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

Gyan · Post by **Gyan** » 10 Aug 2017 18:55

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/a ... 028389.ece

BEL to establish second unit in Krishna district

A new plant to make state-of-the-art IR seekers for missiles, night vision devices, and thermal imaging cameras is being set up at Nimmakuru in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh by the defence public sector undertaking, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).

S K Sharma, Chairman and Managing Director of BEL, said, while the turnover of the existing BEL facility at Machilipatnam was Rs.400-500 crore, the new plant’s turnover would be much higher. He said it would be operational in about three years.

Mr. Sharma said huge investments were being made in the Bengaluru and Ghaziabad BEL units for developing and producing Active Electronically Scanned Array radars in two-three years. He said BEL was collaborating with Israel for manufacturing missile guidance radars and with the French firm, Thales, for development of radar technologies.

jayasimha · Post by **jayasimha** » 14 Aug 2017 16:20

https://www.drdo.gov.in/drdo/English/II ... ___BPJ.pdf

DRDO Bullet Proof Jacket (For Indian Army GSQR 1438) SALIENT FEATURES:
❖ For the first time, the most stringent Indian Army GSQR 1438 has been successfully qualified by DRDO developed Bullet Proof Jacket.
❖ The Bullet Proof Jacket (BPJ) is modular in design and meets all the requirements of Indian Army GSQR 1438.
❖ The BPJ consists of three parts: Soft Armour Panels (SAPs), Hard Armour Panels (HAPs) and carrier to accommodate SAPs and HAPs.
❖ The Soft Armour Panels provides protection against 9 mm carbine form a distance of 05 meter with Back Face Signature (BFS) less than 25 mm.
❖ All Hard Armour Panels (HAPs) provides protection against 7.62 SLR, AK-47 (MSC) bullets from 10 meter distance while the Front HAP also provides protection against 7.62 SLR, AK-47 (MSC & VHSC) bullets.
❖ Successfully designed (from ab-initio), fabricated and evaluated in all the three sizes (Small, Medium and Large) meeting all requirements of Indian Army GSQR 1438. ❖ All the three sizes Small, Medium and Large have been successfully evaluated as per GSQR 1438 at TBRL, Chandigarh.

VKumar · Post by **VKumar** » 14 Aug 2017 16:54

I am waiting for the day when they mount a KAVERI on a LCA and trial it.

Thakur_B · Post by **Thakur_B** » 14 Aug 2017 18:44

jayasimha wrote:https://www.drdo.gov.in/drdo/English/II ... ___BPJ.pdf

DRDO Bullet Proof Jacket (For Indian Army GSQR 1438) SALIENT FEATURES:
❖ For the first time, the most stringent Indian Army GSQR 1438 has been successfully qualified by DRDO developed Bullet Proof Jacket.
❖ The Bullet Proof Jacket (BPJ) is modular in design and meets all the requirements of Indian Army GSQR 1438.
❖ The BPJ consists of three parts: Soft Armour Panels (SAPs), Hard Armour Panels (HAPs) and carrier to accommodate SAPs and HAPs.
❖ The Soft Armour Panels provides protection against 9 mm carbine form a distance of 05 meter with Back Face Signature (BFS) less than 25 mm.
❖ All Hard Armour Panels (HAPs) provides protection against 7.62 SLR, AK-47 (MSC) bullets from 10 meter distance while the Front HAP also provides protection against 7.62 SLR, AK-47 (MSC & VHSC) bullets.
❖ Successfully designed (from ab-initio), fabricated and evaluated in all the three sizes (Small, Medium and Large) meeting all requirements of Indian Army GSQR 1438. ❖ All the three sizes Small, Medium and Large have been successfully evaluated as per GSQR 1438 at TBRL, Chandigarh.

Hallelujah. The last batch of jackets ordered under emergency purchase (deliveries of which have started) didn't completely meet the criteria but was considered good enough.

JayS · Post by **JayS** » 14 Aug 2017 19:33

jayasimha wrote:https://www.drdo.gov.in/drdo/English/II ... ___BPJ.pdf

DRDO Bullet Proof Jacket (For Indian Army GSQR 1438) SALIENT FEATURES:
❖ For the first time, the most stringent Indian Army GSQR 1438 has been successfully qualified by DRDO developed Bullet Proof Jacket.
❖ The Bullet Proof Jacket (BPJ) is modular in design and meets all the requirements of Indian Army GSQR 1438.
❖ The BPJ consists of three parts: Soft Armour Panels (SAPs), Hard Armour Panels (HAPs) and carrier to accommodate SAPs and HAPs.
❖ The Soft Armour Panels provides protection against 9 mm carbine form a distance of 05 meter with Back Face Signature (BFS) less than 25 mm.
❖ All Hard Armour Panels (HAPs) provides protection against 7.62 SLR, AK-47 (MSC) bullets from 10 meter distance while the Front HAP also provides protection against 7.62 SLR, AK-47 (MSC & VHSC) bullets.
❖ Successfully designed (from ab-initio), fabricated and evaluated in all the three sizes (Small, Medium and Large) meeting all requirements of Indian Army GSQR 1438. ❖ All the three sizes Small, Medium and Large have been successfully evaluated as per GSQR 1438 at TBRL, Chandigarh.

Finally it DRDO who matched the requirements. How poetic.

BTW is this the same jacket with Composite tech, that was being talked about a couple of months ago..?

Gyan · Post by **Gyan** » 14 Aug 2017 20:10

But I hope that current BPJs continue to be procured till new super duper DRDO BPJ enters "mass" production. We should not make the usual mistake of waiting for super product while ignoring the adequate product which is immediately available and can add value to our Military.

Gyan · Post by **Gyan** » 14 Aug 2017 20:14

JayS wrote:
BTW is this the same jacket with Composite tech, that was being talked about a couple of months ago..?

No, Govt replied in the Parliament that the Claim about new Material was still to be verified. I strongly feel that the said claim was hyped to stall further procurement of readily available indigenous BPJs. I strongly feel that there is a strong lobby now in India which stalls any indigenous product at all, by varied means, primarily by pointing out some pie in the sky.

sanjayc · Post by **sanjayc** » 14 Aug 2017 20:26

Gyan wrote:
JayS wrote:
BTW is this the same jacket with Composite tech, that was being talked about a couple of months ago..?
No, Govt replied in the Parliament that the Claim about new Material was still to be verified. I strongly feel that the said claim was hyped to stall further procurement of readily available indigenous BPJs. I strongly feel that there is a strong lobby now in India which stalls any indigenous product at all, by varied means, primarily by pointing out some pie in the sky.

Not really. The scientist who made that claim never spoke to any media. A reporter apparently lifted the story from a presentation he gave at a conference, and the story went viral. It is a research project and the first prototype is still an year away. The story got publicized prematurely, much to the discomfort of everyone.

JayS · Post by **JayS** » 14 Aug 2017 21:48

OK. Then it was the earlier one which was already under development. IIRC I read about it. The one previous to this was overweight I think.

Anyhow great news. I hope the license for manufacture is given to 2-3 pvt companies as soon as possible (IMO GOI should give away the IPR to these companies, given they sell at lower prices to our Forces and can make money freely selling outside. That would give then incentive to keep it developing too. GO can give some RnD funding in future). We have a huge requirement with AFs, paramilitary and police forces combined. Scale will make it cheap as well. We can equip every single Soldier and Police in coming decade. If it has passed IA requirements, it means its already a world class BPJ. If we can maintain quality in MFG, we should get a good international market too.

jayasimha · Post by **jayasimha** » 17 Aug 2017 11:43

R&DE(E), Pune has developed a 5m short span bridging system.
Interested parties may respond along with their company profile, financial & technical
capabilities.
After EOI stage, information about criteria and process of selection for Transfer of
Technology (TOT) will be given to interested parties.
Interested industry partner may write to Director, R&DE(Engrs), Pune

https://www.drdo.gov.in/drdo/English/IITM/5m_SSBS.pdf

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 17 Aug 2017 11:48

They say its MLC-70. What is that? 70 tonne capability?

Added later YES. Its for Arjun!!!

And is it a build to print tender?

jayasimha · Post by **jayasimha** » 17 Aug 2017 13:27

R&DE (Engrs) has developed a mechanically launched single span 46m MLC
70 Modular Bridge with bridge length varying from 14 to 46m in step of 6.5m. As the
name implies, the bridge can support vehicles up to load class MLC 70

https://www.drdo.gov.in/drdo/English/II ... _brief.pdf

jayasimha · Post by **jayasimha** » 17 Aug 2017 13:29

Sarvatra Bridging System
https://www.drdo.gov.in/drdo/English/II ... ite_up.pdf

jayasimha · Post by **jayasimha** » 17 Aug 2017 13:36

from wikipedia for a change..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_ ... sification
Military Load Classification MLC

Gaur · Post by **Gaur** » 17 Aug 2017 14:46

Dynamatic sets sights on becoming 'private sector HAL'

http://www.business-standard.com/articl ... 077_1.html

Last month, on the sidelines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel, DTL signed a partnership with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), a global leader in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). DTL plans to leverage this partnership to become an Indian “systems integrator” — the entity at the apex of a manufacturing chain, which integrates assemblies and sub-assemblies built by Tier-1 and Tier-2 suppliers into a final product.

Manufacturing state-of-the-art UAVs, like the “medium altitude long endurance” system that India’s military is buying, is only a waypoint for DTL. Eventually, the company —which already builds one-sixth of the fuselage of the Sukhoi-30MKI, and one-fifth of the Tejas fighter’s fuselage for Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) — aims to become a full-scale systems integrator of sophisticated combat aircraft.

DTL believes the next logical step towards building sophisticated aerospace systems is to be a systems integrator for UAVs — flying platforms, but less complex than manned combat aircraft.

“We believe this is the logical moment to transition up the value chain to become a systems integrator. En route to building complete fighter jets or bigger aerospace systems, we believe that UAV development and integration is realistic and achievable for Dynamatic”, says the company’s chief executive, Udayant Malhoutra.

“In my mind, we are working to become the private-sector HAL of tomorrow”, he emphasises.

To assess DTL’s ambitions and capabilities, Business Standard visited its brand new manufacturing location — a 27.5-acre facility at Devanhalli, adjoining Bengaluru’s new international airport, where the UAV line will come up. Capable of housing half-a-million square feet of hangar space, Devanhalli is accessible by large cargo trucks and provides ready access to the airport.

At nearby Doddabalapur, DTL owns a large research farm that could be converted to manufacture later, if required.

With DTL’s long-standing facility at Peenya, outside Bengaluru, running short of space, the manufacture of flap-track beams for Airbus’ A330 wide-body airliners has already been shifted to Devanhalli, along with the assembly of Bell-407 cabins for Bell Helicopters.

Meanwhile, DTL’s Peenya plant continues manufacturing flap-track beams for every one of the 54 single-aisle airliners (A318, A319, A320 and A321) that Airbus assembles each month; and also components for Boeing’s P-8I maritime aircraft and CH-47E Chinook helicopters.

DTL has experience in UAVs, having participated in the DRDO’s programme to build the Lakshya pilotless vehicle. In 2015, DTL signed a “teaming agreement” with US company, AeroVironment, to co-develop the Cheel UAV — which is one of the six pilot projects designated during US President Barack Obama’s visit to India. However, no orders have resulted from that initiative.

jayasimha · Post by **jayasimha** » 17 Aug 2017 15:18

List potential make in India Projects

http://www.makeinindiadefence.com/List% ... ojects.pdf
-----------------------------------

30.3.17 Potential ‘Make Projects
( Actually file name says updated 10.7.2017

http://www.makeinindiadefence.com/Updat ... 7.2017.pdf

jayasimha · Post by **jayasimha** » 17 Aug 2017 16:27

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease. ... lid=169891

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Defence
11-August-2017 15:08 IST
Defence Hardware Sector

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is manufacturing Sukhoi-30 MKI, Hawk, and Dornier 228 (DO 228) aircraft under License from foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) for which Technologies have been fully absorbed to the extent of Transfer of Technology (ToT) contracts.

Light Combat Aircraft “TEJAS” and Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv are indigenously designed & developed.

Indigenization of components is a continuous process involving development and qualification. New technologies especially, advanced avionics, advanced mechanical systems, structured design capabilities;

several world class high value ground test rigs have been established and HAL has also involved private industries to supply airborne items, aircraft/helicopter sub-assemblies and assemblies which can directly fit on aircraft/helicopter.

The present status of indigenization of the major platforms manufactured by HAL is as below:-

S. No.
Platform
Present %age of indigenization content (By number of parts)

1.
Sukhoi-30 MKI
75%
2.
Hawk
72%
3.
LCA
75%
4.
ALH
75%
5.
DO-228
74%

The expenditure on purchase of defence equipment for the three services during the last two years from the foreign vendors and Indian vendors is as follows :-

Capital and Revenue expenditure (Rs. in crore):

Year
Total procurement
Procurement from
Foreign Vendors

Procurement
from Indian Vendors
2015-16
76178.80
34.38%
65.62%
2016-17
84260.98
36.19%
63.18%

Government has taken various steps to encourage indigenization and self-reliance in defence. Under ‘Make in India’ initiative, Government has taken following initiatives:-

i. A new Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP), 2016 has been promulgated by the Government to take effect from 01st April, 2016 whereby a new category of procurement ‘Buy {Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)}’ which has been accorded top–most priority for procurement of Capital equipment. Besides this, preference has been accorded to ‘Buy (Indian) and ‘Buy & Make (Indian)’ categories of capital acquisition over ‘Buy (Global)’ and ‘Buy & Make (Global)’ categories. The ‘Make’ Procedure has been simplified with provisions for funding of 90% of development cost by the Government to Indian industry and reserving projects not exceeding development cost of Rs. 10 Crore (Government funded) and Rs. 3 Crore (Industry funded) for MSMEs.

ii. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Policy has been revised. FDI up to 49% is allowed through automatic route and beyond 49% under Government approval route wherever it is likely to result in access to modern technology or for other reasons to be recorded.

iii. Indian licensing regime for Indian manufacturers has been liberalized and most of the components/ parts/ sub-systems have been taken out from the list of Defence products requiring industrial license which has resulted in reduction in the entry barriers for new entrants in this sector particularly SMEs. The initial validity of industrial license has been increased from 3 years to 15 years with a provision to further extend it by 3 years on a case to case basis.

iv. Issues related to level playing field between Indian and foreign manufacturers and between Public sector & Private sector have also been addressed. These include Exchange Rate Variation (ERV) protection for Indian vendors.

v. Offset guidelines have been made flexible by allowing change of Indian Offset Partners (IOPs) and Offset components even in signed contracts. Foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are now not required to indicate the details of IOPs and products at the time of signing of contracts. ‘Services’ as an avenue of offset have been re-instated.

vi. In HAL, an R&D Corpus of 10% of the operational profit after tax is earmarked for R&D activities both in-house and with private vendors.

vii. Strategic partnership model has been formulated by the Government in May, 2017 to focus on substitution of imported spares, ensure greater self-reliance and dependability of supplies, essential to meet national security objectives.

viii. Certain components of some of the defence equipment of Russian origin have been identified and published on the web for identifying Indian private sector companies for indigenous manufacture under Joint Ventures/Transfer of Technology agreements with Russian OEMs.

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Dr. Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to Shri Jose K. Mani in Lok Sabha today.

Nampi/Rajib

Gyan · Post by **Gyan** » 17 Aug 2017 20:37

jayasimha wrote:List potential make in India Projects

http://www.makeinindiadefence.com/List% ... ojects.pdf
-----------------------------------

30.3.17 Potential ‘Make Projects
( Actually file name says updated 10.7.2017

http://www.makeinindiadefence.com/Updat ... 7.2017.pdf

It seems that T-90 super gun cannot achieve more than 600mm RHA penetration.

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 17 Aug 2017 20:44

Its the ammunition that does the penetration - not the gun no? And penetration is a function of range in the case of APFSDS. This is a bit like Jaguar underpowered discussion. Unladen but fuelled and at sea level the Jag is not underpowered. A shell that penetrates something at 800 meters may fail at 1600 meters

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 17 Aug 2017 22:08

Gyan that's 800mm RHA at 3000m range. It's good.
Do please read the full text.

Gyan · Post by **Gyan** » 17 Aug 2017 23:36

ramana wrote:Gyan that's 800mm RHA at 3000m range. It's good.
Do please read the full text.

I read the full text. I am great at it.

The present capability is less than 600 mm RHA and Army after buying junk wants to enhance it to 800mm RHA. And it's neither 600 or 800 at 3000m. That's the max range they are looking at due to proposed 0.35 minute accuracy.

So T-90 has poor firing range, poor accuracy, poor round penetration, no AC, no APU, needs additional thermal imagers, also needs BMS and active self protection system. Apart from iffy engine, degradation in summer & breakdowns in competition.

End Result:- let's buy Armata

Gyan · Post by **Gyan** » 17 Aug 2017 23:42

shiv wrote:Its the ammunition that does the penetration - not the gun no? And penetration is a function of range in the case of APFSDS. This is a bit like Jaguar underpowered discussion. Unladen but fuelled and at sea level the Jag is not underpowered. A shell that penetrates something at 800 meters may fail at 1600 meters

Read the explanation given by Army. Gun is too sissy to fire powerful ammo. It's all there in black and white. Perhaps, That's why we are buying license production rights of third rate ammo at high cost from Russians. I am sure Death rate in Dalal community has increased because they are dying of laughter at India's procurement policies.

nam · Post by **nam** » 18 Aug 2017 03:30

The RFI is very peculiar. Why is asking for vendor for ammo and barrel development?

Who in India has the experience to develop a sabot round other than DRDO? Are they looking for production partner?

For barrel, again there is ofb &, Bharat forge who can produce barrels. DRDO and Bharat forge may be able to design new ones. Why are they not asking DRDO? If vendor there is only Bharat forge.

It is so weird.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 18 Aug 2017 05:27

I think it's a build to print tender. They will provide the drawings. Supplier needs to have facilities.

Gaur · Post by **Gaur** » 18 Aug 2017 15:31

Make in India killing Kerala's Defence PSUs

http://english.manoramaonline.com/news/ ... siles.html

Gyan · Post by **Gyan** » 18 Aug 2017 18:01

These seems to import more, to plug the holes tenders. No way anyone has that sort of expertise in India. No extended time or R&D funds offered to develop the products. Will someone have a T-90 tank engine which is twice more powerful and reliable than Russians sitting in its showroom?

jayasimha · Post by **jayasimha** » 18 Aug 2017 18:40

5th NATIONAL
SYMPOSIUM ON
SHOCK WAVES

February 28 to March 2 , 2018
----------------
– Organized by –
SOCIETY FOR SHOCK WAVE RESEARCH (INDIA)
– In collaboration with –
HIGH ENERGY MATERIALS SOCIETY OF INDIA
CHANDIGARH-DELHI CHAPTER

-at-
Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory
Sector 30, Chandigarh, INDIA
https://www.drdo.gov.in/drdo/whatsnew/T ... SSW-18.pdf

jayasimha · Post by **jayasimha** » 18 Aug 2017 18:42

https://www.drdo.gov.in/drdo/whatsnew/T ... SSW-18.pdf

Technology Focus Vol. 25, Issue 4 July-August 2017 - DRDO
Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS)

nam · Post by **nam** » 18 Aug 2017 19:35

Gaur wrote:Make in India killing Kerala's Defence PSUs

http://english.manoramaonline.com/news/ ... siles.html

Best piece of news in defense production, in a while.

I am surprised HMT is still available. Ah forgot it is in Kerala..

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 18 Aug 2017 20:35

The story has spelling mistakes but big picture is HMT was excluded from supplying CNC machines.

Now what the heck is a wood CNC machine?

Maybe the right thing is to privatize HMT Kalamaasery unit?

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 24 Aug 2017 10:50

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited: Aviation complex

Over the past 70 years, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd has churned out 29 types of aircraft, from the MiG-21 to the Sukhoi Su-30MKI, and the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft; Chetak, Cheetah and Dhruv helicopters; and transport aircraft for the security forces and is India's only hub for the design, development and production of aircraft.

Sandeep Unnithan

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited | Established in 1964

A FLYING START

A businessman with exceptional vision set up India's first aircraft-producing factory, Hindustan Aircraft, in 1940. Seth Walchand Hirachand, who had also set up India's first shipyard, Scindia Steam Navigation Company, and automobile plant, Premier Automobiles, was exceptionally prescient when he approached the kingdom of Mysore for seed capital for his startup. Hirachand was laying the building blocks for the soon-to-be independent country's industrial base. Today, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd is India's only hub for the design, development and production of aircraft. Over the past 70 years, it has churned out 29 types of aircraft-from the MiG-21 to the Sukhoi Su-30MKI and the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft; Chetak, Cheetah and Dhruv helicopters; and transport aircraft for the security forces. An aerospace wing set up over two decades ago gave the Indian Space Research Organisation a leg-up in its space race by supplying key components for the Mars Orbiter mission and GSLV Mark III launch in 2014. It has created an entire aviation and high-technology industrial ecosystem by sourcing components from nearly 2,400 partners. HAL supplies high precision structural and composite work packages for Airbus A-320 and Boeing-777 aircraft. It has manufactured 4,060 aircraft and helicopters, 4,900 aero engines, and overhauled/ upgraded over 11,000 aircraft and 32,000 engines. Of late, it's transforming from a manufacturing to a technology firm by ploughing 10 per cent of profits into R&D and is set to produce over 1,000 helicopters and over 100 combat jets over the next decade to remain the mainstay of India's aerospace might.

DID YOU KNOW?

HAL has filed 1,500 patents in the past five years, up from two in 2012.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 24 Aug 2017 13:21

Space flights, nuclear power and a missile shield

Varoon Shekhar · Post by **Varoon Shekhar** » 24 Aug 2017 17:10

Nice article about HAL, uplifting. The 4900 aero-engines manufactured is impressive. What percentage of the Adour, Tumansky, Tumansky R-29, RD-33, MK-536 etc is indigenously produced? Or is mostly high level assembly with minimum manufacture where the engines are concerned? Does the 840 'extra' engines( 4900-4060) mean that there are engines kept in storage in case of malfunction or major damage to the flying engines?

Gaur · Post by **Gaur** » 28 Aug 2017 00:37

What about defence confidentiality?', BEML staff ask Arun Jaitley, protest disinvestment

Read more at: http://www.oneindia.com/india/what-abou ... 30689.html

"BEML is not for sale. Save BEML, Save nation" banners welcomed Arun Jaitley to the PSU's unit in Bengaluru on Saturday. Employees of Bharat Earth Movers Limited made their angst clear to the Defense minister over the government's proposal to sell 26 per cent stakes in the company.

Dozens of employees gathered at the venue where Arun Jaitley inaugurated the BEML's third Line ultra modern metro manufacturing facility to enhance the production of metro cars. Many staff wore tags opposing the government's disinvestment move.

BEML manufactures in three verticals: rail and metro, earth moving equipment and defence. The staff claim that with disinvestment comes the risk of compromising on the confidentiality of defence manufacturing.

"We come under the ministry of defence. BEML started with an investment of Rs 5 crores but now we are a profit making entity with profits of Rs 3,560 crores. We request the government to not go ahead with its proposal of 26 per cent strategic sale," said Srinivas, the President of the BMEL employees association.

"We are a profit making company and are in the business of defence manufacturing. Our defence equipment has helped Indian military forces win two wars. If the government privatises this company, our documents, defence manufacturing secrets will be accessed by private persons. This should not happen. We have given Rs 960 crore in dividends to the government," he added.

"Why is the government moving to disinvest a profit making entity?" A group of BEML staff made a representation to Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday and submitted a plea to stop the disinvestment process. The staff had just one question to ask, why is the government bent upon selling off a profit making entity?

"The purpose of setting up public sector itself is to generate employment, to ensure social justice and uplift the down trodden. This proposed disinvestment will defeat that very purpose. BSNL are classic examples. Corporates that come forward will eventually outsource it to someone else for marginal profits. They have no national interest. What happens to 8,000 employees of BEML, contract operators both technical and non-technical, vendors, suppliers etc?" asked Bhupathi Rao, General Secretary, BEML employees association.

Employees have been protesting at all BEML units since the government's decision became official. They intend to continue their protest until the government withdraws its decision.

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 30 Aug 2017 05:48

Blue laser based submarine communication system
https://twitter.com/sjha1618/status/902513262779973634

Apart from the fact that the laser colour will be blue

, what is this?

Thakur_B · Post by **Thakur_B** » 30 Aug 2017 09:35

Rakesh wrote:Blue laser based submarine communication system
https://twitter.com/sjha1618/status/902513262779973634

Apart from the fact that the laser colour will be blue , what is this?

http://www.militaryaerospace.com/articl ... tions.html

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 30 Aug 2017 23:49

Folks please download and read this report. It clears up lot of anxieties about OFB, DRDO and DGQA.....

ramana wrote:2016-2017 Parliament committee report on OFB functioning Issued March 2017...

Many infrastructure projects to be completed in 2017. Lots of monitoring by even Parliament.
Maj. Gen Khanduri is going gang busters.

LINK

JayS · Post by **JayS** » 31 Aug 2017 01:13

^^ from the report, pg 13:

Akash booster and sustainaer - existing capacity of production = 100/yr. Planned 500/yr by Dec'2018. Looks like delayed big time. Expected was March'2014.

Pinaka - existing capacity 1000/yr. Planned 5000/yr by Sept'18. Again looks like 3yr delayed.

Overall Inhouse RND expenditure for OFB is paltry <90Cr for this year. at 0.7% of overall turnover. And this is 3x increase since 2011-12.

"‘OFB has taken up in-house R&D projects for Indigenous Design and Development of Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV), Air Defence Gun, Electronic Fuze, 7.62x51 mm Assault Rifle, 155/52mm MGS, Dhanush SP Gun etc. "

The value of indigenisation vis-a-vis value of supplies for the last three years is as under:
2013-14 11123 9438 84.85%
2014-15 11364 10347 91.10%
2015-16 13047 11391 87.30%

Quality Check process for OFB:

‘OFB supplies ammunition to Indian Army duly inspected by Quality Control department of factory as well as DGQA (2nd Party Inspection Agency). The following tests are carried for a batch of ammunition production to ensure quality:

All input materials are tested in designated laboratories. 100% dimensional checking is done by factory

Sampling dimensional checking is done by DGQA
On an average, 21 lab tests are conducted by factory and DGQA
On an average, 4% rounds are fired by DGQA as part of dynamic firing
The ammunition batch is accepted and issued to Army only after it passes all the above tests. However, in spite of maintaining stringent checks of quality, during bulk exploitation of above ammunition by user, some defects/accidents are observed sometime. Important reasons for the defect in performance of ammunition are: Manufacturing deficiencies

Improper handling and storage of ammunition in ammunition depots
Improper maintenance of weapon system in weapon depots
Improper handling of ammunition and weapons during firing
In addition to above, reliability of design always remains an issue.

Responsibility of OFB is to manufacturing and up to dispatching of ammunition to Army and responsibility of storage, handling, maintenance of ammunitions lies with the Army which are equally responsible for defects/accidents.

Unlike other products, ammunition is single-use item. For this reason, 100% inspection including dynamic proof cannot be carried out. A principle of Statistical Quality Control (SQC) is employed for final acceptance of ammunition. SQC is inherently associated with both Producer’s risk and Customer’s risk. Hence such problems may surface during the process of exploitation.
System of accelerated exploitation of ammunition has been introduced for last two years, to have early feedback on performance of Ammunition. As per reports received on accelerated exploitation from Army, the performance of the ammunition has been found to be satisfactory.’

Interesting stuff related to DRDO. Among new projects in pipeline for strategic missile systems are Submarine launched CM and RudraM-III. What is this RudraM-III..? I believe we have seen it being referred to previously from the same report.

Too tired to post all the stuff now. But two key data point. Our defense RnD expenditure is 5-6% of our total Def expenditure and sum total of 0.1% of our GDP..!!

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 31 Aug 2017 04:05

And also I think they need a skill up gradation in the OFB personnel.
Also did you note that OFB wants to go for mainly CNC machines which need an educated work force.

In US they have two year college after high school that allows some technical training absorption.

R&D spending has to increase along with procurement reform of bottle necks.
This single vendor thing will choke all modern acquisitions.

-
This Parliamentary report is better than the CAG reports which are just find faults and deficiencies.

It gives better picture.

Karan M · Post by **Karan M** » 31 Aug 2017 04:12

Its a question of attitude. No amount of investment can help an organization which is held hostage by antiquated GOI policies and a completely unionized set up. Which OFB manager will buck the system? Please review the CAG reports. Its a saga of mismanagement. Expensive equipment lies wasting because it has either been procured for the wrong purpose or was never installed or was defective and OFB did not bother rectify. The amount of wastage in ammunition manufacture is dismaying, there is literally no ammunition they have not screwed up in collosal amounts.
125mm tank ammo to firearms - all is wasted. Every year OFB literally does an Air India to the MOD budget. Its unbelievable how long OFB set up has remained like this.

In turn, successful DPSU or Indian achievements get completely wasted. INSAS is a famous example. A private firm like Tata SED would have worked with DRDO to gradually make the rifle world class. OFB simply could not