Instruments Research & Development Establishment (IRDE)

Instruments Research & Development Establishment (IRDE)

Historical Background
Instruments Research & Development Establishment (IRDE), Dehradun, is an institution devoted to research, design, development and technology transfer in the fields of sophisticated optical and electro-optical instrumentation of vital interest to the Defence Services. The origin of IRDE dates back to the establishment of Inspectorate of Scientific Stores in 1939 at Rawalpindi (now in Pakistan) with responsibility to inspect telecommunication equipment used by the Army. This had the role of Authority for Holding Sealed Particulars (AHSP).

This AHSP underwent many organisational changes until it took the shape of Technical Development Establishment (Instruments and Electronics) covering both R&D and AHSP functions in the fields of instruments & electronics and was located at Dehradun. The Establishment, during the subsequent years, shed some of its R&D and AHSP responsibilities and came into existence, in its present form, in February 1960.

Instruments Research & Development Establishment (IRDE)

Achievements
A large number of modules have been designed and produced to meet various system requirements like target surveillance and/ or acquisition at various ranges and having desired weights and volumes of the systems to address the space envelope for different types of platforms.

From simple stand-alone day sights, IRDE has graduated to complex multi-disciplinary EO systems like Integrated Fire Control Systems for AFVs and Infra-Red Search & Track Systems for naval ships and helicopters.

In-house capability has been acquired for the design, manufacture, thin-film coating of glass, germanium and metal optics. Similarly, CAD and CNC facilities are available for the fabrication of intricate mechanical components.