surface to Air Missile system ‘Akash’,
☻ Main Battle Tank ‘Arjun’,
☻ T-90 Tank,
☻ T-72 tank,
☻ BMP-II/IIK,
☻ Su-30 MK1,
☻ Cheetah helicopter,
☻ Advanced Light Helicopter,
☻ Dornier Do-228,
☻ High mobility Trucks,
☻ INS Kalvari,
☻ INS Khanderi,
☻ INS Chennai,
☻ Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvette (ASWC),
☻ Arjun Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle,
☻ Bridge Laying Tank,
☻ Bi-Modular Charge System (BMCS) for 155mm Ammunition,
☻ Medium Bullet Proof Vehicle (MBPV),
☻ Weapon Locating Radar (WLR),
☻ Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS),
☻ Software Defined Radios(SDR),
☻ Lakshya Parachute for Pilotless Target Aircraft,
☻ Opto Electronic Sights for battle tanks,
☻ Water Jet Fast Attack Craft,
☻ Inshore Patrol Vessel,
☻ Offshore Patrol Vessel,
☻ Fast Interceptor Boat,
☻ Landing Craft Utility,
☻ 25 T Tugs, etc. have been produced in the country during the last few years which are being used by the Indian Armed Forces
☻☻☻The indigenous Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun Mk-1A designed and developed DRDO is compatible with the present and future requirement of Armed Forces.

☻☻☻☻☻ MBT Arjun Mk-1A is incorporated with 71 upgrades in comparison to MBT Arjun Mk-1, thereby endowed to have superior fire power, enhanced high mobility and excellent protection characteristics required to fulfil the challenging requirements of the battle field.
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