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

JaiS · Post by **JaiS** » 31 May 2009 09:15

DRDO working on additional capabilities for Arjun battle tank

DIAT signs MoU with Russia

Detailed info on Arjun development and testing

Army gets its first armoured regiment of MBT Arjun

bart · Post by **bart** » 31 May 2009 14:16

JaiS wrote:DRDO working on additional capabilities for Arjun battle tank

DIAT signs MoU with Russia

Detailed info on Arjun development and testing

Army gets its first armoured regiment of MBT Arjun

DRDO should go for media psy-ops to show off it's success and superior capabilities of Arjun. Perhaps invite Vishnu and other TV channel folk to do a special segment, or better still invite auto mags for a test drive. IIRC there was one such test by Overdrive or some magazine a few years back.

anupmisra · Post by **anupmisra** » 31 May 2009 18:30

Gaurav_S wrote:Bata to make foray into defence sector

There's a Bata in Pookistan as well. Click What about confidentiality issues?

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 31 May 2009 19:13

next would be carona!?

Tilak · Post by **Tilak** » 31 May 2009 19:20

anupmisra wrote:
Gaurav_S wrote:Bata to make foray into defence sector
There's a Bata in Pookistan as well. Click What about confidentiality issues?

Bata is not an Indian company, it is/was always a multinational.

Bata Shoes (Czech: Baťa or Baťovy závody) is a large, family owned shoe company. It is currently headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and operates 4 business units worldwide – Bata Europe, Bata Emerging Markets, Bata Branded Business and Bata North America. It has a retail presence in over 50 countries and production facilities in 26 countries. In its history the company has sold more than 14 billion pairs of shoes.

The company was founded in 1894 in Zlín (then Austro-Hungarian Empire, today the Czech Republic) by Tomáš Baťa (Czech pronunciation: [ˈtomaːʃ ˈbaca]) whose family had been cobblers for generations. A large order from the army, military shoes and rising demand for them, during World War I started rapid growth and small manufacture turned into modern industrial concern, one of the first mass producers of shoes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bata_Shoes

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 02 Jun 2009 04:05

Tata to set up Rs 1,000 crore helicopter unit in Hyderabad SEZ.

Tata Advanced System Limited (TAS), a unit of the Tata group, will set up a helicopter manufacturing unit at the Aerospace Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Adhibatla village near the Hyderabad international airport.

The Rs 1,000-crore project will be commissioned by June next year and will come up at a 50-acre facility in the SEZ on land leased by the state government-owned Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC). The lease deed was signed by an APIIC official and Devender Kumar, chief executive officer of TAS, here on Monday after Major Industries Minister Kanna Lakshminarayana was sworn in.

TAS will be setting up the facility in collaboration with the US-based Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.

The project was announced at the India Aviation meet in Hyderabad last year by Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy.

Lakshminarayana said the government is convinced that the project will promote the state as an aerospace destination.

APIIC Chairman BP Acharya said this would be a high-end facility and would generate 1,000 jobs directly and another 4,000 indirectly. The APIIC is promoting the SEZ on 250 acres and has roped in several defence and precision engineering units in the private sector. “This is a major investment project in the state,'' he added

The ground-breaking ceremony for the manufacturing unit will be held in a fortnight.

TAS had a collaboration with Israel Aerospace Industries to set up a surveillance systems facility also at the SEZ, officials said, adding that TAS operations would be spread to defence products as well and would be the focal point for a large number of high-tech activities.

aditp · Post by **aditp** » 02 Jun 2009 18:44

Tata Motors eyeing the global defence market for Land Rover

According to reports in the media, Tata Motors, which had taken over marquee UK automobile brands, Jaguar and Land Rover, earlier this year, is exploring the possibility to sell the aforesaid vehicles for the defence market worldwide, which includes countries like India, China, Russia, and certain Scandinavian countries. With nearly 60 years' experience, Land Rover provides armed forces around the globe with light 4x4 vehicles designed to meet a wide range of defence and peacekeeping roles. The standard defence vehicle line-up within Land Rover's range is based on the Defender heavy-duty 4x4 platform. In addition the company manufactures Freelander 2, Discovery 3, Range Rover and Range Rover Sport.

According to well-informed sources who requested anonymity, Tata Motors is charting out plans to aggressively expand its presence in the worldwide defence sector, including India and are in the process of cracking a number of defence deals from overseas and domestic markets.

The first Land Rover vehicle rolled off the production line in 1948. From the same location in Solihull, in the West Midlands of the United Kingdom, the factory now produces over 200,000 4x4 vehicles each year.

The original Land Rover was developed after the end of the Second World War to meet a demand from farmers worldwide for a tough and robust light four-wheel-drive vehicle. It has undergone constant evolution and development ever since.

CHINA!!!!!

aditp · Post by **aditp** » 02 Jun 2009 22:08

pandyan wrote:why? whats the big deal in selling land rovers to china?

also, the big news on tata investing 1000 cr.....why doesnt HAL partner with tata to expand their ALH line?

bcoz, Land Rovers will be very effective high mobility vehicles for the Chinks to use against India in any future conflict. Atleast in the Laddakh plains. An Indian company cannot support the enemy's war effort. That too an industrial house that has been at the face of the Indian Manufacturing Industry.

JaiS · Post by **JaiS** » 03 Jun 2009 08:33

Tata, L&T, Godrej & Boyce put in bids for drone project

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 03 Jun 2009 08:48

yeah but will the land rovers work once we press the green button titled "inflict pain" ? maybe they
will drive backwards in a random fashion? chipanda will go crazy searching for hidden bugs and chankian trapdoors even if there are none. they will not buy land rovers except to reverse engineer - which purchase they could already have done long ago or from indirect sources using front cos/second hand market.

anmol · Post by **anmol** » 03 Jun 2009 15:40

aditp wrote:bcoz, Land Rovers will be very effective high mobility vehicles for the Chinks to use against India in any future conflict. Atleast in the Laddakh plains. An Indian company cannot support the enemy's war effort. That too an industrial house that has been at the face of the Indian Manufacturing Industry.

If Land Rover wont sell it to them, somebody else would. And if no one else sells such vehicles to them, they would reverse-engineer and pirate it. Therefore, it is better we make money, rather than someone else. But remember they will need to deal with Indian company when it comes to repair - maintenance - spares, therefore it would be pain to use Indian maal against Indians.

But i don't think we have to worry about it anymore, as some Chinese company bought Hummer for few hundred millions. I am quite certain that Chinese will go for Chinese maal over Indian Rovers.

JaiS · Post by **JaiS** » 05 Jun 2009 17:19

Number of scientists at DIAT triples

CVRDE, Avadi gets State of the Art Engine Test Facility

sum · Post by **sum** » 07 Jun 2009 10:39

Attrition no longer a worry for DRDO

Bangalore: Plagued by attrition rates as high as 17 per cent until recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has reasons to cheer now.

Attrition has come down to nil across its centres, and in fact young scientists and engineers are showing more interest in the defence organisation than ever before, Prahlada, Chief Controller Research and Development (Service Interaction), DRDO, told reporters on Saturday.

He said close to 100 non-resident Indians (NRIs) had applied to the organisation and 50 middle-level scientists who had left the DRDO had expressed interest in returning. This year, 20 B.Tech graduates from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) joined the DRDO. The organisation hires 600 scientists and engineers annually.

There were four factors responsible for this trend, Dr. Prahlada said: the slump in the job market triggered by recession; the opening of new areas for research and development at the DRDO; improvement in salary and prospects of promotions following the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations and the conducive work environment at the DRDO.

The Centre will invest Rs. 2,00,000 crore for research and development in the defence sector over the next 10 years, he said, adding that the annual budget allocation for the department, which was Rs. 6,000 crore this year, was likely to be increased by 10 per cent in 2010-11.

Dr. Prahlada said the DRDO “is thinking of the possibility” of working together with the National Security Guard to combat terrorism. For six months now, the government was looking at the role of technology in tackling terror strikes, he added. “The idea is to deploy low-cost, easily portable and quick manufacturing solutions all over the country to deal with low intensity conflicts and terror attacks.”

KrishG · Post by **KrishG** » 08 Jun 2009 02:20

HAL choppers going places but unable to meet domestic demand

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/bus ... 01931.html

The Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is eyeing international markets for its Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv but it is struggling to fulfil a surge in domestic demand following the Mumbai terror attack........“A lot has been made about exporting Dhruv but HAL is still to keep pace with the overwhelming demand for helicopters on the home front,” a highly placed defence official said on condition of anonymity....................“The ALH production line can churn out only two-three machines per month. At this rate it will take years to supply its present order for 200 choppers,” the official added.

Isn't LCH supposed to share the Manufacturing line of Dhruv ?? That would add to the woes of HAL.

JaiS · Post by **JaiS** » 08 Jun 2009 05:09

India upgrading ballistic missile defence system news

Speaking to media persons at Chidambaram town, where he was attending the staff development programme of the faculty of engineering and technology of Annamalai University, Saraswat said that under the second part of the development programme the country would enhance its missile defence capability to engage intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) with a range of 5,000-6,000-km.

DRDO to complete AWACS programme in 2011: DRDO Chief

''But what we are developing is the next generation AWACS which will be an improvement on Falcon. It will have better features and is fully indigenous, excepting some components sourced from outside.

Mounted on Embraer 145, it will be compact and easy to handle and maintain,'' he added.

DRDO was planning to build two aircraft and the first would roll out by 2011, he said.

Defence research agency woos graduates to design drones

Bug-proof garb for army

Quality recruits, near zero attrition at DRDO

JaiS · Post by **JaiS** » 11 Jun 2009 06:12

Army to induct first network-centric artillery system

"ACCCS is the artillery component of the TAC C3I grid, which is the first step of the Army to acquire the capability of network-centric warfare at the tactical level," they said. The system is scheduled to be inducted on Friday. "Sakthi is the first C3I system being fielded in the Indian Army. The role of ACCCS is to automate and integrate all artillery operational functions and provide decision support at all levels of artillery command from the corps level down to the battery or guns level in a networked environment," the officers said.

Developed by the Army's Directorate General of Information Systems, the Sakthi's three main electronic devices Enhanced Tactical Computer, Gun Display Unit and Hand Held Computer are produced by the defence public sector undertaking Bharat Electronics Limited.

JaiS · Post by **JaiS** » 12 Jun 2009 05:36

High-level panel will be set up to restructure DRDO: Antony

Scientist awarded for work on missiles

A Sharma · Post by **A Sharma** » 12 Jun 2009 17:42

From PIB

“SHAKTI” Artillery Combat Command and Control System (ACCCS), a fully digitized, integrated and networked system jointly developed by Bharat Electronics limited (BEL), Bangalore, Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and Project Management Organisation (PMO) ACCCS of Directorate General of Information Systems (DGIS) was dedicated to the Indian Army at a function today at DRDO Auditorium, here.

Lieutenant General PC Katoch, Director General of Information Systems (DGIS) and Shri Ashwani Kumar Datt, Chairman & Managing Director, BEL handed over the SHAKTI equipment JTO Army Chief Gen Deepak Kapoor and Lieutenant General KR Rao, Director General of Artillery. The function was atte4nded by several army officers alongwith senior officers from Air Force, Navy, DRDO and BEL.

Project SHAKTI is the first among the various Combat Command Control and Information (C31) systems being fielded in the Army. It is a network of military grade tactical computers automating and providing decision support for all operational aspects of Artillery functions from the corps down to a battery level. The system is also designed to seamlessly integrate with overall C31 grid. Project SHAKTI, thus will be the hub center of the fire power resource component of the corps combat potential. The major functions that the systems can perform are :-

• Technical fire control for accurate delivery of fire power at the right time and place.

• Tactical fire control for optimum utilization of available resources.

• Fire planning.

• Deployment management to ensure timely and speedy deployment to achieve maximum fire densities at critical area.

• Operational logistics management.

'SHAKTI' will give the capability to concentrate the Artillery fire power at tactical level with ease and delivering the decisive blow by concentrated fire power at critical areas to ensure victory in battle.

In his address the Army Chief stated that future wars would be short, intense and technology driven. To achieve a cutting edge the Army needs to take speedy decisions facilitated by situational awareness and decision support tools in a networked C 31 environment. Project SHAKTI has empowered the Artillery with that cutting edge through automation of all Artillery functions in was at all levels of command.

General Kapoor extended his appreciation to BEL Bangalore, Centre for Artificial Intelligence & Robotics (CAIR), ARDE for their dedicated efforts resulting in successful completion of the project.

JaiS · Post by **JaiS** » 12 Jun 2009 18:20

Link for the above article

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=49161

A Sharma, please post news with links.

enqyoob · Post by **enqyoob** » 12 Jun 2009 20:08

I take full credit for this, well.. will share a bit with the BENIS mullahs. Ten years of non-stop, dedicated propaganda had to have SOME effect:

IITians now queue up for defense jobs
Call it an effect of sixth pay commission or recession, but most probably of the "Bakistan Enlightened Nuclear Islamic State Bojitive News" thread at the Bharat-Rakshak Forum. For the first time ever, only 12 percent of the total recruitment at the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) went to the "topnotch" IITs of India. The other 88% are from places where the graduates really have the "fire in the belly" and the spine to do good work.

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 12 Jun 2009 20:34

^^^ Narayanan-ji

Congratulations to you and your team

Would it be good idea to put a link to our bojitive newz in the comments section of related news items? Just a thought.

HariC · Post by **HariC** » 12 Jun 2009 22:17

narayanan wrote:I take full credit for this, well.. will share a bit with the BENIS mullahs. Ten years of non-stop, dedicated propaganda had to have SOME effect:

The fact that the economy tanked also helped.

Jamal K. Malik · Post by **Jamal K. Malik** » 14 Jun 2009 14:23

IITians line up for DRDO postings
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/New ... 654297.cms

JaiS · Post by **JaiS** » 16 Jun 2009 05:50

DRDO turns to local vendors to save costs, expedite projects

IAF to induct 15 indigenously-built Saras aircraft

Rs 3,500 cr for IISc branch at Chitradurga

A huge combined investment of Rs 3,500 crore is set aside for establishing a branch of IISc and a defense research development office (DRDO) within a period of three years, in the area adjacent to sheep breeding centre, at Khudapura (Challakere taluk), the MP disclosed. As many as 4,000 scientists including 3,000 researchers will be stationed in the vicinity.

Jamal K. Malik · Post by **Jamal K. Malik** » 23 Jun 2009 00:08

DRDO To Concentrate on Core Technologies
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i= ... =ASI&s=TOP

JaiS · Post by **JaiS** » 24 Jun 2009 05:29

Indian, Russian rockets test-fired successfully

Hotshot weapon for army

JaiS · Post by **JaiS** » 25 Jun 2009 04:00

DRDO records jump in patents filing

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 25 Jun 2009 15:15

Guess they will start patenting Chilli bajjies and vada pavs.

By the way, can someone explain the intent/gain behind patenting defense developments? We did the same with our T/R modules some time ago. Is it deliberate planting of wrong information to throw the competitors off track? (or) Are we really that dumb to patent sensitive technologies ?

I can understand Life Science technologies and Drugs being patented as they are for immediate
civilian use and profit.

In case someone decides to use the information from our patents to build something anti, or something better, what can India do about it (I mean realistically, patent enforcement is voluntary and we have seen it being overridden when the host government want it..)?

Whom do we have to prove that we came up with a technology or technique on our own? (when the very thing is supposed to be kept a secret)

prashanth · Post by **prashanth** » 25 Jun 2009 17:37

^

Bulk of the patents filed is in the area of life sciences, followed by medical chemistry, drugs and biological. DRDO would like to put more stress on engineering products, an area where patent-filing has been comparatively less, Mr Sankaran said.

So no sensitive technologies involved. If they dont do this there are many companies within India ( utterly immoral) who might get their hands on these products and file a patent for themselves. OTOH if any private entity improvises on these products it is welcome.
No significant threats form outside.

sunilUpa · Post by **sunilUpa** » 25 Jun 2009 20:53

HAL cancels tender for co-developing medium-lift choppers

India's plans to get an indigenous medium-lift helicopter have received a setback as its premier aerospace company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has cancelled a tender to select a global partner for co-developing the 10-12 tonne class choppers for the armed forces.

HAL had released the tender for selecting a partner for co-developing the chopper for both civilian and military markets and French Company Eurocopter and Russian Mil were shortlisted for the contract.

However, the tender was cancelled as the armed forces' specifications for their requirements in the chopper were changed during the tender process, Defence Ministry sources told PTI.

The medium-lift helicopter development plan is being undertaken by HAL to replace the older versions of the Russian Mi-17s flying with the Indian Air Force and the Army.

Under the co-development programme, sources said, HAL and the chosen partner were supposed to produce around 350 of these helicopters over a period of 10-15 years and gradually replace the Mi-8 and Mi-17s.

"HAL will now release the tender again after adding in the additional specifications given by the armed forces and the process is expected to begin in next two months but the schedule has not yet been finalised," they said.

Sigh...however if you look at the bright side, this is better than changing the specs after the product is developed.

sampat · Post by **sampat** » 25 Jun 2009 22:28

Fiery-Hot Chilli Grenades To Quell Riots

India's security forces are planning to mix one of the world's hottest chilli powders in hand grenades to control riots and battle insurgents.Defence scientists said they will replace explosives in small grenades with a certain variety of red chilli to immobilise a person without killing him.

"We are working on a project on how to use the hottest chilli in different applications in defence forces," said RB Srivastava, a scientist at the state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation.

The chilli found in the country's north east generates so much heat it was enough to startle a person for a while when used as a weapon, researchers said.

The common chilli The bhut jolokia chilli is said to generate 1,000,000 heat units on the Scoville scale - a measure of hotness.
It is at least a thousand times more than a common kitchen chilli. The Scoville scale was named after American scientist Wilbur Scoville, the first to measure the heat component in chillies.

The bhut jolokia will also be used as a food supplement for soldiers deployed in cold weather conditions to raise their body temperatures, Mr Srivastava said.Scientists are hoping to use a coat of the chilli powder in fences around army barracks too, as its pungent smell keeps wild animals away.Pepper spray, which contains a chemical derived from peppers, is another commonly used riot control agent in many parts of the world.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 26 Jun 2009 22:34

When the recent ban on some military equip sellers was announced, one report said it would affect co-development of a bunker buster bomb called PB500(?). Any one know what it is?

The Ordnance Factory Board was also working on a proposal from IMI to jointly develop a bomb, PB500, capable of penetrating two-metre-thick concrete.

Source:

Defence rethink on Israel freeze

IMI offers Indian Army concrete piercing bombs
Feb. 03 - Israeli Military Industries (IMI) is offering the Indian Army bombs capable of piercing concrete, fortresses, and bunkers. The bombs will be displayed this week at the Aero India 2003 defense exhibition in Bangalore, in southern India. The bomb, called the PB-500, was developed in the main IMI ammunition laboratory. The bombs are capable of piercing the most highly sophisticated fortifications, such as those surrounding nuclear missile launching bases. In contrast with ordinary bombs, containing only a body and an explosive payload dropped on the target from an airplane, the PB-500 includes a laser guidance system, developed by Israeli Aircraft Industries and Elbit Systems. IMI claims that the bomb can penetrate two meters of concrete, and that its explosive payload causes damage equivalent to that of a bombing with twice the weight. IMI will also display its MSOV system at Aero India 2003. This is a bomb that can glide on a predetermined path for over 100 km. The bomb is designed for ground targets, such as armored and infantry formations, and airfields. The system includes an accurate navigating system, developed by IMI?s missile division unmanned aerial vehicle plant. Globes Online

vipins · Post by **vipins** » 26 Jun 2009 23:32

ramana wrote:When the recent ban on some military equip sellers was announced, one report said it would affect co-development of a bunker buster bomb called PB500(?). Any one know what it is?

google put up this link with a pic

IMI develops and produces a family of improved deep penetration (IDP)
warheads for aerial bombs, penetrating
hardened targets such as Bunkers, bridges,
aircraft shelters, headquarters and other
reinforced structures.
The physical and aerodynamic properties, as
well as aircraft and guidance kit interfaces of
IMI’s warheads are similar to those of the standard MK-83 or mk-
82general purpose bombs. IMI PB-500 warhead is MK-83 compatible,
and can be also integrated in air-to-surface missiles.
PB-500 version which penetrates 2 meters of reinforced concrete, is
operational and in production.

AmitR · Post by **AmitR** » 26 Jun 2009 23:42

vipins wrote: google put up this link with a pic

PB-500 version which penetrates 2 meters of reinforced concrete, is
operational and in production.

So it means that the bomb is already operational. So what is with this co-development stuff.
Another trick to pay for their entire research work.

vipins · Post by **vipins** » 26 Jun 2009 23:57

AmitR wrote: So it means that the bomb is already operational. So what is with this co-development stuff.
Another trick to pay for their entire research work.

It looks like co-development was offered around 2003

.
Quoted part in ramanaji's post is dated feb 2003.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 27 Jun 2009 00:21

Yeah, So for six years nothing happened. And then they get slapped with this corruption embroglio and there goes the bb bomb! IOW they (IAF) can forget it. And the price is cheap at $30k for the unit.

During Kargil I wrote and article for BRF on iron bombs and its still in the archives.

BBs are not a bachhon ka khel. The casing metallurgy has to be just right- if its too hard it will break up and too soft it will chappatify due to buckling. Then it has to hit at right angle of attack or it will end up going thru more than it can handle and get stuck like in pellet in foam. Then there is fuse which has to count the layers (in case of counter measures) and the acceleration in order to burst at right moment. Ideally it should go off when the profile changes from deceleration to acceleration meaning empty space or full penetration.

Most likely co-development means DRDO gets to understand all these. Too bad now they will have to come up with it themselves.

BTW, from the pics it looks like Paveway II adaptation by IMI.

Jamal K. Malik · Post by **Jamal K. Malik** » 03 Jul 2009 01:11

India's fast breeder reactor nears second milestone
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/00 ... 161340.htm

India's first indigenously designed fast breeder reactor, which is expected to start functioning at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu by 2010 and generate 500 MW of electricity, is headed for another milestone.

aditp · Post by **aditp** » 03 Jul 2009 09:02

Public Sector: survival through circumventing competitionBy Maj Gen Mrinal Suman

The current equipment profile of the Indian Armed Forces has been a matter of serious disquiet to all those who are concerned with national security issues. Many wonder if India possesses the necessary punch to safeguard its national interests. Articles appearing in the press indicate a requirement of 100 billion dollars and a time span of 10 years before a semblance of balance can be achieved. Why have matters been permitted to drift to such alarming levels? Who is responsible for the current state of affairs? By jeopardizing national security, India has been rendered a ’soft state’, as amply proved by the sheer audacity of the Mumbai terrorist attack of November 2008......

Jamal K. Malik · Post by **Jamal K. Malik** » 03 Jul 2009 22:38

India Inc makes strategic moves on defence deals
Old but good one news

A Sharma · Post by **A Sharma** » 06 Jul 2009 15:54

DRDO Technology Focus on Armoured Tracked Vehicles