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

VinodTK · Post by **VinodTK** » 09 Feb 2011 06:37

Saab to Form India Warfare Systems Joint Venture

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

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 10 Feb 2011 21:31

HAL plans Rs 20,000-cr modernisation drive.

Defence major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd has announced a Rs 20,000-crore plan for modernising its plants and hinted at the possibility of the company going public and being listed in the stock market.

The HAL Director (Finance), Mr D. Shivamurthi, said the company plans to spend Rs 20,000 crore for modernising its facilities over the next ten years which would be funded through internal accruals.

The Bangalore-headquartered company already has reserves worth Rs 9,000 crore and proposed to add Rs 1,500 crore every year, he told reporters here on the sidelines of 'Aero India 2011'.

According to company officials, HAL has 19 production divisions and ten R&D centres in the country. Mr Shivamurti said the company plans to design, develop and manufacture 1,500 helicopters over the next ten years.

The company has Rs one lakh crore worth of orders to be delivered over the next ten years, the officials said.

Mr Shivamurthi indicated that HAL is keen to go public and be listed on the stock exchanges but added that no final decision has been taken.

He declined to talk about the extent of disinvestment and said the final call would be taken by the Government.He said the issue of disinvestment is being discussed internally and the proposal has not gone to the board for approval.

The company officials noted that Bharat Electronics Ltd and BEML Ltd, which are also under the Ministry of Defence like HAL, are already listed.

They also said that the naval version of the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas is expected to make its maiden flight in eight weeks.

Mr Shivamurti also said: "Our (HAL's) turnover last year was Rs 11,500 crore; this year (2010-11) it's likely to be Rs 12,600 crore.''

chackojoseph · Post by **chackojoseph** » 11 Feb 2011 11:58

CAE Officially Inaugurates Its New Aerospace and Defence Complex in India

Rolta and SELEX Communications in Strategic Partnership for Indian Tactical Communications Systems Program

dinesha · Post by **dinesha** » 13 Feb 2011 13:05

Akash Deep lights up the skies
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/137 ... skies.html

On the penultimate day of the ongoing Aero India 2011 show, the star of the day was a massive balloon of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) that floated in the skies for a while.

The aerostat, Akash Deep travelled on a massive trailer all the way from Agra to Bangalore, while being transported for participation at the Aero Show. The aerostat is one of the most primary flotation devices of aerial warfare since the days of World War I.

But over the years, the definition of the aerostat has changed from being a weapon bearing flight to more of a surveillance platform used by armed forces to monitor their borders, and if possible, the activity across the border.

Following the path trod by defence majors Lockheed Martin and T-Com, DRDO has developed the aerostat indigenously for the armed forces. The helium-filled prototype, designed to carry a maximum payload of 300 kg, has been tested by the DRDO over the past three years.

Tested up to a height of one km and a range of 60 km, with a surveillance device embedded, the aerostat is ready to be manufactured for the Indian Air Force and the Army to suit their needs.

“For the Army, the Aerostat needs to be much larger for better range of surveillance, the IAF may demand more height to monitor the skies and ground surveillance,” says project co-ordinator for the Aerostat, IAF Chief Test Jumper Marwaha.

The prototype aerostat is stated to be 35 metres long, 23 metres high and is made of nylon-coated material. Currently, the Akash Deep is still a work in progress, and is estimated to take another two to three years in development.

“We need to provide better fabric to protect the aerostat from UV rays and also to reduce the leakage of helium from the balloon,” Marwaha says.

The prototype is said to be leaking helium up to 10-15 cubic metres a day and has a shelf life of 18 months, after which it is brought down, given a new clothing and sent up into the air again.

Built at a cost of Rs 16 crore, the helium balloon is likely to be priced at Rs six to seven crore apiece if and when acquired by the armed forces.

“Inquiries have been received from various corporations and countries for collaboration and joint ventures to produce the aerostat. The Russian Federation has already approached us for a joint project to improve the Akash Deep,” says Amitabh Pal, Deputy Director, ADRDE.

Also, five to six requests have come to the DRDO for the deputation and testing of the aerostat in the border areas, including from the ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Security Force), the BSF (Border Security Force) and the Coast Guard

dinesha · Post by **dinesha** » 14 Feb 2011 09:00

Bigger, better aerostat in the offing

BANGALORE: If you thought the white surveillance flight balloon at Aero India 2011 was huge, there's something bigger on the cards. The initial success of 'Akashdeep' has shown the way for a bigger and better indigenous 'Nakshatra'. This new aerostat system will be built to track a 450km radius -- that's approximately four times the present 110km radius surveillance track of Akashdeep!

The surveillance system to be developed by Aerial Delivery Research & Development Establishment ( ADRDE), Agra, can be tested up to 4.5km altitude, with a payload capacity of 800kg to 1 tonne and 17,000 cubic metre volume. "The project is now on the drawing board stage. Once finalized, it will take us five years to complete the Nakshatra for service," Wing Commander A Marwah, mission coordinator for Aerostat, said.

Elaborating plans for the medium-range Akashdeep, he said the technology is ready and has been successfully tested at Agra for a height of 1km with a 300kg payload capacity. "We have now achieved the technology. It's perfect for use along borders, coastal areas and in areas of low-intensity conflicts. US and Russia have also shown interest in exchanging technical know-how," Marwah added. There are also plans to modify the existing model before replicating it in other areas.

Akashdeep is now stationed for demonstration at the Yelahanka Air Force station for Aero India 2011. It's among the biggest flying objects here and took over five days to be transported from Agra. However, competition for air space at the show left it with very little time for any detailed operational demonstration to the crowd. Even on Saturday, there was only an hour's time between air displays for a technical demonstration. In the past four days, it has been demonstrated only up to a maximum height of 80m. Going higher will require more time.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/busi ... z1Du0D1Ua2

Raghavendra · Post by **Raghavendra** » 14 Feb 2011 10:23

Arjun tank to get more Indian muscle http://www.hindustantimes.com/arjun-tan ... 61357.aspx

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will roll out a more potent and indigenised variant of the Arjun tank in three years. DRDO chief VK Saraswat said the German engine on the current version of the tank would be replaced by an Indian power plant and the new variant (Arjun Mk-II) would have 90% indigenous component. The existing tank may be hailed as an indigenous project but imported items such as power pack, gunner's main sight and track account for 58% of the cost per tank.

Saraswat, also the scientific adviser to the defence minister, told HT at Aero India-2011, "The new variant will have high indigenous quotient, except for some hydraulic and electronic systems. The tank should be ready in early 2014. It will feature several modifications including superior missile firing capabilities. "

The army raised its maiden armoured regiment equipped with Arjun tanks in May 2009, more than 35 years after the project was conceived. The army has so far placed an order for 248 tanks, each costing R16.8 crore. The Arjun was earlier plagued with problems concerning its fire control system, suspension and poor mobility due to its weight.

The army accepted the Arjun tank only after a third-party audit by an international tank maker roped in by the DRDO to endorse the battle-worthiness of the tank after extensive evaluations. The tank has been designed and developed by the DRDO and the Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment, Avadi.

Saraswat said the DRDO was laying the groundwork to develop future main battle tank. The tank would be lighter than the 60-tonne Arjun, he said. Currently, Russian T-90s and T-72s are the mainstay of India’s tank fleet.

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 15 Feb 2011 18:21

DRDO crosses Rs.1 lakh crore-mark in production value

The production value of weapons and systems developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) had crossed Rs.1 lakh crore during the six years, said W. Selvamurthy, its Chief Controller

AKK Fyrree RPG Phyrre

chackojoseph · Post by **chackojoseph** » 16 Feb 2011 10:56

MKU Showcases a Vast Range of Ballistic Protection Solutions at IDEX 2011

MKU has recently won the prestigious tender of 59000 pieces of body armour valued at USD 21.0 million meant for the paramilitary forces, from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India.

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 16 Feb 2011 14:19

DRDO develops technology to detect life trapped under debris

Small ROV for Counter-Terrorism Operations

chackojoseph · Post by **chackojoseph** » 16 Feb 2011 15:35

MAXO a new weapon against mosquito by DRDO

Hiten · Post by **Hiten** » 16 Feb 2011 19:05

how on earth does CABS justify developing this 400% terrafirma-borne system

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_E3J9ye0fv2s/TVvUA ... 5B2%5D.jpg

does any Govt-owned R&D institute even need to venture into such a project that could have been taken up by a Tier 2 UG Engineering College in India?

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 16 Feb 2011 19:21

I think it was developed back in the days when UG engn colleges didn't look beyond their lab courses. many are still in the mode.

biswas · Post by **biswas** » 16 Feb 2011 19:29

^ With all due respect, did any Tier 2 UG college take up this project? If the need was there, it had to be filled.

In my uni here, Thales sponsored a project to build a robot to survey a battlefield, yet according to a friend in the defence force, even the cleaning tool they use to clean their weapons is imported.

chackojoseph · Post by **chackojoseph** » 16 Feb 2011 19:52

Bheema -1000 was not a front runner project. It was an "aslo ran project."

negi · Post by **negi** » 21 Feb 2011 05:10

Vice Admiral Puri addressing the National Security Convention.

[youtube]LSH1o3_cebk&NR=1[/youtube]

Sir minces no words.

PS: LIkes of G. Parthasarathy and Ajit Doval too spoke on the occasion.

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 21 Feb 2011 06:18

This video should form the first post of every thread on BR

Sid · Post by **Sid** » 21 Feb 2011 06:54

negi wrote:Vice Admiral Puri addressing the National Security Convention.

Sir minces no words.

PS: LIkes of G. Parthasarathy and Ajit Doval too spoke on the occasion.

Observe when Admiral talks about lobbies which do not allow purchase of indigenous content.

Our "pure" defense minister should target such lobbies to begin with, before signing billions of dollars worth of deals. These days we do not talk below 10 billion dollars.

sourab_c · Post by **sourab_c** » 21 Feb 2011 07:20

^ Why is that the likes of Vice Admiral Puri not make it to our political brass? I mean what would Rahul Gandhi know about "comprehensive national security?" The PMO is a single family run joint. They are too busy dealing with the opposition most of the time. Sort of like India did 200 years ago before the British invaded us.

I have deepest respect for this great gentlemen now. It is because of such individuals that there is still hope for India.

/OT

skumar · Post by **skumar** » 21 Feb 2011 14:02

sourab_c wrote:^ Why is that the likes of Vice Admiral Puri not make it to our political brass? I mean what would Rahul Gandhi know about "comprehensive national security?" The PMO is a single family run joint. They are too busy dealing with the opposition most of the time. Sort of like India did 200 years ago before the British invaded us.

I have deepest respect for this great gentlemen now. It is because of such individuals that there is still hope for India.

/OT

OT again but I believe that the Gs are not too worried about the opposition; they seem to have the inside information on the opposition and all the leverage necessary to influence them. Notice BJP's sudden withdrawal of the Task Force report on black money from their site.

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 21 Feb 2011 20:20

negi wrote:Vice Admiral Puri addressing the National Security Convention.

He mentioned the telecom sector ... but one important point he left out was the lack of semiconductor fab capability. India is forced to import even simple calculator chips.

It would not be surprising if we already have hardware Trojans installed in the systems we have paid billions for.

By the way, one of the speakers at this convention was Indresh Kumar of the RSS, who actually seems to have been doing good grassroots work amongst Kashmir Muslims.

More info about this meeting:

Forum for Integrated National Security (FINS) organized the first-ever National Security Convention on the 9th and 10th of March 2010 at Haridwar coinciding with the auspicious Kumbh Mela.

The Convention was a great success and more than 800 delegates participated in it from different parts of the country.

Prominent among those who participated and addressed the convention were Padma Vibhushan Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Sarsanghchalak of RSS Shri Mohan Bhagwat, Swami Satyamitranand Giri Maharaj, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Swami Avadeshanand Giri Maharaj, Swami Chidanand Saraswati, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Hon. Prem Kumar Dumal, CM of Uttarakhand Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal, Dr. Prabhakaran Paleri former Head of Coast Guards, Retd. Vice Admiral Raman Puri; Air Vice Marshall S P Singh; Retd. Chief Justice V S Kokje; former Home Secretary of Assam State Shri H N Das, former Foreign Secretary Shri G. Parthasarathy, Major General Sashikant Pitre, Retd. Army Chief of Nepal General Rukmangad Katwal, IPS Officer Shri Ashok Sahu, Ex. Chief Secretary of Assam State Shri Rajkhowa and Ex. Director General of Police of Punjab Shri P.C. Dogra, former Defense Secretary Shri Yogendra Narayan, former Head of Intelligence Bureau Shri Ajit Doval, Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha Shri Karia Munda, former Chairperson of Rajya Sabha Dr. Nazma Heptullah, Dr. Purnima Advani, National Convener of FINS Shri Indresh Kumar ji and National President of FINS Lt. General Shekatkar to name a few.

The delegates included defense analysts, retired IAS officers, police officers, officers of paramilitary forces, experts from intelligence bureau, retired officers from External Affairs and Home ministries, scientists, economists; experts on nuclear energy and agriculture along with many retired senior officers from the Armed Forces

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXmEcxGVFto

Varoon Shekhar · Post by **Varoon Shekhar** » 22 Feb 2011 18:33

http://flonnet.com/stories/20110311280509400.htm

Nice write up by TS as usual. DRDO's achievements. (more than one article in the issue)

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 23 Feb 2011 21:17

Ashok Leyland Defence and KMW to develop advanced defence systems news.

Ashok Leyland Defence Systems Ltd. and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co. KG, Munich, Germany, yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly devfelop advanced defence systems for the Indian and global defence establishments.

KMW leads the European market for armoured wheeled and tracked vehicles.

Under the pact, the two companies will initially develop armoured wheeled vehicles, recovery vehicles, artillery and combat systems, bridge laying systems and other similar products.

"This strategic partnership seeks to harness the formidable skills of both companies, namely, the technological bandwidth of KMW and our approach to innovations aimed at cost advantage," says Dr V. Sumantran, chairman, Ashok Leyland Defence Systems. "For ALDS, this brings a new range of product opportunities with which we hope to fulfill India's growing defence needs and over time to address select overseas markets."

Ashok Leyland Defence Systems (ALDS), a newly formed company in which the Hinduja flagship, Ashok Leyland, has 26-per cent equity, will design and develo defence vehicles.

Ashok Leyland says it is the largest supplier of logistics vehicles to the Indian Army with over 60,000 of its Stallion vehicles forming the Army's logistics backbone.

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) will provide the technology and the technical assistance required for the development of these defence systems.

A 170-year-old company, KMW leads the market for highly protected armoured wheeled and tracked vehicles. KMW says its systems such as the MBT LEOPARD 2, the artillery system PzH 2000 and the highly protected DINGO 2 have been deployed by the armed forces of over 30 nations worldwide.

Frank Haun, CEO and president, KMW, says, "This This partnership with ALDS is a further consequent step in KMW's strategy to internationalise its business. Along with ALDS, we are now able to jointly develop future Indian defence solutions based on our proven and worldwide leading technologies."

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 24 Feb 2011 14:06

Varoon Shekhar wrote:http://flonnet.com/stories/20110311280509400.htm

Nice write up by TS as usual. DRDO's achievements. (more than one article in the issue)

The DRDO has developed an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), Nishant, and a pilotless target aircraft, Lakshya. Both are under production. They will be used for battlefield surveillance and reconnaissance, target-tracking and correcting artillery fire .

How does a UAV correct artillery fire? or is it just DDM?

A Combat Free Fall System helps paratroopers jump from high altitudes, glide long distances or land at specific spots. The system comprises a ram-jet parachute, an oxygen cylinder, jumpsuit, communication system and navigational equipment.

could not find anything remotely resembling the bolded part... any suggestions?

Mukesh.Kumar · Post by **Mukesh.Kumar** » 24 Feb 2011 14:13

Most prob it was meant to work as an observer aircraft which DDM translated as correcting artillery fire.

chackojoseph · Post by **chackojoseph** » 27 Feb 2011 09:18

India to open Titanium Sponge Plant Based on DRDO Technology

at Chavara near Kollam in Kerala, on the 27th February, 2011. Its primarily meant for defence and space.

chackojoseph · Post by **chackojoseph** » 27 Feb 2011 15:24

Finally, its innagurated.

India joins select club of Titanium Sponge producers

rahulm · Post by **rahulm** » 28 Feb 2011 15:22

X-post from Misc. pictures thread

Here is a link https://picasaweb.google.com/1133537813 ... directlink to 6 pictures of an unidentified TATA mil vehicle. I chanced upon this vehicle at the WAKAD - Pune bypass interchange an hour ago. The vehicle was being towed by a TATA 1210 recovery.

The whole kit was parked and the drivers and crew were having lunch under the shade of a tree. I zipped past and did a almost 10 km round trip to find a break in the road divider to return to the spot.

Interestingly, the vehicle has a Pune temp, rego but sports a full camo scheme.

The vehicle has an "ON TEST" sign, looks like a troop carrier of some sort with rectangular windows and appears to have seen some heavy duty use/testing.

The tire tread looks pretty worn out. The front of the vehicle https://picasaweb.google.com/1133537813 ... 1186704786 looks a bit battered and some corrosion https://picasaweb.google.com/1133537813 ... 1607790290 is evident.

Since, the vehicle was being towed dead I assume it was no longer capable of producing its own power but at some stage it did going by the black marks on the bonnet near the exhaust.

Can anyone ID this vehicle?

KrishG · Post by **KrishG** » 28 Feb 2011 20:34

rahulm wrote: Can anyone ID this vehicle?

It' looks like Tata Motor's competitor for IA's Mine-Protected troop carriers. The other competitor's are Mahindra and Ashok Leyland. All of them displayed their respective models at the DefExpo-10.

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 01 Mar 2011 16:40

Pragmatic on Defence

Therefore amidst such gloom and doom for Defence, it is a small consolation that India's Finance Minister has not been as tight-fisted as anticipated and has increased the Defence Budget to Rs 1,64,400 crore for FY 2011-12, an increase of 11.5 per cent compared to 2010-11 which was Rs 1,47,344 crore (merely 3.9 per cent over the previous year 2009-10).

But an increase of merely 7.5 per cent for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at Rs 5,624 crore does not match the rhetoric of indigenous development in Defence Production Policy that was announced in January 2011. The increased allocation at Rs 64,251 crore for the Army and Rs 10,584 crore for the Navy (from Rs 57,326 crore and Rs 9,329 crore respectively in the previous year) appear generous compared to the Rs15,927 crore granted to the Air Force (Rs 15,210 crore last year).

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 01 Mar 2011 18:32

http://www.bharatrakshak.com/NEWS/newsr ... wsid=14473

Can't understand this pattern. There has to be a failure, and some spate of it, and then we think okay, lets make an indigenous one. In the meanwhile where ever the forces get opportunity, they capitalize on external supplies, and the big agents get to work for their generations.

Now at least, can we list all those machines that needs indigenous capability for the future, and get them enrolled in a budget plan?

ignore context for this would be it is ddm. I am not sure, how many important aspects have been hidden by ddm thoughts then?

pkudva · Post by **pkudva** » 01 Mar 2011 19:53

Kailash wrote:Pragmatic on Defence

Therefore amidst such gloom and doom for Defence, it is a small consolation that India's Finance Minister has not been as tight-fisted as anticipated and has increased the Defence Budget to Rs 1,64,400 crore for FY 2011-12, an increase of 11.5 per cent compared to 2010-11 which was Rs 1,47,344 crore (merely 3.9 per cent over the previous year 2009-10).

But an increase of merely 7.5 per cent for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at Rs 5,624 crore does not match the rhetoric of indigenous development in Defence Production Policy that was announced in January 2011. The increased allocation at Rs 64,251 crore for the Army and Rs 10,584 crore for the Navy (from Rs 57,326 crore and Rs 9,329 crore respectively in the previous year) appear generous compared to the Rs15,927 crore granted to the Air Force (Rs 15,210 crore last year).

One of the good points was india did spend more than the allocated budgget in the fiscal 2010-2011 to about 1.51 lakh crores as compared to original allocated 1.47 lakh crores.

The capital expensiture was at 60,833 crores as compared to total alloted 60,000 crore. This is really good!!! so as long as deals are happening _domestic+imports) , i am sure money shall be made available to MOD.

Remember Mr Antony has a very good name & say in Finance Ministry and PM Office. I am sure we will spend more than the alloted budget this year too.

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 04 Mar 2011 09:36

From the Indian Express archives 1998
http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19 ... 0684p.html
Posting in full

Tuesday, October 20, 1998

Of tanks, planes and the officers
Manvendra Singh
There are some striking similarities between the officers of the Armoured Corps and their counterparts in the fighter pilots stream of the Air Force. For starters, both are convinced that the war would be lost but for them. But then both have also played a scanty role in India's national contingencies since the 1971 war.

Save for a momentary glimpse of glory that Exercise Brasstacks gave them, these two officer classes have made a negligible contribution to the operations launched since 1984.

The more disturbing aspects of this similarity exercise, however, is that both the fighting streams have consumed the maximum portions of the defence budgets through an indiscriminate and largely unaccountable import-dominated fixation. It is a depressing thought, but the Armoured Corps and the fighter pilots of the Air Force have got away with throwing rational budgeting out of the window, by simply giving scintillating demonstrations of flying and driving.

Both types, hold your breath, have no stake inmaking India's defence budgets more security friendly, but simply user friendly. This peculiarity has been demonstrated earlier and is being exhibited again.

Take the Armoured Corps first. In the 1960s, India imported the Chieftain tanks from Britain, and developed a local variant called Vijayanta, claiming it to be the solution to all national worries. Notwith-standing its excellent gunnery, the Vijayanta suffered due to indifferent engine performance. In the meantime the T-55s were also imported from the Soviet Union. Rugged and reliable, but not much of gunnery in it. So instead of developing the Vijayanta with a new engine-transmission package, a new state-of-the-art Main Battle Tank (MBT) became a recurring demand. The first study teams for an indigenous MBT were already doing their work, but the Armoured Corps would have nothing to do with it. They wanted a ready made platform, off the shelf. How the T-72 ever came to fit the bill will remain one of those perpetually recurring Indian mysteries.Designed for the European plains, around the shorter Central Asian tank crews and combat duration of only three days, the T-72 suddenly became the stuff of Armoured Corps dreams.

Indian armour will never fight in that kind of terrain. Where it can make the ideal cavalry charge is the deserts but the T-72 main barrel cannot depress to the degree required whilst traversing sand dunes. After all the barrel has been designed for the European plains, where elevation is of greater importance. And then the armoured regiments recruit largely from the northern classes, whose minimum height is more than what the T-72 was designed around. No thoughts for crew fatigue?

In all these years of T-72 import and production, India has also had an indigenous MBT programme, the Arjun. But the Armoured Corps would have none of it; rubbishing the project from its inception, and contributing virtually nothing to ensure its success. Statistical arguments aside, the Arjun is the future of Indian armour, as well as the best provenplatform for its self-propelled howitzers. But most of the Armoured Corps would still not accept it, preferring instead to go in for yet another import, the T-90, and then only two regiments!

One thought the efficacy of armour was determined by the mass deployed. And this in the same year that the Army cannot buy enough new rifles for operational areas for want of funds! One would have thought it was Armoured Corps fighting the militants in the Kashmir Valley.

This inexplicable saga is replicated by the fighter pilots' penchant for prepackaged imports. Nothing illustrates that better than the bizarre HF-24 Marut tale. An Indian project, helped by the legendary Kurt Tank, the Marut flew, but with a poor engine. Despite its excellent aerodynamics, the engine caused a spate of accidents. So instead of developing the engine, and ensuring the success of the programme, the Air Force simply closed the project. Obviously India was a country of limitless resources for all those crores to have been simply writtenoff. Every other country would have persevered and ensured that the aircraft flew, and became better. By now a Marut variant could have been flying as the advanced jet trainer. But the fighter pilots are made of different stuff, so India will import one.

Had India continued with the Marut programme, it would not have been facing the difficulty that it currently faces in making the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) fly. Expertise cannot be created, it is gained, over time and with effort. The LCA project is now 15 years old, still not a bad achievement considering that aircraft-manufacturing countries take the same time, if not more. All this while India has been importing more and more different types of aircraft, like its tanks, and now the stables can be said to have various pedigrees. The latest crowd thriller being the most bizarre purchase. An Air Force of this vintage, and size, with not one force multiplier in its ranks is an incomplete service. But instead of filling those gaps, the Air Force convincedthe government that Rs 6000 crore plus could be spent on one purchase, and that too numbering only 40 aircraft.

As good as it may be, the Su-30 cannot replicate the accuracy, consistency and cost-effectiveness of ballistic missiles. What vital defence need could 40 aircraft fill when the service itself has serious material and systemic deficiencies? Or two T-90 regiments which will cost many times more money than has yet been spent on MBT Arjun? The tank men and fighter pilots must be superior humans, for a layman cannot seem to understand their minds.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.

merlin · Post by **merlin** » 04 Mar 2011 12:38

^^^ More than 10 years later that article is still relevant. I don't know whether to laugh or to cry.

jai · Post by **jai** » 04 Mar 2011 14:42

shiv wrote:

From the Indian Express archives 1998
http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19 ... 0684p.html
Posting in full
Tuesday, October 20, 1998

Of tanks, planes and the officers
Manvendra Singh

The tank men and fighter pilots must be superior humans, for a layman cannot seem to understand their minds.

Brilliant Article. Sometimes I wonder if we can find a way to write directly to Mr Clean and send him these posts.....ideas anyone ??

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 04 Mar 2011 22:44

The tank men and fighter pilots must be superior humans, for a layman cannot seem to understand their minds.

It is not them.. it is the middle men and their setup with kalmadi raja & sons plus various of its nexus kinds. For what you may not know, is the article may be paid by these setup, just to make sure they keep diverting aam minds towards their objectives.

It would be ever an urban legend or conspiracy theory, as long as aam minds remain aam.

Nihat · Post by **Nihat** » 05 Mar 2011 00:19

That express india article is nothing more than a acute case of "crying over spilt milk", whats in the past is in the past. Looking at recent developments, I'm confident that forces and DRDO, HAL et all continue to learn from past mistakes and this is evident in development of Arjun MK II and FMBT (army), LCA and AMCA (IAF) and about the Navy everyone knows.

Defence related R&D is in the works in almost all important areas including AWACS, beam weapons, F-INSAS etc. Lets give it more time.

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 05 Mar 2011 18:59

In Defence of foreign tie-ups

While there is pride in successful indigenous development, joint development with advanced countries would have accelerated many Defence projects.<snip>

The statement by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Secretary, Dr V.K. Saraswat, that nearly 30 of the organisation's high-tech projects involved US co-operation assumes significance in the backdrop of the longstanding strain between the two nations in this sector.

The DRDO Chief also broadly indicated that the areas of ongoing co-operation with the US included manufacturing, materials, communication systems and low-intensity conflict areas. Interestingly, Dr Saraswat has been a strong votary of indigenous development of critical materials. But his recent remarks reflect a pragmatic approach for joint development with willing international partners.

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 05 Mar 2011 19:41

Kailash wrote:
Varoon Shekhar wrote:http://flonnet.com/stories/20110311280509400.htm

Nice write up by TS as usual. DRDO's achievements. (more than one article in the issue)

The DRDO has developed an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), Nishant, and a pilotless target aircraft, Lakshya. Both are under production. They will be used for battlefield surveillance and reconnaissance, target-tracking and correcting artillery fire .
How does a UAV correct artillery fire? or is it just DDM?

A Combat Free Fall System helps paratroopers jump from high altitudes, glide long distances or land at specific spots. The system comprises a ram-jet parachute, an oxygen cylinder, jumpsuit, communication system and navigational equipment.
could not find anything remotely resembling the bolded part... any suggestions?

One thing Is possible, UAV can can light up a target with Laser beam and a smart shell, something like Krasponal Shell can use to hit a target. Like SF forces lighting up targets for Aircraft.

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 05 Mar 2011 20:57

In the old days "Army aviation" meant a single engine aircraft called an "AOP" - an Air Observation Post in which the pilot (and maybe an observer) would observe the effect of artillery and advise corrections to make sure a target is hit. UAVs to do that would be more stealthy and cheaper and risk no pilot. All that is needed is to see how far away from the target shells are falling, make the correction and "boom". If that misses - make a further correction

An AOP was used to guide IAF pilots in Longewala and the pilot's story is unique and as heroic as anything else about that event.

Gaur · Post by **Gaur** » 05 Mar 2011 21:41

Aditya_V wrote: One thing Is possible, UAV can can light up a target with Laser beam and a smart shell, something like Krasponal Shell can use to hit a target. Like SF forces lighting up targets for Aircraft.

It may interest you to know that it is generally not the job of SF personnel to light up targets for Arty fire. At least this is not the general case in IA. An OP (observation post) Officer from Arty along with 3 jawans comprise of a team which infiltrate silently behind enemy lines to do this job. This was exactly the case in Kargil too. Even though there was no designating to be done (seeing as Krasnopol was useless in high altitude), it was the OP Officer and his team which used to silently go as close to Pakistani positions as possible and advised corrections to the arty fire. Sadly, we lost too many brave men because of that. Hopefully that will end as more UAVs get inducted in numbers.