The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is one of Asia's largest defense contractors and a leading aerospace manufacturer based in Bangalore, India. It was formed in 1958 by the merger of Technical Development Establishment and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production (DTDP) with the Defence Science Organisation (DSO). Year 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ... A defense contractor (sometimes called a military contractor) is a business organization or individual that provides products or services to a defense department of a government. ... An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing, building, testing, selling, and maintaining aircraft, aircraft parts, missiles, rockets, and/or spacecraft. ... , Bangalore (Bengalūru) (Kannada: ; pronunciation: in Kannada and in English) is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. ... Year 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The phrase mergers and acquisitions or M&A refers to the aspect of corporate finance strategy and management dealing with the merging and acquiring of different companies as well as assets. ...

DRDO has a network of 51 laboratories which are deeply engaged in developing defence technologies covering various disciplines, like aeronautics, armaments, electronic and computer sciences, human resource development, life sciences, materials, missiles, combat vehicles development and naval research and development. The organisation includes more than 5,000 scientists and about 25,000 other scientific, technical and supporting personnel. Despite its tall claim of handling so many high profile projects, DRDO has not done any significant contribution to the Indian Defence Forces in terms of providing a quality edge when compared to its adversaries. The Arjun Tank, the LCA and other projects have huge cost overruns and taken decades to complete. The Arjun is not acceptable to the Indian Army whereas the Airforce is reluctant to accept the LCA despite all its western components and is forced to issue a tender for 126 MRCAs. India is looking outside for its airborne and land based surveilance systems as well as for other defenmce related critical needs. DRDO is a total failure when it comes to meeting the expectations of the nation with claims to be the country's flagship organization that employee the cream of India's scientists and engineers.

Projects

In recent years, the DRDO has achieved little success in several projects and it has been also dogged by criticism that others have faced time and cost overruns.

Aeronautics

Light Combat Aircraft

The LCA in formation flight.

The DRDO is responsible for the Light Combat Aircraft program. A 4th generation jet fighter, the LCA is intended to provide the Indian Air Force with a modern, Fly by wire, multi-role fighter, as well as develop an indigenous local aeronautical industry. The program has been an extremely ambitious one, with time and cost over-runs as in similar programs worldwide. However, a wide network of industries has sprung up across India, to support local aeronautical programs. The LCA program has allowed India to progress substantially in avionics development (Mission, navigation and flight computers), flight control systems, defensive avionics and sensors, and composite structures, along with aircraft design and development.^[2] The H.A.L. Tejas (Sanskrit: Radiance) is a fighter aircraft currently under development for the Indian Air Force. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 584 pixelsFull resolution (1280 × 934 pixel, file size: 113 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Source:[1] Image by B. Harry From http://www. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 584 pixelsFull resolution (1280 × 934 pixel, file size: 113 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Source:[1] Image by B. Harry From http://www. ... The H.A.L. Tejas (Sanskrit: Radiance) is a fighter aircraft currently under development for the Indian Air Force. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles. ... The Indian Air Force (भारतीय वायु सेना : Bharatiya Vayu Sena) is the air-arm of the Armed Forces of India and has the prime responsibility of conducting aerial warfare and securing the Indian airspace. ...

It is delayed by over 12 years because it is a classic case of technology over reach at the point when the project was launched it was to be comparable to the USAF F-16 and was to be delivered to an organization which had hardly any experience in aircraft manufacturing as demonstrated by the almost childish requirement of designing everything in house. An analogy to the LCA project is to ask the DRDO to design a F 22 class fighter today as the F-16 was as cutting edge then as the Raptor is today.

Project Vetrivel for the Sukhoi Su-30MKI

The DRDO provided key avionics for the Su-30 MKI program under the "Vetrivel" program. 230 Su-30 MKI's are to be in service with the Indian Air Force by 2011. DRDO's radar computers, manufactured by HAL are also being exported to Malaysia for its Su-30 MKM program.^[3] Sukhoi Su-30 MKI[1] is a variant of the Sukhoi Su-30, jointly-developed by Russias Sukhoi Corporation and Indias Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the Indian Air Force. ... Sukhoi-30 (Nato: Flanker-C) The Sukhoi Su-30 is a military aircraft that was produced by the Russian company Sukhoi in 1996. ...

The DRDO is part of the Indian Air Force's upgrade programs for its MiG-27 and Sepecat Jaguar combat aircraft upgrades, along with the manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. DRDO and HAL have been responsible for the overall system design and integration of these upgrades, which combine locally developed item along with imported subsystems. The Indian Air Force is currently upgrading 40 Jaguar and 40 MiG-27 strike aircraft. The DRDO- HAL upgrades are also part of the 37 new build Jaguar strike aircraft ordered in addition to the fleet upgrade. The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-27 (NATO reporting name Flogger) is a ground attack aircraft, originally built by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union and later licence-produced in India by Hindustan Aeronautics as the Bahadur (Valiant). It is based on the MiG-23 fighter aircraft, but optimized... The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French ground attack aircraft still in service with several export customers, notably the Indian Air Force and the Royal Air Force of Oman. ... Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is a major aerospace company under the Ministry of Defence headquartered in Bangalore, India. ...

Combat Aircraft Upgrades

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. was designated to carry out the upgrade of the Indian Air Force's Jaguar and MiG-27 fighter bombers. 80 aircraft (40 of each type) are being upgraded at present. The program is to be ultimately extended to the entire Jaguar and MiG-27 fleet. The DRDO collaborated closely with HAL for these programs, which make use of several locally developed items as well as integrate imported systems. For the MiG-27 and Jaguar upgrades, DRDO, HAL, IAF and private industry developed: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is a major aerospace company under the Ministry of Defence based in Bangalore, India. ...

• Modern HOTAS controls
• Improved stores management system
• Solid state flight data recorder
• Mission planning system
• Cockpit instrumentation and some displays
• Secured Communication System INCOM-1210A, stand-by UHF Communication System COM-1150A, radio altimeter RAM-1701A, 1FF- 1410A
• Core Avionics computers for mission computing and display processing
• Defensive avionics- Tarang radar warning receivers for both aircraft, Tempest self protection jammers for the MiG-27
• Improved environmental control systems specifically built for high temperature Indian climatic conditions

These are integrated with Litening Laser designation pods, Sagem Sigma -95 Ring laser gyro based navigational systems, Elta Su-967 Head up displays, Thales Multifunctional displays, and Elta Self Protection Jammers (for the Jaguars) sourced from abroad.^[4]

Apart from these, the Indian Air Force also ordered an additional 37 Jaguars which are also of the Upgraded DARIN-II standard and make use of all the above Indian & imported systems.

The Medium Combat Aircraft program

MCA feasibility study images.

The DRDO will be responsible for a follow on to the LCA project, dubbed as the Medium Combat Aircraft or MCA. This might be combined with the Indo-Russian venture for a fifth-generation project, currently being discussed between the two countries. ^[5] MCA drawing The twin-engined Medium Combat Aircraft (MCA) is a stealthy 5th generation combat aircraft optimised for strike missions. ... Image File history File links Mca1. ... Image File history File links Mca1. ...

Avionics

The DRDO's avionics program has been a success story; its Mission computers, radar warning receivers, high accuracy direction finding pods, airborne jammers, flight instrumentation, are used across a wide variety of Indian Air Force aircraft. The organization began developing these various items for its upgrades, and for the LCA project. Variants were then developed for other aircraft. The lead designer in several of these efforts has been DARE, or the Defence Avionics Research Establishment. Other laboratories have also chipped in, from the radar specialist LRDE, to Electronic warfare focused DEAL to the ADE, which develops UAVs and flight control systems. The DRDO is also codeveloping more advanced avionics for the Light Combat Aircraft and the IAF's combat fleet. These include a range of powerful Open Architecture computers, better Defensive avionics including modern RWR's, Self protection jammers, Missile approach warning systems and integrated defensive suites, Optronics systems (such as Infrared search and track systems) and navigational systems such as Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial navigational systems. Other items under development include digital Map generators, a Modern multi-mode fire control radar (the LCA-MMR), Helmet mounted displays and Smart multifunctional displays. The H.A.L. Tejas (Sanskrit: Radiance) is a fighter aircraft currently under development for the Indian Air Force. ...

Other Hindustan Aeronautics Limited programs

Apart from the aforementioned upgrades, DRDO has also assisted Hindustan Aeronautics with its programs. These include the HAL Dhruv helicopter and the HAL HJT-36. Over a hundred LRU (Line Replaceable Unit)'s in the HJT-36 have come directly from the LCA program. Other duties have included assisting the Indian Air Force with indigenization of spares and equipment. These include both mandatory as well as other items. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is a major aerospace company under the Ministry of Defence headquartered in Bangalore, India. ... The HAL Dhruv (Sanskrit:Pole Star) is a multi-role advanced helicopter made by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). ... The HAL Hindustan Jet Trainer-36 Sitara (Sanskrit: Morning star ) is an Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) trainer aircraft under development by Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) ARDC (Aircraft Research and Design Center) for the Indian Air Force. ...

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

The DRDO has also developed two Unmanned Aerial Vehicles- the Nishant (Restless in Hindi) tactical UAV and the Lakshya (Target in Hindi) Pilotless Target Aircraft (PTA). ^[6] The Lakshya PTA has been ordered by all three services for their gunnery target training requirements. Efforts are on to develop the PTA further, with an improved all digital flight control system, and a better turbojet engine to be manufactured at HAL. ^[7] The Nishant is a hydraulically launched short ranged UAV for the tactical battle area, and 12 units have been ordered by the Indian Army. It is currently being evaluated by the Indian Navy and the Indian Paramilitary forces as well. The Indian Air Force is unlikely to order the type since it is a tactical UAV and does not meet their requirements for a long range, high endurance UAV with a heavy payload. The DRDO is also going ahead with its plans to develop a new class of UAVs. These draw upon the experience gained via the Nishant program, and will be substantially more capable. Referred to by the HALE (High Altitude Long Endurance) and MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) designations, these two UAVs will see a consortium approach, with DRDO being supported by partner laboratories including the National Aerospace Laboratories, and private and public firms, including Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.. The HALE has been tentatively named the Rustom, in honor of Dr Rustom Damania of NAL, and will feature canards and carry a range of payloads, including optronic, radar, laser designators and ESM. The MALE, will be a derivative of the Nishant, but beefed up with more payload, and range ability and will have conventional landing and take off capability. The HALE UAV will probably feature SATCOM links, allowing it to be commanded beyond line of sight. Other tentative plans speak of converting the LCA into a UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle), and weaponizing UAVs. Hindi ( , Devanagari: or , IAST: , IPA: ), an Indo-European language spoken mainly in northern and central India, is the official language of the Union along with English. ... Hindi ( , Devanagari: or , IAST: , IPA: ), an Indo-European language spoken mainly in northern and central India, is the official language of the Union along with English. ... Categories: India-related stubs | Bangalore | Indian aircraft manufacturers ...

Indigenization efforts

DRDO has been responsible for the indigenization of key defence stores and equipment. Indian Air Force pilots use DRDO developed G-Suits, flight suits overalls, helmets, oxygen masks, gloves and automatic inflatable life jackets.^[8]

DRDO has assisted Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd and the IAF with the indigenization of spares and assemblies for several aircraft. DRDO laboratories have worked in coordination with academic institutes, the CSIR and even ISRO over projects required for the Indian Air Force and its sister services. DRDO's infrastructure is also utilized by other research organizations in India.

Armaments

DRDO often cooperates with the state owned Ordnance Factory Board for producing its items. These have led to issues of marginal quality control for some items, and time consuming rectification. Whilst these are common to the introduction of most new weapons systems, the OFB has had issues with maintaining the requisite schedule and quality of manufacture owing to their own structural problems and lack of modernisation. Criticism directed at the OFB is invariably used for the DRDO, since the users often make little distinction between the developer and the manufacturer. OFB has got more access to funding in recent days, and this is believed to have helped the organization meet modern day requirements.

Even so, India's state owned military apparatus meets the bulk of its ammunition and the need for "bread and butter" items. The DRDO has played a vital role in the development of this ability since the role of private organizations in the development of small arms and similar "bread and butter" items has been limited. A significant point in case is the INSAS rifle which has been adopted by the Indian Army as its standard battle rifle and is in extensive service. There have been issues with rifle quality in usage under extreme conditions in the cold, the OFB has stated that it will rectify these teething troubles with higher grade material and strengthening the unit for extreme conditions. Prior teething troubles were also dealt with in a similar manner.[13] In the meanwhile, the rifle has found favour throughout the army formations and has been ordered in number by other paramilitary units and police forces. Army officers have commented favourably on the system. ^[9][10]

In recent years, India's booming economy has allowed the OFB to modernise with more state funding coming its way, to the tune of $ 400 Million to be invested during 2002-07. [14] The organization hopes that this will allow it to become world class; it has also begun introducing new items, including a variant of the Ak-47 and reverse engineered versions of the Denel 14/20mm anti-material rifles. ^[11]

In the meanwhile, the DRDO has also forged partnerships with several private sector industrial partners, which have allowed it to leverage their strengths. Successful examples of this include the Pinaka MBRL, which has been assisted significantly by two private developers, Larsen and Toubro Ltd. as well as TATA, apart from several other small scale industrial manufacturers.

The DRDO's various projects may be grouped as follows:

Small Arms

Insas Assault Rifle

• The INSAS weapon system has become the standard battle rifle for the Indian Army and paramilitary units, with 5,28,000 rifles required by the Indian Army. By 2000, 2,69,612 had been supplied. [15] Bulk production of a LMG variant commenced in 1998 [16] and with Army requirements for 37,600. It was designed by the DRDO's ARDE and the Indian Ordnance Factory Board, which manufactures these weapons.[17] The INSAS rifles are stated to be superior to the AK series weapons, in terms of accuracy and lethality. [18] A carbine version has also been developed and 30,000 have been ordered by the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs for its paramilitary units. Various variants of the INSAS have been developed, these include a low powered 9mm version for police units, as well as the Excalibur, a version with all black furniture and a full-auto mode. The standard Insas has single fire, and 3-round burst, as the Indian Army specified the same. They based this on their combat experience in Sri Lanka, where soldiers, in the heat of battle, often squeezed off entire clips of ammunition, without proper aim and would run short of ammunition later. Aimed 3 round bursts were also stated to be more controllable and precise compared to fully automatic fire.

Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... INSAS weapons INSAS stands for Indian Small Arms System. ...

Artillery Systems and Ammunition

Pinaka rocket launcher.

• For the Indian Army, the DRDO developed the Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher. This system has seen significant success, and orders for two regiments have been placed, apart from the one in service. The Army expects to raise more units in the future. This system saw the DRDO cooperate extensively with the privately owned industrial sector in India, namely the TATA Group's Strategic Electronics Division, and Larsen & Toubro Ltd. [19]

• Under development: A new long range Multi-Barrel Rocket launcher System, as of yet not publicly named. The DRDO has commenced a project to field a long range MBRL, moving on from the successful Pinaka project. The aim is to develop long range MBRL with a range of 100-120 km, with each rocket having a payload of up to 250 kg. As a run up to the project, in 2005, the ARDE (DRDO) organised a `brainstorming' meet in Pune. The topic: Aerodynamic and ballistics aspects in the design of spinning long range unguided rockets. Various experts from the DRDO, other institutions and academia participated. The meeting deliberated on preparing a road map with experts discussing problem areas, and deliberating which institutes could make specific contributions and how tasks would be divided. The new MBRS's rocket will have a maximum speed of 4.7 mach and will rise to an altitude of 40 km, before hitting its target at 1.8 mach. There is also a move to put a guidance system on the rockets whilst keeping cost constraints in mind. The DRDO has acquired the IMI-Elisra developed trajectory control system and its technology, for use with the Pinaka, and a further development of the system could presumably be used with the new MBRL as well. The new MBRS is to be ready by 2012 for demonstration to the Army.^[12]

• DRDO's ARDE developed 81 mm [20], 120 mm illuminating bombs[21] and 105 mm illuminating shells [22] for the Indian Army's infantry and Artillery.

• The DRDO's ARDE developed a 51 mm Light Weight Infantry Platoon Mortar for the Indian Army. A man portable weapon, the 51 mm mortar achieves double the range of 2 inch mortar without any increase in weight. Its new HE bomb uses pre-fragmentation technology to achieve vastly improved lethality vis a vis a conventional bomb. Besides HE, a family of ammunition comprising smoke, illuminating and practice bombs has also been developed. [23] The weapon system is under production at Ordnance Factories. [24]

• Proximity fuses for missiles and artillery shells. Proximity fuses are used with artillery shells for "air bursts" against entrenched troops and in anti-aircraft and anti-missile roles as well. These systems are in production at various defence public sector units and Ordnance factories. [25]

• Training Devices: These include a Mortar training device for the 81 mm Mortar used by the Infantry, a Mortar training device for the 120 mm Mortar used by the Artillery, and a 0.50 inch Subcalibre training device for 105 mm Vijayanta tank gun. ^[13]

• The Indian Field Gun, a 105mm field gun was developed for the Indian Army and is in production at the Ordnance Factory Board. [26] This was a significant challenge for the OFB, and various issues were faced with its manufacture including reliability issues and metallurgical problems. These were rectified over time.

• For the Indian Navy, the DRDO developed Submerged Signal Ejector cartridges (SSE), Limpet Mines, Short range Anti submarine rockets (with HE and practice warheads), the Indian Sea Mine which can be deployed against ships and submarines both. The DRDO also designed short and medium range ECM rockets which deploy chaff to decoy away anti-ship homing missiles. In a similar vein, they also developed a 76.2 mm PFHE shell, prefragmented and with a proximity fuse [27], for use against anti-ship missiles and other targets, by the Navy. All these items are in production.^[14][15]

• For the Indian Air Force, DRDO has developed Retarder Tail Units and fuze systems for the 450 kg. bomb used by strike aircraft, 68mm "Arrow" rockets (HE, Practice and HEAT) for rocket pods used in an air to ground and even air to air (if need be), a 450 kg. High Speed Low Drag (HSLD) bomb (as draggy munitions adversely impact aircraft payload and endurance) and practice bombs (which mimic different projectiles with the addition of suitable drag plates) and escape aid cartridges for Air Force aircraft. All these items are in production at the State owned Ordnance Factories. ^[16][17]

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Indian Army is one of the armed forces of India and has responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Pinaka is a multiple rocket launcher developed by the DRDO for the Indian Army. ... The Indian Air Force (भारतीय वायु सेना : Bharatiya Vayu Sena) is the air-arm of the Armed Forces of India and has the prime responsibility of conducting aerial warfare and securing the Indian airspace. ...

Tank armament

Model of Arjun MBT.

DRDO's ARDE also developed other critical systems, such as the Arjun Main Battle Tank's 120mm rifled main gun and is presently engaged in the development of the armament for the Future IFV, the "Abhay". The DRDO is also a member of the trials teams for the T-72 upgrade and its Fire control systems. Earlier on, the DRDO also upgraded the Vijayanta medium tank with new fire control computers. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Electronics and Computer Sciences

The following are some of the more well known projects, as available from public sources.

Electronic warfare

EW systems for the Army

• The massive Samyukta, land based EW project, comprising of 145 vehicles. The Samyukta consists of ESM and ECM stations for both communication and non-com (radar etc) systems. The Indian Army has ordered the Samyukta with its Signal Corps being a prime contributor in the design and development stage, along with the DRDO's DLRL. Prominent partners in the effort included India's multi-billion dollar Tata Group of Industries and state owned Bharat Electronics and Electronics Corporation of India. Various other industries supplied locally made components. The scale of this venture is substantial- it comprises COMINT and ELINT stations which monitor different bands for both voice/ data as well as radar transmissions, as well as jam them. In contrast to other systems, many of which perform some of the functions of the Samyukta, the latter is an integrated entity, which can perform the most critical battlefield EW tasks in both COM and Non-COM roles. The system will be the first of its type in terms of its magnitude and capability, in the Army. Its individual modules can also be operated independently. The project has assisted the development of a local ancillary industry, for supplying critical electronic components. Command entities of the COM segment, intended for intercepting and jamming communications transmissions have been delivered. The non-Com (radar) segment is currently under trials and to be delivered by 2007. The Samyukta project has followed a consortium approach and with the end user, namely the Army's Corp of Signals, being closely involved throughout the project. Various public and private firms have been involved in the program, as system integrators to subsystem designers and manufacturers, with DRDO being responsible for high level design and program management authority. The Army plans to field more variants of the Samyukta system.^[18]

• The DRDO is also developing an all new ESM project in cooperation with the Signals Intelligence Directorate, under the name of "Divya Drishti" (Divine Sight in Sanskrit). Divya Drishti will field a range of static as well as mobile ESM stations that can "fingerprint" and track multiple airborne targets for mission analysis purposes. The system will be able to intercept a range of radio frequency emissions, whether radar, navigational, communication or electronic countermeasure signals. The various components of the project will be networked via SATCOM links.

• The Safari IED suppression system for the Army and paramilitary forces, plus the Sujav ESM system meant for high accuracy direction finding and jamming of communication transceivers. Both systems have been ordered in substantial numbers and are in production.^[19]

SATCOM or Satcom may refer to the following: SATCOM or Satellite communication is used in some airliners such as the 747. ...

EW systems for the Navy

• The Sangraha, naval EW program successfully productionized, comprising of a range of ESM and combined EW systems, from the Ellora EW suite on India's newest frontline warships to ESM systems on the Navy's light ships, Do-228, Tu-142 aircraft and its Kamov helicopters. The Sangraha family includes EW suites for different Naval platforms capable of intercepting, detecting and classifying pulsed, CW, PRF agile, frequency agile and chirp radars. These different systems employ a modular approach enabling their deployment on a variety of platforms such as helicopters, vehicles, small ships to frontline ships. Some platforms have ESM while others have ESM and ECM (jamming) ability. Several state-of-the-art technologies have been developed via this program, for instance- the Ellora EW suite has Multiple Beam Phased array jammers for simultaneous handling of multiple threats.^[20]

• The Roshni (illumination in Hindi) RWR for the Indian Navy's Sea Harrier fighters derived from the Indian Air Force's Tarang RWR's, MiG-29K's as well as Electronic Warfare pods.^[21]

Illumination is either Illumination as the practice of living in Love and Light lighting — supplying light to an area Enlightenment (Satori), see also Illuminati the art of decorating letters or pages with ink and embossing techniques. ... Hindi ( , Devanagari: or , IAST: , IPA: ), an Indo-European language spoken mainly in northern and central India, is the official language of the Union along with English. ...

EW systems for the Air Force

• State of the art radar warning receivers for the Indian Air Force- the Tarang (Spectrum in Hindi) series. These have been selected for most of the Indian Air Force's aircraft- MiG-21 Upgrade ( designation: Bison), MiG-29, Su-30 MKI, MiG- 27 Upgrade, Jaguar Upgrade as well as self protection upgrades for the transport fleet (Il-76, An-32). The Tranquil RWR for MiG -23s (superseded by the Tarang project). Tempest jamming system for the Air Force's MiG's. The latest variant of the Tempest jamming system is capable of noise, barrage, as well as deception jamming as it makes use of DRFM (Digital radio frequency memory). The DRDO has also developed a High Accuracy Direction Finding system (HADF) for the Indian Air Force's Su-30 MKIs which are fitted in the modular "Siva" pod capable of supersonic carriage.^[22] This HADF pod is meant to cue Kh-31 Anti radiation missiles used by the Su-30 MKI for SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defences).

• Additional DRDO EW projects delivered to the Indian Air Force have include the COIN A and COIN B SIGINT stations. DRDO and BEL developed ELINT equipment for the Indian Air Force, installed on the service's Boeing 737's and Hawker Siddeley Avro aircraft. DRDO has also developed a Radar Fingerprinting System for the IAF and the Navy. The Indian Air Force's AEW&C systems currently being developed by the DRDO will also include a comprehensive ESM suite, capable of picking up both radars as well as conduct Comint (communication intelligence).

Typically fitted to military aircraft, radar warning receivers (RWR) detect the radio emmissions of radar systems, whether ground-based or on-board other aircraft. ... In most modern usages of the word spectrum, there is a unifying theme of between extremes at either end. ... Hindi ( , Devanagari: or , IAST: , IPA: ), an Indo-European language spoken mainly in northern and central India, is the official language of the Union along with English. ...

Radars

Starting with a modest design aim, the DRDO has steadily increased its radar development footprint across a range of systems. The result has been substantial progress in India's ability to design and manufacture high power radar systems of its own design and with locally manufactured components and systems. The path began with the development of short range 2D systems (Indra-1) and has now extended to high power 3D systems intended for strategic purposes (LRTR). Several other projects span the gamut of radar applications, from airborne surveillance (AEW & C) to firecontrol radars (land based, and airborne). The key aim, as far as DRDO is concerned, is self reliance, both in terms of design as well as manufacture. In this respect, the DRDO has built up a network of suppliers from across India who assist it on these projects.

The DRDO's productionized as well as production ready radar systems include:

• The Indra series of 2D radars meant for Army and Air Force use. Indra, stands for the "Indian Doppler Radar", and coincidentally enough, Indra is also the King of the deities in Hindu scripture. This was the first high power radar developed by the DRDO, with the Indra -I radar for the Indian Army, followed by Indra Pulse Compression (PC) version for the Indian Air Force, also known as the Indra-II, which is a low level radar to search and track low flying cruise missiles, helicopters and aircraft. These are basically 2D radars which provide range, and azimuth information, and are meant to be used as gapfillers. The Indra 2 PC has pulse compression providing improved range resolution. The IAF has ordered seven Indra-II's from Bharat Electronics Ltd (the manufacturer). Thirty Indra-I's have been previously ordered by the IAF. The Army is another customer for the Indra-II and has ordered a number of the type.^[23]

• The 3D Rajendra fire control radar for the Akash SAM: Whilst Blocks 1 and 2 are ready, and being used for trials, an improved Block 3 has now been revealed. The Rajendra Block 3 is stated to be ready and is being used for trials. However, it can be expected that further iterative improvements will nonetheless be made; as this is the case in all programs of this nature worldwide. The Rajendra is a high power, Passive electronically scanned array radar, able to guide up to 12 Akash SARH SAM's against aircraft flying at low to medium altitudes. The Block III has a detection range of 80 km with 18 km height coverage against small fighter sized targets and is able to track 64 of them, engaging 4 simultaneously, with up to 3 missiles per target. The Rajendra features a fully digital high speed signal processing system with adaptive moving target indicator, coherent signal processing, FFTs, and variable pulse repetition frequency. The Radar comprises surveillance antenna array with 4000 elements operating in the G/H-Band (4-8 GHz), an engagement antenna array with another 1000 elements operating in the I/J-Band (8-20 GHz) for command guidance, a 16-element IFF array and steering. The critical phase control modules were developed by CEL Ltd., India in cooperation with IIT Delhi and the DRDO. The manufacturing facility was set up by CEL Ltd. and transferred to BEL, for bulk production of the phase control modules. The Block III is substantially different from the earlier blocks in that its fielded on a T-72 chassis instead of a BMP, and its entire PESA antenna array can now swivel 360 degrees on a rotating platform. This allows the radar antenna to be rapidly repositioned, and even conduct all round surveillance. ^[24]

• The 3D medium range Central Acquisition Radar, a state of the art planar array, S Band radar operating on the stacked beam principle. With a range of 180 km against fighter sized targets, it can track while scan 200 of them. Its systems are integrated on high mobility, locally built TATRA trucks for the Army and Air Force; however the CAR design is meant to be used by all three services. The Planar array was codeveloped by DRDO with a Polish firm with both the DRDO and the firm sharing design rights, whereas the rest of the hardware and signal processing were done locally. Initially developed for the long running Akash SAM system, the radar tasted success, when seven were ordered by the Indian Air Force for their radar modernization program, and two of another variant were ordered by the Indian Navy for their P-28 Corvettes. Since 4-6 P-28 Corvettes are ultimately planned, additional orders for the CAR are very likely, once the Navy finalizes its production run. The CAR has been a significant success for radar development in India, with its state of the art signal processing hardware. The order for 9 radars is Rs 360 crores, or approximately 81 Million USD at 2006 prices.^[25]

• The 2D BFSR-SR, a short range Battle Field Surveillance Radar, meant to be manportable. 1176 have been ordered by the Army from BEL and it is being exported as well. Designed and developed by LRDE, the project was a systematic example of concurrent engineering, with the production agency involved through the design and development stage. This enabled the design to be brought into production quickly. Other features were the high amount of involvement of the private sector, which LRDE maintained throughout the project. Private firms supplied the rotational assembly and tripod, the Control and display unit as well as electronics assemblies after design and technology transfer by LRDE. This has continued into the substantial production run.^[26]

• The 3D airborne Super Vision-2000 naval surveillance radar, meant for helicopters and light transport aircraft. The SV-2000 is a lightweight (approximately 100 kg.), yet high performance, slotted array radar operating in the X Band. It can detect sea-surface targets such as a periscope or a vessel, against heavy clutter, and can also be used for navigation, weather mapping and beacon detection. The radar can detect a large vessel at over 100 nautical miles. The SV-2000s design has been accepted by the Navy and it is currently under modification to be fitted to the Advanced Light Helicopter, and the Navy's Do-228's. Variants can be fitted to the Navy's Ka-25's as well. In October 2004, Defense News reported that the Indian Navy had ordered 10 SV-2000s from Bharat Electronics Ltd. (the designated manufacturer) at a cost of $ 600,000 each. The SV-2000 reportedly cost US$ 2.2 million to design and develop. BEL would also look for exporting the system, once naval requirements were met.^[27]

• The 3D AESA Long Range Tracking Radar: The LRTR was developed with assistance from Elta of Israel, and is similar to Elta's proven GreenPine long range Active Array radar. The DRDO developed the signal processing and software for tracking high speed ballistic missile targets as well as introduced more ruggedization. The radar uses mostly Indian designed and manufactured components such as its critical high power, L Band Transmit-Receive modules plus the other enabling technologies necessary for active phased array radars. In 2004, DRDO noted that its LRTR could track 200 targets and had a range of above 400 km. In 2006, more details emerged; the LRTR could detect targets as far away as 500 km and beyond, including Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles, and that India now had the capability to manufacture these radars on its own. In the words of Dr VK Saraswat, the Anti Ballistic Missile program project Director, the project was launched in the beginning of 2000, and a functional radar was ready some five years later. Dr. Saraswat also noted that the LRTR would be amongst the key elements of the Indian ABM system; DRDO would provide the technology to private and public manufacturers to make these high power systems, and BEL India would make these systems locally. A similar arrangement was employed in the successful 3D CAR project with several public and private firms receiving and productionizing the technology provided by the DRDO. ^[28]

• The 2D Low Level Lightweight Radar(LLLR) for the Army, which require many of these units. The Indian Air Force will also acquire the same for key airbases. The LLLR is a 2D radar with a range of 40 km against a 2Sq Mtr target, intended as a gapfiller to plug detection gaps versus low level aircraft in an integrated Air Defence Ground network. The LLLR makes use of Indra-2 technology, namely a similar antenna array, but has roughly half the range and is much smaller and a far more portable unit. The Indra 2 is vehicle deployed and has a larger logistical footprint. Named the "Bharani", the LLLR can track while scan 100 targets and provide details about their speed, azimuth and range to the operator. The LLLR makes use of the BFSR-SR experience and many of the subsystem providers are the same. Multiple LLLRs can be netted together. The LLLR is meant to act as a tripwire against low level intruders, and will alert Army Air Defence fire control units (which use Bharat Electronics manufactured Improved Reporter 3D radars) to cue their weapon systems. ^[29]

• DRDO has indigenised components and improved subsystems of various other license produced radars manufactured at BEL, India, with the help of BEL scientists and other researchers. These improvements include new radar data processors for license produced Signaal radars as well as local radar assemblies replacing the earlier imported ones. Several of these items, which include waveguide arrays and antennas have better performance than the original systems that they replaced.

Apart from the above, the DRDO has also several other radar systems under development, these include: Akash ( Sanskrit for Sky, sometimes spelt Aakash) is developed as part of Indias Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) which was launched in 1983 to achieve self-sufficiency in defence. ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ... ELTA is Lithuanian news agency based in capital Vilnius. ...

• The 3D Weapon Locating Radar: Successfully developed from the Rajendra fire control radar for the Akash system, this radar uses a passive electronically scanned array to detect multiple targets for fire correction and weapon location. The system has been developed and demonstrated to the Army and orders have been placed upon BEL to gear up for series manufacture of 28 of these radars. It is currently in the penultimate series of trials to fine tune its features, to save money and time, as series production begins. The orders will be worth Rs/- 3000 Crore (Over 660 Million $) spread over many years.^[30]

• The 3D Multi-mode radar, a HAL project of which DRDO is a subsystem provider, this project to develop an advanced, lightweight Multimode fire control radar for the LCA Tejas fighter, has faced stiff challenges and been struck by delay. Help has been sought from other R&D organizations, manufacturers to bring it to fruition. The multimode radar is a greater than 100 km range (detection of a small fighter target), 10 target track, two target engage, lightweight system with an all-up weight of only 130 Kgs. At the Aero India Trade fair in 2007, it was revealed that an all new combined Signal and data processor had been developed, replacing the original separate units. Substantial weight and volume savings apart, the new unit is much more powerful and makes use of contemporary ADSP processors. The other radar critical hardware has also been developed and validated, however work remains on the software front. The software for the Air to Air mode has been developed considerably (including search and track while scan in both look up and look down modes) but Air to Ground modes are being still worked upon. The radar development was shown to be considerably more mature than previously thought. More than a 100 MMRs will be manufactured, once it proves itself. ^[31]

• A new 3D Airborne Warning and Control based on Active Electronically Scanned Array radar technology developed by the DRDO. This project was launched in 2005 for the Indian Air Force and has signed up for two aircraft to begin with and with more thereafter. The design plus the first system is to be certified by 2010 and the second by 2012. Further orders are likely, either based on the existing design or more capable derivatives. The aim of the project is to develop inhouse capability for high power AEW&C systems, with the system covering the development of a S Band AESA array. The AEW&C aircraft platform has been reported to be Brazil's Embraer EMB-145. The aircraft will also have DRDO developed datalinks to link fighters plus communicate with the IAF's C3I infrastructure, as well as a local SATCOM (satellite communication system), along with other onboard ESM and COMINT systems of DRDO design and local manufacture. ^[32]

• 3D Short Range Radar for the Indian Air Force: The Indian Air Force has ordered 20 of these systems from the DRDO, which are to begin delivery from 2008 onwards. The radars will have a range of approximately 50 km against small fighter sized targets and will be able to determine their range, speed, azimuth and height. This radar will enable the Indian Air Force Air Defence units to accurately track low level intruders. The radar will make use of the alliance DRDO has forged with Indian private and public firms.

• A 2D Medium Range Battlefield Surveillance Radar: A short video image of the BFSR-MR was displayed by the DRDO at Aero-India 2007, an Aerospace trade fair held in India. The Indian Army has till date, utilized imported BFSR-MR units from Elta, license manufactured by Bharat Electronics Ltd. The DRDO's BFSR-MR will supplant these radars with this locally designed and manufactured unit, with all of its attendant advantages, including the ability to modify it substantially per local requirements as and when they arise, without seeking the permission or assistance of a foreign vendor. Several private firms are expected to provide components as well. As with the BFSR-SR, the Army is expected to order a substantial number of these longer ranged units for its Surveillance and Target Acquisition Units. The BFSR-MR can be expected to be tied into the Indian Army's DRDO- BEL developed Battlefield Surveillance System via VHF/UHF links. This 2D radar will track ground targets and provide key intelligence to the Indian Army's artillery units, with the resultant information available on various tactical networks.

• The 3D Multi Function Control Radar: A substantial project by itself, the MFCR is being developed as part of the Indian Anti Ballistic Missile program. The MFCR is an Active Phased Array radar and complements the Long Range Tracking Radar, for intercepting Ballistic Missiles. The MFCR will also serve as the fire control radar for the AAD second tier missile system of the ABM program. The AAD has a supplementary role against aircraft as well, and is to engage missiles and aircraft up to an altitude of 30 km. The MFCR will fill out the final part of the DRDO's radar development spectrum, and allow India to manufacture long range 3D radars that can act as the nodes of an Air Defence Ground Environment system.

A passive electronically scanned array, as opposed to AESA, is a phased array which has a central RF source (such as a magnetron, a klystron or a traveling wave tube), sending energy into (usually digitally-controlled) phase shift modules, which then send energy into the various emitting elements in the... APAR AESA An Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA), also known as active phased array radar is a revolutionary type of radar whose transmitter and receiver functions are composed of numerous small transmit/receive (T/R) modules. ...

Command and control software and decision-making tools

• Tactical tools for wargaming: Shatranj (Chess) and Sangram for the Army, Sagar for the Navy and Air war software for the Air Force.

• C3I systems: DRDO, in cooperation with BEL and private industry has developed several critical C3I (command, control, communications and intelligence systems) for the services. The DRDO developed the Artillery Command and Control system for the Army. Known under the project name of "Shakti", the Indian Army aims to spend $ 300 Million to network all its artillery guns together using the ACCS, with the entire project completed by 2015. Developed by DRDO's Centre for Artificial Intelligence & Robotics (CAIR), the system comprises computers and intelligent terminals connected as a wide area network. Its main subsystems are the artillery computer center, battery computer, remote access terminal and a gun display unit. The ACCS is expected to improve the Army's artillery operations by a factor of 10 and by efficiently networking the artillery units, allowing for more rapid & accurate firepower. The ACCS will also improve the ability of commanders to concentrate that firepower where it is most needed. In January 2005 BEL received an order for a first batch of 50 Shakti systems, with over a 1000 to be purchased over time. The DRDO and BEL have also developed a Battle Management system for the Indian Army for its tanks and tactical units. Other programs in development for the Army include Corps level information and decision making software and tools, intended to link all units together for effective C3I (Communications, Command, Control, Intelligence). The DRDO is one of the key members in these projects, which are being driven by the Army's Signals Corp. The Indian Army is also moving towards extensive use of battlefield computers, such as the locally designed SATHI (companion]]) and these will be integrated into locally designed C3I networks. DRDO has also delivered projects such as the Combat Net Radio (currently in manufacture at BEL) and others for enhancing the Army's communication hardware.^[33]

• Data management and command and control systems for the Navy have been provided by the DRDO. The Navy is currently engaged in a Naval networking project to network all its ships and shore establishments plus Maritime patrol aircraft and sensors. DRDO and BEL have played a significant role in this venture as well.

• Radar netting and multi-sensor fusion software for linking the Indian Air Force's network of radars and airbases. Other achievements include sophisticated and highly complex mission planning and C3I systems for Missiles, such as the Agni and Prithvi ballistic missiles, to the Brahmos cruise missile. These systems are common to all three services as all of them utilize different variants of these missiles. The Navy uses the Dhanush, the Naval version of the Prithvi and the Brahmos SSM, whereas the Army uses the Agni series missiles and the Prithvi, and will shortly receive its Brahmos LACMs. The Air Force uses the Prithvi SS-250 variant, and will deploy the Brahmos on its Su-30 MKI fighters.

• Simulators and training tools: DRDO and private industry have collaborated on manufacturing a range of simulators and training devices for the three services, from entry level tests for prospective entrants to the Indian Air Force, to sophisticated simulators for fighter aircraft, transports and helicopters, tanks to gunnery devices.

Chess is a recreational and competitive game for two players. ... Computer software (or simply software) refers to one or more computer programs and data held in the storage of a computer for some purpose. ...

Computing Technologies

DRDO has worked extensively high speed computing given its ramifications for most of its defence projects. These include supercomputers for computational flow dynamics, to dedicated microprocessor designs manufactured in India for flight controllers and the like, to high speed computing boards built around Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) components, similar to the latest trends in the defence industry.

• Supercomputing: DRDO's ANURAG developed the PACE+ Supercomputer for strategic purposes for supporting its various programs. The initial version, as detailed in 1995, had the following specifications: The system delivered a sustained performance of more than 960 Mflops (million floating operations per second) for computational fluid dynamics programs for use in aircraft projects such as the Light Combat Aircraft. Pace-Plus included 32 advanced computing nodes, each with 64 megabytes(MB) of memory that can be expanded up to 256MB and a powerful front-end processor which is a hyperSPARC with a speed of 66/90/100 megahertz (MHz). Besides fluid dynamics, these high-speed computer systems were used in areas such as vision, medical imaging, signal processing, molecular modeling, neural networks and finite element analysis. Pace-Plus was stated to be available in three versions: eight nodes with 240 Mflops sustained speed; 16 nodes with 480 Mflops sustained speed; and 32 nodes with 960 Mflops sustained speed. The product comes with a number of tools for software development. Eleven PACE systems have been installed in various institutions throughout the country, apart from the ones with the DRDO. The latest variant of the PACE series was the PACE ++, a 128 node parallel processing system. With a front-end processor, it has a distributed memory and message passing system. It runs on the Linux operating system with the programming environment called ANUPAM (ANURAGs parallel applications manager). By 2004, under Project Chitra, the DRDO was implementing a system with a computational speed of 2-3 Teraflops utilizing Commercial off the shelf components and the Open Source Linux Operating System.^[34]

• Processors and other critical items: DRDO has developed a range of processors and application specific integrated circuits for its critical projects. Many of these systems are modular, in the sense that they can be reused across different projects. These include "Pythagoras processor" to convert cartesian to polar coordinates, ANUCO, a floating point coprocessor and several others, including the ANUPAMA 32 bit processor, which is being used in several DRDO projects. ANUPAMA has also been used for a Single Board computer, designed in cooperation with a private firm.^[35]

• Electronic components: One of the most marked endeavours undertaken by the DRDO has been to create a substantial local design and development capability within India, both in the private and public sectors. This policy has led to several hard to obtain or otherwise denied items, being designed and manufactured in India. These include components such as radar subsystems (product specific travelling wave tubes) to components necessary for electronic warfare and other cutting edge projects. Today, there are a range of firms across India, which design and manufacture key components for DRDO, allowing it to source locally for quite a substantial chunk of its procurement. The DRDO has also endeavoured to use COTS (Commercial off the shelf) processors and technology, and follow Open Architecture standards, wherever possible, in order to pre-empt obsolescence issues and follow industry practise. One significant example is the development of an Open Architecture computer for the Light Combat Aircraft, based on the PowerPC architecture and VME64 standard. The earlier Mission computer utilizing Intel 486 DX chips has already seen success, with variants being present on the Su-30 MKI, Jaguar and MiG-27 Upgrades for the Indian Air Force.^[36]

The H.A.L. Tejas (Sanskrit: Radiance) is a fighter aircraft currently under development for the Indian Air Force. ...

Combat Vehicles & engineering

Tanks and armoured vehicles

Armoured personnel carrier for para military forces.

• The Indian Army's Ajeya upgrade for the T-72 fleet, incorporating a mix of locally made and imported subsystems. 250 have been ordered. Local systems include the DRDO developed ERA (manufactured by the OFB), the DRDO developed, BEL manufactured Laser warning system, and the Combat Net radio, the BEL Advanced land navigation system( Fibre optic gyros plus GPS), NBC protection, DRDO's Fire detection and suppression system amongst other items. Imported systems include a compact thermal imager and fire control system (meant to fit in the T-72 without modification to the existing TPD-K1 day sight and without significant modification to the tank's armour for installation; this ruled out the capable but larger, local integrated gunners main sight cum fire control system for the Arjun), as well as a new 1000 Hp engine.

• New anti-tank ammunition, fin stabilized armour piercing discarding sabot (FSAPDS), Mks. 1 and 2 for the 125 mm calibre, meant for India's T-72 tanks. The DRDO also developed 120 mm FSAPDS and HESH rounds for the Arjun, and 105 mm FSAPDS rounds for the Army's Vijayanta and T-55 tanks.[28]

• Ammunition manufacture: Significant amounts of 125mm anti-tank rounds manufactured by the Ordnance Factory Board were rejected. The majority of these rounds belonged to a "hybrid" batch of 125mm FSAPDS. The OFB had entered into an agreement with Russian manufacturers wherein it sought to combine Russian supplied penetrators with Indian charges. The rounds were found to have extremely poor accuracy and on occasion even blew up inside the tank. The problems were traced to improper packaging of the charges by the OFB, leading to propellant leakage during storage at high temperatures. The entire issue dismayed the DRDO since a proven design cleared after extensive trials, came into controversy on account of poor manufacturing by the OFB and storage issues. The locally developed rounds were rectified, and requalified, whereas the hybrid rounds were scrapped. Production of these local rounds was then restarted after technical audit. Since 2001, over 1,30,000 rounds have been manufactured by the OFB. In 2005, DRDO noted that it had developed a Mk2 version of the 125mm round, with higher power propellant for greater penetration. In parallel, in 2006, OFB announced that it was also manufacturing 125mm IMI (Israel Military Industries) rounds for which an agreement had been signed before the development of the local Mk2. It is believed that this might assist in improving the OFB's APFSDS manufacturing capability. These rounds and presumably the Mk2 round, will be used by both the T-72 and T-90 formations in the Indian Army after the requisite trials.^[37]

^[38] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1971. ... Over fifty GPS satellites such as this NAVSTAR have been launched since 1978. ... IMI logo Israel Military Industries Ltd. ...

• Various armour technologies and associated subsystems from composite armour and explosive reactive armour, to Radios (Combat Net Radio, frequency hopping, with encryption), to Battle Management systems. Fire control systems for the Arjun tank, currently in production at BEL for the second batch of Arjun tanks. The first batch in production have a hybrid Sagem- DRDO one, with Sagem sights and local fire control computer.^[39]

• Arjun tank: Currently in production at HVF Avadhi, the Arjuns penultimate design has been accepted by the Indian Army, but production tanks will be put through intensive trials to validate the production quality at HVF. An initial batch of 5 is being currently evaluated. The Arjun has been one of the DRDO's most contentious projects, thanks to extensive time and cost overruns. Part of the reason being the Indian Army's high staff requirements for the tank, which were frequently updated, and the DRDO and Indian industry's lack of experience in building a heavy tank. Prior experience was limited to license manufactured Vickers medium tanks and the T-72. However, the Arjun is now in limited series production at Avadhi.
  The Arjun follows a template similar to western tanks such as the Leopard and Abrams, with containerised ammunition storage, with blast off panels, heavy composite armour, a 120 mm gun (rifled as compared to smoothbore on most other tanks), a modern FCS with high hit probability, and a 1400 HP MTU engine with Renk transmission (to be replaced by an Indian transmission) and a 4 man crew.
  The Indian Army has announced its plans to standardise on the T-90S and upgraded T-72M1 variants, for the time being. It is believed that over time, as the Arjun is put through paces and user familiarity grows, a few hundred more may be ordered. Whilst it may be tempting to dismiss the Arjun as a failure given the limited numbers ordered, such a view ignores the learning the project has afforded to Indian developers as evident in the increasing number of technology spinoffs for other Armour products, as well as the fact that the Arjun is partly the victim of requirements creep. Originally designed in response to a possible Pakistani acquisition of the M1A1 Abrams, the project fell into disfavour once it became clear that Pakistan was instead standardising on cheaper (and less capable) T type tanks. In such a milieu, acquiring the Arjun in huge numbers is simply unnecessary for the Indian Army, which can field far larger numbers of similar tanks (T-72, T-90) especially given additional logistic costs of standardising on an entirely new type. It must also be remembered that bar the United States, most western nations only have a few hundred heavy Main Battle Tanks. The UK has 386 Challenger 2, France has 408 Leclerc tanks, and both countries have significantly higher defence budgets than the Indian Army, not to mention the latter has wide ranging modernisation plans apart from armour alone.^[40][41]

Composite armour is a type of vehicle armour consisting of layers of different material such as metals, plastics, ceramics or air. ... This article or section should be merged with Reactive armour Explosive Reactive Armour. ... Arjun is a Main Battle Tank developed by DRDO (Defence Research and Development) for the Indian Army. ... The Challenger 2 is the most recent main battle tank in service with the United Kingdom and Oman. ... The gunners position, looking down from the turret roof. ...

Modification of BMP-2 series

India currently license manufactures the BMP-2 at its state owned OFB IFV production unit at Medak, with local components. The vehicle has been used as the basis for several locally designed modifications, ranging from missile launchers to engineering support vehicles. The DRDO's various labs (including its vehicle research units, VRDE, CVRDE, as well as R&DE, as well as others) have played a critical role in designing and developing these mission specific variants for the Indian Army.

• The Armoured Engineering Reconnaissance Vehicle for enabling the combat engineers to acquire and record terrain survey data. The instruments mounted on the amphibious vehicle viz. BMP-II are capable of measuring width of obstacle, bed profile, water depth and bearing capacity of soil of the obstacle in real time which are helpful in taking decisions regarding laying of tracks or building of bridges.^[42]

• Armoured Amphibious Dozer with amphibious capability developed jointly with VRDE, a sister DRDO Establishment for earth moving operations in different terrain for preparation of bridging sites, clearing obstacles and debris and to fill craters. Self-recovery of the vehicle is also a built-in feature using a rocket-propelled anchor.^[43]

• Carrier Mortar Tracked: Designed to mount and fire an 81 mm mortar from within vehicle. Capacity to fire from 40° to 85° and traverse 24° on either side; 108 rounds of mortar ammunition stowed. Currently in production at the Ordnance Factory Board, India.^[44]

• Armoured Ambulance based on the BMP-2 vehicle. The Indian Army has placed an indent on Ordnance Factory, Medak for manufacturing 50 of them.

• NBC Reconnaissance Vehicle: Based on a standard weaponised BMP-2, this variant has instrumentation for determining NBC contamination, as well as bringing back samples. The vehicle includes a plow for scooping up soil samples, to instrumentation such as a radiation dosimeter amongst other key items. With India's regional rival Pakistan, having a doctrine of first use of nuclear weapons, the Indian Army is beefing up its NBC preparedness many times over.

Other engineering vehicles

• Bridge Layer Tank: Noted by DRDO to be the amongst the best bridging systems available on a medium class tank. It has an option to carry a 20 m or a 22 m class 70 MLC bridge, which can be negotiated by all tanks in service with Indian Army, including MBT Arjun. User trial completed during 1996. Twelve numbers of BLT T-72 are under production at HVF, Avadi, Chennai.

• A 42 tonne mammoth, the Amphibious Floating Bridge and Ferry System (AFFS), intended for transporting heavy armour, troops and engineering equipment across large and deep water obstacles. The 10 m x 3.6 m x 4 m vehicle can covert to a fully decked bridge configuration of length 28.4 metres, in 9 minutes. Two more vehicles can be joined in tandem to form a floating bridge of length 105 m, in 30 minutes. The bridge superstructure is integrated with floats (shown inflated) to provide stability and additional buoyancy. The vehicle has a max speed of 55 km/h on road, 40 km/h cross country and an aquatic mobility of 2.7 m/s with twin pump jets. The vehicle is also capable of retracting its wheels for use as a grounded bridge/ramp for high banks. The AFFS was developed in a record time of 34 months.^[45]

• Bridge Layer Tank- Arjun: Derived from the experience on the BLT-72, the BLT-Arjun is an all-new design with a scissor type bridge laying method, which helps it avoid detection from afar. It uses the chassis of the Arjun tank and can take higher weights than the BLT-72.^[46]

• Sarvatra Bridge layer: As the Bharat Rakshak Monitor notes: "The bridge can be over a water and land obstacles to provide 75 meters of bridge-length for battle tanks, supply convoys and troops. The system consists of a light aluminum alloy scissors bridge and was approved for production in March 2000 after 200 tank crossing trials. One complete set of the multi span mobile bridging system includes five truck-mounted units with a bridge-span of 15 meters each. The system is designed to take the weight of the Arjun, by far the heaviest vehicle in the Army’s inventory. According to the Sarvatra Project Director Dr P.K. Venkatachalam, a microprocessor based control system reduces the number of personnel required to deploy and operationalize the bridge. The Sarvatra project was sanctioned in 1994 and completed development in October 1999 at a total cost of Rs 230 million. The bridging equipment is carried on a Tatra Kolos chassis and the system is built by Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML) at their Mysore complex. Exercise Sangharsh scheduled for the first half of the year will see the first deployment of the system. DRDO is developing a newer version of the Sarvatra with 20 meter long spans."^[47]

• Mobile Decontamination System: With the NBC aspect on the Indo-Pak battlefield in the Army's mind, the DRDO developed a Tatra vehicle based Mobile Decontamination system, for decontamination of personnel, clothing, equipment, vehicles & terrain during war. The main sub-systems of mobile decontamination system are: pre-wash, chemical wash and post wash systems respectively. The Pre-wash system consists of a 3000 litre stainless steel water tank and a fast suction pump. A high-pressure jet with a capacity of 3400 litre per hour (lph) at 45-50 bar and a low-pressure jet with a capacity of 900 lph at 5 to 6 bar and 1600 lph at 10 to 15 bar are also included. The chemical wash system is capable of mixing two powders and two liquids with variable feed rates and has a 5 litre per minute slurry emulsion flow rate. The post wash system consists of a high-pressure hot water jet, a hot water shower for personnel and provision of steam for decontamination of clothing. The subsystem can be simultaneously operated. The decontamination systems are in regular production and have already been introduced into the services. [29] The system is under production for the Army at DRDO's partnering firms, with the DRDO itself manufacturing the pilot batch. ^[48]

In development

• Abhay IFV: India's own IFV design currently in prototype form. Named the "Abhay" (Fearless), this IFV will have a 40 mm gun based on the proven Bofors L70 (Armour piercing and explosive rounds), a Firecontrol system derived from the Arjun project with a Thermal imager, all-electric turret and gun stabilization, a locally designed FLAME launcher for locally manufactured Konkurs-M Anti-tank missiles, and an Indian diesel engine. The armour will be lightweight composite, derived from the experience with the Kanchan project on the Arjun.

• Tank-Ex, a project to mount Arjun's turret on a T-72 chassis to combine high firepower with a low silhouette. Currently in trials, to be offered to the Army once trials are complete. This is a DRDO initiative and not per a specific Army demand. However, the Army is trialling Tank-ex prototypes and the type may be used to upgrade a few hundred T-72's out of Indias vast fleet of the same.

• Armoured vehicle for Paramilitary forces, the AVP, currently a prototype. A wheeled armoured vehicle, the AVP was displayed at Defexpo-2006, an industry trade fair held in New Delhi in 2006. The AVP has armoured glass windows and firing ports, as well as provision for heavier caliber small arms, and crowd control equipment.

• Mining and De-mining equipment: The Self Propelled Mine Burrier has been developed by the DRDO against a requirement projected by the Indian Army, its an automated mine laying system developed on a high mobility vehicle and is currently in trials. The Counter-Mine flail, is a vehicle built upon the T-72 chassis, and has a series of fast moving flails to destroy mines. A prototype has been displayed, with the program run per Army requirements.

• Remotely Operated Vehicle: This tracked robotic vehicle with staircase climbing ability has completed technical trials and is particularly intended for remote explosion of Explosive devices. The Indian Army and paramilitaries are very interested in this system. The ROV is carried in a specially designed carrier vehicle with additional armament and firing ports. The ROV itself is fairly sophisticated, with provision to carry various optronic payloads, an articulated gripper to pick up objects, an ability to traverse difficult terrain including staircases, as well as an integral waterjet projector to blow up explosive packages. In December 2006, the Indian MOD stated that User Assisted Technical Trials with Army involvement had been completed, and that user trials were ikely to be conducted shortly thereafter. After the ROV proved itself in user trials, it would be inducted by the Indian Army for Explosives handling and defusing. ^[49]

Arjun and Arjuna are popular male given names in India and Sri Lanka. ...

Naval Research and Development

Sonars

DRDO, BEL and the Indian Navy have developed and productionized a range of Sonars and related systems for the Navy's frontline combat ships. These include the APSOH (Advanced Panoramic SOnar Hull mounted), HUMVAD (Hull Mounted Variable Depth sonar) and the HUMSA (follow on to the APSOH series; the acronym HUMSA stands for Hull Mounted Sonar Array) sonars, Nagan Towed Array Sonar, Panchendriya Submarine sonar and fire control system, sonobuoy Tadpole and its airborne signal processor Simhika. Other sonars such as the airborne sonar Mihir, are in trials, whilst work is proceeding apace on "New Generation" sonars. Sonars may be considered one of DRDO's most successful achievements, with the work begun under the leadership of a young Naval officer decades back. Today, the Indian Navy's most powerful ships rely on Indian made sonars. The standard fit for a frontline Naval ship would include the HUMSA-NG (New Generation) hull mounted sonar, a HUMVAD variable depth sonar and the Nagan towed array sonar. The Mihir, is a dunking sonar meant for use by the Naval ALH, working in conjunction with its Tadpole sonobuoy. The Panchendriya is in production for the Kilo class submarine upgrades. Some ships, such as the INS Beas field a mix of local (HUMSA and HUMVAD) and imported sonars (towed array), till the local towed array was developed. The Delhi class destroyer has the HUMSA and the HUMVAD.^{[50] [51] [52]} The F70 type frigates (here, La Motte-Picquet) are fitted with VDS (Variable Depth Sonar) type DUBV43 or DUBV43C tugged sonars Sonar (sound navigation and ranging) is a technique that uses sound propagation under water to navigate or to detect other watercraft. ...

Torpedoes

DRDO is currently engaged in developing multiple Torpedo designs. These include a lightweight torpedo (Advanced Experimental Torpedo) that has been accepted by the Navy and cleared for production (initial reports of it being unsuccessful proved to be speculative and false [30]). Other projects include the heavy weight wire-guided torpedo Varunastra and the Thakshak thermal torpedo suitable for use against both ships and submarines. The electrically powered Varunastra is now stated to be also in production. The DRDO with the help of Larsen & Toubro, India also developed and productionized a microprocessor controlled Triple tube torpedo launcher for the Indian Navy's ships as well as Towed torpedo decoy (TOTED).^[53][54] A modern torpedo, historically called a self propelled torpedo, is a self-propelled guided projectile that (after being launched above or below the water surface) operates underwater and is designed to detonate on contact or in proximity to a target. ...

Other projects

These have included indigenisation of various components (for instance, adsorbent material for submarines, radar components), Naval ship signature reduction efforts and materials technology. DRDO has played a significant role in the development of warship grade steel in India and its productionization. DRDO has also assisted private industry in developing EW trainers, ship simulators for training and Health monitoring systems for onboard equipment. Other equipment for the Navy includes Underwater telephone sets, and VLF communication equipment, for the Navy's submarines. DRDO's IRDE has also developed Optronic fire control systems for the Navy's and the Coast Guard's ships. These consist of a locally developed autotracker, fire control system with a local fully stabilized gimbal mount containing a CCD imager and imported Thermal Imager.^[55]

Information Command and Control systems

DRD0's labs have been part of ambitious and successful projects to develop sophisticated command and control systems for the Navy's ships, such as the EMCCA (Equipment Modular for Command and Control Application) which ties together various sensors and data systems. The EMCCA system gives commanders on the ship a consolidated tactical picture and adds to the ship’s maritime combat power.^[56]

DRDO labs are also engaged in supporting the Navy's ambitious Naval enterprise wide networking system, a program to link all naval assets together via datalinks, for sharing tactical information.

Mines and targets

Three kinds of mines, processor based mine, moored mine and processor based exercise mine are in production for the Navy at Keltron, India. Targets developed for the Navy include a static target called the Versatile Acoustic target and a mobile target called the programmable deep mobile target (PDMT).

In development

• Submarine Escape set, used by crew to escape from abandoned submarines. The set consists of breathing apparatus (which has cleared trials) and Hydro-suit (modifications suggested and to be re-trialled).

• New generation Sonars and Electronic Warfare equipment.

• Heavyweight torpedoes, Underwater remotely operated vehicles, improved signature reduction technology for Naval applications.

Missile Systems

Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP)

The IGMDP was launched by the Indian Government to develop a local missile design and development ability, and manufacture a range of missile systems for the three defence services. ...

The IGMDP has seen significant success in its two most important constituents- the Agni missile and the Prithvi missile systems, while two other programs, the Akash SAM and the anti-tank Nag Missile are still in development. The Trishul missile, a program to develop a tri-service short range SAM has faced persistent problems throughout its development, and is likely to be shut down unless the Indian Air Force places orders for the system. An Agni-II on a road-mobile launcher displayed at the Republic Day Parade 2004 (Photo: Antônio Milena/ABr) The Agni missile (named after Agni, the god of fire) is an IRBM developed under the IGMDP by India. ... Prithvi is the short range ballistic missile developed by India under the IGMDP. It has a range of upto 150 to 300 km with variants for Land and Sea/Sub-Surface roles (Dhanush (Bow)) targeting surface targets. ... Akash ( Sanskrit for Sky, sometimes spelt Aakash) is developed as part of Indias Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) which was launched in 1983 to achieve self-sufficiency in defence. ... Nag (Sanskrit for cobra) is Indias third generation fire and forget anti-tank missile. ... Trishul is the name of a short range surface-to-air missile developed by India as a part of IGMDP project. ...

IGMDP Ballistic Missiles

Prithvi missile.

• Prithvi Short Range Ballistic Missile: Three variants exist- the Prithvi I, II and III. Status: In production for the Air Force and Army; a variant for the Navy has been deployed on Sukanya class vessels. Another submarine launched variant known as the K-15 is under development. The Prithvi is an extremely accurate liquid fuelled missile with a range of up to 350 km. While relatively inexpensive and accurate, with a good payload, its logistics footprint is high, on account of it being liquid fuelled. The Indian Air Force has ordered 54 SS-250 Prithvis in 2006 at a cost of approximately $460,000 each.^[57]

The Agni-II missile

• Agni Missile series: The Agni-II is an Intermediate range ballistic missile with a range of up to 2500 km. The Agni-I is a shorter ranged unit with a range of up to 800 km. These are meant for deterrence against China and Pakistan respectively. The Agni-III is meant for a longer ranged deterrence capability against China, with a range of up to 6000 km. Status: Agni- I and II have been productionized, exact numbers remain classified. Agni-III first trial saw problems with stage separation and the missile test did not meet its objectives. The second test was successful and hailed as a landmark achievement in missile technology for India. Further tests are planned; original plans were for a series of three tests to validate the missile and its subsystems, which include new propellant and guidance systems, a new re-entry vehicle and other improvements.^[58]

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 216 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Source:[1] Image by B. Harry From http://www. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 216 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Source:[1] Image by B. Harry From http://www. ... Prithvi (pṛthivī) is the Hindu earth-god. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2870x1854, 958 KB) An Indian Agni-II intermediate range ballistic missile on a road-mobile launcher, displayed at the Republic Day Parade on New Delhis Rajpath, January 26, 2004. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2870x1854, 958 KB) An Indian Agni-II intermediate range ballistic missile on a road-mobile launcher, displayed at the Republic Day Parade on New Delhis Rajpath, January 26, 2004. ... Chinese (Wu Xing) Japanese (Godai) Earth (地) | Water (水) | Fire (火) | Air / Wind (風) | Void / Sky / Heaven (空) Hinduism (Tattva) and Buddhism (Mahābhūta) Vayu / Pavan — Air / Wind Agni / Tejas — Fire Akasha — Aether Prithvi / Bhumi — Earth Ap / Jala — Water Bön New Zealand Agni is a Hindu and Vedic deity. ...

Akash SAM

Akash SAM and Nishant UAV in the background.

The Akash is a medium range SAM (surface to air missile) system comprising of the command guided Akash missile with dedicated service specific launchers (T -72 based for the Army, Kolos Tatra truck based for the Air Force), Battery control radar (the Rajendra Block III), a Central Acquisition radar (CAR), Battery and Group control centers.[31][32] The Akash uses an additional surveillance radar when not part of a CAR network, the BSR which is to be imported. As of 2006, whilst the Missile, Radars and control centers were ready, the system was yet to undergo user trials under operational conditions. The Akash project has yielded significant spinoffs, the Central Acquisition radars have been ordered by the Air Force and Navy, whilst a variant of the Rajendra Battery Level Radar is under trials as a Weapon Locating radar for the Indian Army. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Akash or Aakash or Aakaash or Akaash is a first name in India, derived from the Hindi/Sanskrit term Akasha, meaning upper sky or aether. ...

The Indian Air Force is considering upgrading its Pechora SA-3 missiles with Polish help whilst it waits for the Akash. According to Janes Missiles and Rockets (December 2005), the IAF would like to to conduct the Newa-SCM upgrade package upgrade to 20 S-125M Pechora-CC systems, using primarily the Tatra 8x8 chassis, which is licence-built in India. Installation on specially adapted heavy equipment trailers or Tatra 8x8 vehicles was studied at the request of the Indian Air Force. It incorporates a new ZNO-X digital transmitter/receiver block developed by the Przemyslowy Instytut Telekomunikacji (PIT) to replace the original magnetron-based hardware. The unit uses digital technology, including digital frequency synthesis, and has automatic built-in test facilities. While the ZNO-X is an expensive upgrade, it significantly improves system performance. Most of the upgrade work would be done in India, although the core elements of the upgrade would be delivered from Poland.^[59] The Indian Air Force (भारतीय वायु सेना : Bharatiya Vayu Sena) is the air-arm of the Armed Forces of India and has the prime responsibility of conducting aerial warfare and securing the Indian airspace. ...

In October 2006, the Indian Air Force announced that it would be purchasing 18 batteries of the Spyder SAM system thanks to persistent delays in the Trishul and Akash programs. However, DRDO had improved the Akash based upon IAF recommendations and the IAF would conduct user trials to verify the improvements and induct it.

The Indian Army has sought to upgrade its SA-6 Kvadrat and SA-8 Missile systems whilst the Akash gets ready. The Indian magazine "Strategic Affairs " (No. 0011/ Issue: December 16) noted: "Poland has won an order worth $200 m from India to upgrade 100 Kvadrat (SA6) and 50 OSA-AKM (SA8) mobile surface to air missiles. The contract made public in August, is to be completed by 2002. The upgrades include integration of new radars, communications and control systems, improvements to the launch vehicle including new power packs. The Kvadrat upgrade includes new electronics for better electronic counter measures, passive infra-red search and track sensors." The Indian Army is one of the armed forces of India and has responsibility for land-based military operations. ...

Once developed, the DRDO is hopeful of getting orders for at least 1,350 Akash missiles from the Army and another 3,000 from the Air Force.^[60]

Trishul SAM

The Trishul (Trident in Hindi) is a short range SAM meant for all three services, the Army, Air Force and Navy. The Trishul project relied on equipment already in service with the Indian services, to drive down logistics costs, and reduce program development costs and development time. The Army variant, relied on a locally modified variant of the Signaal (now Thales) Flycatcher radar, integrated into a single launcher with a four missile pack, along with separate electronics for missile guidance. The Air Force variant separated the missile launchers on Kolos Tatra trucks, locally manufactured by India's BEML. The Naval variant was the most ambitious, with a flight control system with an integrated radar altimeter to intercept sea skimming missiles. The Trishul's guidance was Command Line of Sight with a three beam guidance system, which proved to be the bane of the project and caused repeated failures during trials. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Beam-riding guidance leads a missile to its target by means of radar or a laser beam. ...

The Trishul's persistent development problems have meant that the Indian Air Force, the Indian Army and the Indian Navy have begun upgrading their existing Short range SAM systems or purchased replacements. The Indian Air Force (भारतीय वायु सेना : Bharatiya Vayu Sena) is the air-arm of the Armed Forces of India and has the prime responsibility of conducting aerial warfare and securing the Indian airspace. ... The Indian Army is one of the armed forces of India and has responsibility for land-based military operations. ... The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. ...

The Indian Air Force evaluated the Israeli Spyder SAM system and the French VLS Mica system as replacements for the Trishul. In February 2005, the VLS Mica system, mounted on an ACMAT multi-role vehicle of the French Army, was demonstrated for the Indian Air Force. In 2006, the Indian Air Force announced that it was procuring 18 batteries of the Spyder SAM system thanks to persistent delays in the Trishul and Akash programs.^[61] The Indian Air Force (भारतीय वायु सेना : Bharatiya Vayu Sena) is the air-arm of the Armed Forces of India and has the prime responsibility of conducting aerial warfare and securing the Indian airspace. ...

The Indian Army is upgrading its OSA-AKM/ SA-8 systems with Polish assistance. Fifty OSA-AK units are stated to have been modernised.^[62] The Indian Army is one of the armed forces of India and has responsibility for land-based military operations. ... An SA-8 9K33M3 TELAR w/Land Roll radars. ...

The Indian Navy has moved on to the Barak-1, and is unlikely to purchase the Trishul.^[63]

In 2005, there were efforts made to resuscitate the Trishul program as an inexpensive alternative to bulk up the IAF's short range SAM inventory. The high cost of the imports being a strike against them, despite their capability.^[64]

In 2006 it was noted that the Trishul program has been effectively closed down as far as the Navy and Army were concerned, but that discussions were on with the Indian Air Force for user trials, and if successful purchase of the system. It is also reported that key technologies developed via the program may be utilized in future systems.^[65]

As of 2007, it has been reported that the experience gained from the Trishul program will be utilized for a brand new SAM known as the Maitri, which will be codeveloped with the European MBDA missile agency. The Maitri Low level Quick reaction missile will have new Indian developed radars cueing the active radar homing surface to air missiles. ^[66]

Nag anti-tank missile

The Nag (Cobra in Hindi) is an Anti-tank guided missile system intended for the Air Force and Army. The Army will deploy the Nag on ground based launchers and from helicopters, whereas the Air Force will rely on helicopter based units. The Nag has an Imaging Infrared (IIR) seeker (the other seeker is an optical Charge Coupled Device based one for day attacks), and has a top and direct attack capability, with a tandem warhead (for use against even Explosive reactive armour equipped tanks). This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

The Army's land missile carrier and launcher, is a BMP-2 derived vehicle developed by the DRDO and Larsen & Toubro Ltd. known as the Namica (Nag Missile Carrier) which carries several ready to use Nag's within, and four Nag missiles in an extendable launcher above the turret. The Namica has its own FLIR based sighting and fire control unit to use the Nag. ^[67]

The Air Force and Army will also use their Advanced Light helicopters (ALH) as Nag carriers. The ALH's will be equipped with IRDE (DRDO) developed HELITIS (Heliborne Imaging and Targeting systems) with a combination of a FLIR (forward looking infrared), Laser range finder, in a stabilized turret for target acquisition and Nag designation. Stabilization accuracy is quuoted at 30 Milliradians and detection of a tank target at 4 km.[33] The thermal imager is likely to be imported, but the gimballed turret, stabilization, laser range finder and associated electronics have been designed in India and will be manufactured locally.^[68]

The Nag ATGM is regarded as a highly capable missile, even though its development has been protracted, mainly due to the technological challenges of developing a state of the art, IIR sensor equipped top attack missile, able to attack fast moving targets in the dusty battlefields of South Asia. Criticism has been directed at development time, and acquisition cost, since the fire and forget Nag is more than twice the cost of wire guided Milan and Konkurs ATGMs. However, the Nag is still cheaper than most imported missiles in its category and is earmarked for the Army and Air Force.

The Nag's Namica based version is stated to have been accepted in principle by the Army, whilst the ALH based units are still under trials. Other reports have stated that the Nag's seeker is to be miniaturised further, and it is to be available by 2007. Its unclear as to which missile variant these reports are referring to. On December 6, 2006, the Indian Defence Minister announced that the Nag and Akash missiles were ready for user trials.^[69]

India is also license manufacturing the Kornet, Konkurs-M (with tandem warhead), and Milan-2T ATGMs.

The Brahmos Missile

The Brahmos supersonic cruise missile

Launched as a joint venture between India's DRDO and the Russian NPO, the BrahMos program aims at creating a range of missile systems derived from the Yakhont missile system. Named the "BrahMos" after the Brahmaputra and the Moskva rivers, the project has been highly successful. The BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... A Taurus KEPD 350 cruise missile of the Luftwaffe A cruise missile is a guided missile which uses a lifting wing and most often a jet propulsion system to allow sustained flight. ... The BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land. ... The P-800 Oniks (alternatively termed Yakhont for export markets) is a Russian supersonic anti-ship cruise missile developed by NPO Mashinostroyeniya. ... The BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land. ...

The Indian Navy has ordered the BrahMos Naval version, both slant launched and Vertically launched, for its ships, with the Indian Army ordering two regiments worth of Land launched missiles for long range strike, and an air launched version is in development for the Indian Air Force's Su-30 MKI's and the Navy's Tu-142 long range aircraft. Sukhoi-30 (Nato: Flanker-C) The Sukhoi Su-30 is a military aircraft that was produced by the Russian company Sukhoi in 1996. ... Tu-95 Bear The Tupolev Tu-95 (NATO reporting name Bear) is the most successful Tupolev strategic bomber and missile carrier from the times of the Soviet Union, still remaining in service as of 2005. ...

India has been responsible for the Navigational systems on the BrahMos, other aspects of its propulsion, airframe and seeker, plus its fire control systems and launcher. Indian firms such as Godrej Group, Larsen and Toubro, Tatas. have played a vital role in the program.^[70] The Godrej Group was founded by Ardeshir and Pirojsha Godrej in 1897. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Larsen & Toubro. ... Tata is one of the oldest and largest business conglomerates in India, with revenues in 2005-06 of $21. ...

Critique

The significant cost and more importantly, time overruns in the DRDO's big-ticket projects such as the Akash, Trishul, Nag, Light Combat Aircraft and the Arjun, are often the subject of virulent criticism of DRDO even as the organization is engaged in completing the programs. It can be said that productionizing these systems and significant orders for them, would be a big shot in the arm for the DRDO as the criticism over these long running programs often overshadows the organization's work in many other areas.^[71] The H.A.L. Tejas (Sanskrit: Radiance) is a fighter aircraft currently under development for the Indian Air Force. ... Arjun and Arjuna are popular male given names in India and Sri Lanka. ...

Future plans

Long range SAM

India and Israel have worked out an agreement to develop and produce the long-range Barak air defence system for both the Indian and the Israeli militaries. The initial co-development funding is about $ 350 million, of which IAI will finance 50 per cent. The venture is a tripartite one, between the DRDO, the Indian Navy, and IAI. The missile is referred to as the LRSAM in Indian Government literature, and will have a range of 72 km. Additional funding will be infused by both parties as needed.^[72][73]

Astra BVRAAM

ASTRA is a 80 KM class (against an approaching fighter target), active radar guided missile meant for beyond visual range air to air combat. Several tests of the missiles basic propulsion and guidance have taken place from land based launchers. Air launched trials will follow thereafter. ^[74]

Anti-Ballistic Missile Defence Project

Unveiled in 2006, the ABM project was a surprise to many observers. While DRDO had revealed some details about the project over the years, its progress had been marked by strict secrecy, and the project itself was unlisted, and not visible among DRDO's other programs. The ABM project has benefited from all the incremental improvements achieved by the DRDO and its associated industrial partners via the long running and often contentious Akash and Trishul programs. However, it is a completely new program, with much larger scope and with predominantly new subsystems.

The ABM project has two Missiles- namely the AAD and PAD (Prithvi Air Defence) missiles. The former is an endo-atmospheric interceptor of new design, which can intercept targets to a height of 30 km. Whereas the latter is a modified Prithvi missile, dubbed the Axo-atmospheric interceptor (AXO) with a dedicated second stage Kill vehicle for ballistic missile interception, up to an altitude of 80 km. Both these missiles are cued by an active phased array Long Range Tracking Radar, similar to the Elta GreenPine but made with locally developed components, which include DRDO developed Transmit/ Receive modules. The ABM system also makes use of a second radar, known as the Multi Function Control Radar which assists the LRTR in classifying the target, and can also act as the fire control radar for the AAD missile. The key difference is that the MFCR, as the name suggests will be "multi-function", it can be used as a search radar against aircraft as well, in the sense that it will be able to rotate 360 degrees and will provide flexibility to the entire missile defence system. However, it too, is an active phased array system as is the LRTR (L-band, 600 km range).

The missile launchers are connected to a launch control center (LCC) and mission control center (MCC) which can be located up to a 1000 km away. The MCC processes the data provided by the radars and determines and clears the relevant LCC to launch the interceptors. There are multiple links between the centers and the launcher, to avoid jamming. Both wireless links (based on CDMA technology for anti-jamming purposes) and fibreoptic links are used.

The entire set up was tested in November 2006, under the Prithvi Air Defence Exercise, when a prototype AXO, with a designation of PAD01 successfully intercepted another Prithvi missile at a height of 50 km. The target missile (PAD02) was set to mimic the profile of a Tactical Ballistic missile with a 600 km range. The test was a complete success, with the hit to kill methodology successfully tested (Neither Missile had a warhead). The prototype had an active radar seeker integrated with its kill vehicle. This test was preceded by an "electronic test" in which an actual target missile was launched, but the entire interceptor system was tested electronically, albeit no actual interceptor was launched. This test was successful in its entirety, setting the pace for the actual full scale test thereafter. After the test, the program Director Dr. V.K. Saraswat noted that there were still more tests to be done (six in all) before the DRDO could certify the AXO as functional, and that it was too early to rule out cooperation with other countries. Even so, the flawless functioning of the entire setup (hardware and software) - much of which was custom developed for the project, was a big shot in the arm for the DRDO.

The project leader also noted that they had evaluated the S-300V in depth, and that its radars and missiles would not meet the specifications of the Indian made system. The DRDO plans further tests of the endo-atmospheric interceptor as well, which can target aircraft as well as ballistic missiles. At present, the aim of the project appears to be modest, despite its challenges for a developing country such as India. For one, it does not aim to field capabilities such as boost-phase intercept or intercept Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. Its directed primarily against the plethora of Intermediate range and short range Ballistic missiles fielded by Pakistan and China against India.^[75]

References

• The Official Website of DRDO
• Defence Scientific Information and Documentation Centre (DESIDOC)
• DRDO's Electronics and Radar Development Laboratory
• Bharat Electronics Ltd. website. The website is yet to be updated with several products introduced over the past few years.
• Astra Microwave Ltd. subsystem provider for radars
• Astra Microwave bags defence order
• Real Time Tech solutions Ltd., an Indian system design and integration firm with several radar related projects completed
• Electronics Corporation Limited of India's Strategic Electronics Division
• Official site
• DRDO: Media's whipping boy, DRDO: A stellar success, What's behind the DRDO bashing
• PDF on DRDOs varied projects
• Army Chief compliments DRDO for positive achievements
• The anti-tank missile, Nag, has been accepted by the Army
• Bharat Rakshak on the Nag ATGM
• Akash, Nag ready for user trials
• India, Russia to develop air-launched BrahMos
• IAF making alterations in Sukhoi aircraft to carry Brahmos
• India's missile programme is spurring industries' — Dr V. K. Saraswat, Director, Research Centre Imarat
• DRDO plan to export missiles
• DRDO on track for interceptor missile system: Saraswat
• Array of missiles on the anvil
• India developing new missiles; Excellent details on the ABM project
• DRDO News