tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79559540318400838632024-03-13T08:41:02.119+05:30DRDO TodayArchive of News on DRDO - Defence Research and Development OrganisationUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger86125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-45204321064601750692010-08-12T20:20:00.002+05:302010-09-26T19:46:19.644+05:30Indian Army evacuating 93000 Pakistani Prisoners of War<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GDjfq-CQULk?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GDjfq-CQULk?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; ">Brief History of 1971 war<br />
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1971 war began with Pakistan attacking India and committing genocide against Bangladeshis in then East Pakistan <a href="http://www.genocidebangladesh.org/" target="_blank" title="http://www.genocidebangladesh.org/" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 51, 204); text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">http://www.genocidebangladesh.org/</a><br />
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Within 13 days of start of war, Indian military decimated pakistani forces and liberated Bangladesh from the clutches of pakjabis. The resulting surrender of 90,000 pakistani military personnel was largest in number of prisoners of war since World War II.<br />
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The Instrument of Surrender of Pakistani forces stationed in East Pakistan was signed at Ramna Race Course in Dhaka at 16.31 IST on 16 December 1971, by Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora, General Officer Commanding-in-chief of Eastern Command of the Indian Army and Lieutenant General A. A. K. Niazi, Commander of Pakistani forces in East Pakistan.<br />
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The Hamoodur Rahman Commission report instituted by Pakistan has the following comments to make on the result of war<br />
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For Pakistan it was a complete and humiliating defeat, a psychological setback that came from a defeat at the hands of intense rival India.<br />
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Pakistan lost half its territory, significant portion of its economy and its geo-political role in South Asia.<br />
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The loss of East Pakistan had shattered the prestige of the Pakistani military. Pakistan lost half its navy, a quarter of its air force and a third of its army.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-50621681895266925592010-08-12T17:49:00.002+05:302010-09-26T19:19:10.427+05:30Pakistan Army 2nd Surrender ceremony before Indian Army in Bangladesh 1971 Unseen Video<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><div><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xQb6mhgBVmE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xQb6mhgBVmE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br />
Brigadier Baqir Siddiqui, Chief of Staff, Eastern Command of Pakistan Army surrenders with his 12,000 men before Indian Army Major General Gandharv Nagra on December 21 1971<br />
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This is a less publicized and less well-known surrender ceremony which took place on December 21 1971, days after the first surrender by Niazi's forces<br />
<br />
Brief History of 1971 war<br />
1971 war began with Pakistan attacking India and committing genocide against Bangladeshis in then East Pakistan. <a dir="ltr" href="http://www.genocidebangladesh.org/" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0033cc; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="http://www.genocidebangladesh.org/">http://www.genocidebangladesh.org/</a><br />
<br />
Within 13 days of start of war, Indian military decimated pakistani forces and liberated Bangladesh from the clutches of pakjabis. The resulting surrender of 90,000 pakistani military personnel was largest in number of prisoners of war since World War II.<br />
<br />
The Instrument of Surrender of Pakistani forces stationed in East Pakistan was signed at Ramna Race Course in Dhaka at 16.31 IST on 16 December 1971, by Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora, General Officer Commanding-in-chief of Eastern Command of the Indian Army and Lieutenant General A. A. K. Niazi, Commander of Pakistani forces in East Pakistan.<br />
<br />
The Hamoodur Rahman Commission report instituted by Pakistan has the following comments to make on the result of war<br />
<br />
For Pakistan it was a complete and humiliating defeat, a psychological setback that came from a defeat at the hands of intense rival India.<br />
<br />
Pakistan lost half its territory, significant portion of its economy and its geo-political role in South Asia.<br />
<br />
The loss of East Pakistan had shattered the prestige of the Pakistani military. Pakistan lost half its navy, a quarter of its air force and a third of its army.<br />
<br />
The Pakistani people were not mentally prepared to accept defeat, the state-controlled media in West Pakistan had been projecting imaginary victories. When the surrender in East Pakistan was finally announced, people could not come terms with the magnitude of defeat, spontaneous demonstrations and mass protests erupted on the streets of major cities in West Pakistan. Also, referring to the remaining rump Western Pakistan as simply "Pakistan" added to the effect of the defeat as international acceptance of the secession of the eastern half of the country and its creation as the independent state of Bangladesh developed and was given more credence. The cost of the war for Pakistan in monetary and human resources was very high. Demoralized and finding himself unable to control the situation, General Yahya Khan surrendered power to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who was sworn-in on 20 December 1971 as President and as the (first civilian) Chief Martial Law Administrator. A new and smaller western-based Pakistan emerged on 16 December 1971.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-80432482538770422082010-08-12T17:37:00.002+05:302010-09-26T19:04:54.731+05:30Nag Missile destroying Pakistan Al Khalid Tank<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nH9xtyJxDok?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nH9xtyJxDok?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-9723666581591944352010-08-12T12:31:00.000+05:302010-08-12T12:49:16.319+05:30Chronicle Of Martyrs<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><div id="ctl00_cphpagemiddle_reparticle_ctl00_divfspchannelhome" class="fspchannelhome" style="text-align: left; font-size: 7pt; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-transform: none; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); ">A comic series on our war heroes puts patriotism in a gritty graphic format</span></div><div id="ctl00_cphpagemiddle_reparticle_ctl00_divartbyline" class="fspauthor" style="text-align: left; font-size: 11px; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgb(175, 14, 37); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration: none; "><a href="http://outlookindia.com/peoplefnl.aspx?pid=12892&author=Arpita+Basu" class="fspprintsavelinks2" style="color: rgb(175, 14, 37); text-decoration: none; font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; ">ARPITA BASU</a><span></span></div></span><table width="994" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="text-align: left; "><tbody><tr></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HtzHWTyO9xc/TGOfSfujhRI/AAAAAAAAAA0/hXo9iSCExBs/s1600/comic_book_20100816.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 383px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HtzHWTyO9xc/TGOfSfujhRI/AAAAAAAAAA0/hXo9iSCExBs/s400/comic_book_20100816.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504418309680104722" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; "><div id="divtopbar"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><div id="ctl00_cphpagemiddle_reparticle_ctl00_divfspchannelhome" class="fspchannelhome" style="text-align: left;font-size: 7pt; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-transform: none; font-size: small; ">The cover of the Maj Unnikrishnan comic book</span></div><div id="ctl00_cphpagemiddle_reparticle_ctl00_divfspchannelhome" class="fspchannelhome" style="text-align: left;font-size: 7pt; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-transform: none; font-size: small; "><br /></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Bullets don’t bounce off their chests. Nor do they have superhuman powers to unleash webs or hoist themselves into the air, voluminous capes and all. What they do have is extraordinary courage. Meet the heroes of the Indian War Comics, a series that began in ’08 with a comic on Kargil martyr Capt Vikram Batra. The third one, commemorating Maj Sandeep Unnikrishnan of 26/11 fame, will be released on Independence Day. If the cover is any indication—a fiery-eyed Maj Unnikrishnan aiming his rifle at the enemy against the backdrop of a burning Taj Mahal Hotel, all the while supporting his injured colleague—the portrayal of the protagonist will fit snugly into the superhero mould, though it will also dwell on his early life and influences.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >It was ‘Yeh Dil Maange More’, Capt Batra’s famous rallying cry on the icy heights of Kargil, that inspired the series creator, Aditya Bakshi, to immortalise India’s military heroes through speech bubbles. A merchant navy officer and a general’s son, reared on dog-eared Commando comics, Aditya found himself moved to tears after a chat with his father about Capt Batra, who died at the age of 24. “There was a lot of material available on him, but only in the regimental format of historical accounts, which would hardly appeal to children. I wanted to make these heroes known to the widest possible audience, and in a more permanent way than the odd TV programme.” So, armed with a pencil, Aditya began to give shape to his idea, even doing the early drawings himself. Later, the realisation that the text he was penning needed professionally executed visuals sent him off to the Delhi College of Art with an ‘artist wanted’ poster. A student, Pradeep Yadav, came forward and Yeh Dil Maange More, the first black-and-white Indian War Comic—82 pages long, priced at Rs 65 and merging facts and imagination with gusto—was born. While it is public knowledge that Capt Batra single-handedly overpowered five enemy soldiers, approaching their bunker from the back after a perilous climb, the comic drew upon all the resources of the genre to illustrate how it was done—with a little creative licence thrown in. For instance, it has Capt Batra shout out the lines: “Yes, it’s raining bullets and perhaps we die. But what more worthy death can one hope for? Come on men, this is what we dreamed of...to die a soldier’s death and live forever.” It even has a bit role for journalist Barkha Dutt, who interviewed Capt Batra at Kargil.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Encouraged by the fact that a few thousand readers actually bought the comic, distributed by Om Books International, Aditya went on to launch his second comic, the True Maratha, on Ashok Chakra-winning Col N.J. Nair, who ignored his eventually fatal wounds to lead from the front and break an ambush by Naga insurgents. Two more are in the pipeline—on Param Vir Chakra winner Capt Bana Singh, the only one of the heroes who’s still alive, and on Ashok Chakra awardee Commando Sanjog Chhetri.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; "><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HtzHWTyO9xc/TGOf6gpKIeI/AAAAAAAAAA8/LY_OnL6CnOs/s1600/comics.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HtzHWTyO9xc/TGOf6gpKIeI/AAAAAAAAAA8/LY_OnL6CnOs/s400/comics.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504418997120672226" style="cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 400px; " /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">Capt Batra, the Kargil martyr</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >So is there a readership out there warming to the idea of an Indian genre of war comics, despite the stiff competition from Marvel and DC comics, and innumerable computer and video games? Says Amit Vig of Om Books International, “The popularity of these comics is rising.” He points out that the Capt Batra comic, of which 10,000 copies were initially printed, will go into reprint soon, and the one on Maj Unnikrishnan will also, he believes, cross the 10,000-copy mark.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Aditya, who has been making the rounds of schools to popularise his comics, claims a growing interest in this genre among school children. Kanika Mehra, a teacher at the Delhi Public School, Noida, seems to agree. The comics, she says, “offer an engaging perspective on war history”, while her student, viiith grader Shivansh Tyagi, concedes it is a format that appeals to him. A serving army general, who didn’t want to be named, also registered approval, but for different reasons: “These comics offer exemplars that children would want to emulate. It helps at a time when we’re losing recruits to other lucrative jobs.”</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >If it’s inspiration that’s needed, the comics offer it by the bucketloads. Indeed, they overdo it at times. The second comic book, for instance, shows Col Nair charging forth against a hail of bullets, as his word balloon reads: “Come on my brave Marathas. Soldiers of Shivaji. Let’s give it back to them.”</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Aditya concedes that the treatment is stylised, even exaggerated, but argues that it’s necessary in order to sell the comics to children fed on a diet of TV and video games. To his credit, he has taken some trouble to make his comics authentic, even if each carries a disclaimer of being an unofficial account. Most of the battle sequences can be traced to an official document or statement, a family member, an eyewitness or simply an open source. Maj Unnikrishnan’s father, K. Unnikrishnan was given a questionnaire to fill up, and Capt Batra’s father gathered information and anecdotes from his son’s school and army units and even provided two letters written by him to his brother Vishal. “I get emotional when I read the comic,” says his father, G.L. Batra.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Unnikrishnan’s father, on the other hand, was initially hesitant about the idea of having his son featured as the protagonist of a comic book. He does not, he told Outlook, want his son painted in the colours of a war hero: “I see him as someone only doing his job, and that’s how Sandeep felt too”. But he eventually warmed to Aditya’s project because he felt it could help spread awareness of the ideals of patriotism and the value of dedicating one’s life to one’s chosen vocation. The release of the comic on August 15 also chimes well with this bereaved father’s own project—to cycle all the way from India Gate to the Gateway of India, reaching Mumbai on 26/11.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="http://outlookindia.com/article.aspx?266529">http://outlookindia.com/article.aspx?266529</a></span></div></div></span></div></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-84756212642348067402010-08-10T12:38:00.000+05:302010-08-10T12:40:51.254+05:30DRDO to develop next-generation tank for Indian Army<div><i>Since current foreign made armour is unfit to fight at night, the project is crucial.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>In March this year, during trials in the Rajasthan desert, the Defence R&D Organisation’s Arjun tank conclusively outperformed the Russian T-90, the army’s showpiece. Buoyed by that success and by the army’s consequent order for 124 additional Arjuns, the DRDO is now readying to develop India’s next-generation tank, currently termed the Future Main Battle Tank (FMBT).</div><div><br /></div><div>While costs are still being evaluated, the projections are mind-boggling. The development cost alone could be Rs 5,000 crore. Then, the replacement cost of the Indian Army’s 4,000 tanks — at a conservative Rs 25 crore per FMBT — adds to Rs 1,00,000 crore. The bulk of this would flow, over years of production, to Tier-I and Tier-II suppliers from small and medium industries.</div><div><br /></div><div>For the first time, the DRDO has outlined the FMBT project’s contours. Talking exclusively to Business Standard, DRDO chief and Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, V K Saraswat, revealed, “While the Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) has been handed over to private industry, the DRDO will develop the FMBT. We need about seven-eight years from the time the project is formally sanctioned. The army and the DRDO have already identified the major features of the FMBT, which are quite different from the Arjun. While the Arjun is a 60-tonne tank, the FMBT will be lighter… about 50 tonnes. It will be a highly mobile tank.”</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Vital project</b></div><div>The FMBT project, says the military, is crucial for India’s future battle readiness. As army chief, General Deepak Kapoor pronounced 80 per cent of India’s tank fleet unfit to fight at night, which is when most tank battles take place. The bulk of our fleet, some 2,400 obsolescent Russian T-72s, are being shoddily patched up (see Business Standard, Feb 3, ‘Army to spend billions on outdated T-72 tanks’). More modern T-90 tanks were procured from Russia in 2001, shorn of crucial systems to reduce prices, after parliamentary dissent threatened to derail the contract (Business Standard, Feb 4, ‘Piercing the army’s armour of deception’). Only now, after nine years of stonewalling, has Russia transferred the technology needed to build the T-90 in India.</div><div><br /></div><div>Urgently in need of capable tanks, the army has worked with DRDO to finalise a broad range of capabilities for the FMBT. These have been formalised in a document called the Preliminary Specifications Qualitative Requirement (PSQR). The detailed specifications of the FMBT, once finalised, will be listed in General Staff Qualitative Requirements (GSQR).</div><div><br /></div><div>Amongst the capabilities being finalised for the GSQR are: active armour, which will shoot down enemy anti-tank projectiles before they strike the FMBT; extreme mobility, which makes the FMBT much harder to hit; the capability to operate in a nuclear-contaminated battlefield without exposing the crew to radiation; and the networked flow of information to the FMBT, providing full situational awareness to the crew, even when “buttoned down” inside the tank.</div><div><br /></div><div>Also being finalised is the FMBT armament, a key attribute that determines a tank’s battlefield influence. The Arjun already has a heavy 120mm ‘main gun’, and two small-calibre machine guns; the recently ordered batch of 124 Arjuns will also fire anti-tank missiles through their main gun. The army wants all of those for the FMBT, with ranges enhanced through technological improvements.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, the DRDO chief ruled out an electromagnetic gun, the next generation in high-velocity guns towards which armament technology aspires. “The Future MBT is not so far in the future,” Saraswat quipped.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>FICV, too</b></div><div>With the FMBT project squarely on its agenda, the DRDO also envisages a major role in developing the FICV. Says the DRDO chief, “The FICV is not just a conventional armoured vehicle for transporting soldiers. It involves advanced technologies and multidisciplinary integration, which private industry has never done. Only the DRDO and the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) have that experience. DRDO teams are already thinking about the technologies that should go into the FICV. But this is only to support private industry in making the FICV project a success.”</div><div><br /></div><div>While private industry weighs its options about where to manufacture the FICV, the DRDO has already chosen the Heavy Vehicle Factory (HVF) in Avadi —- the OFB facility that builds the Arjun —- as the FMBT production line.</div><div><br /></div><div>“It will definitely be produced in HVF. I see no way that we can go away from HVF,” says Saraswat. “The HVF will work with us from the preliminary design of the FMBT, so that we can go from prototype to mass production without any hiccups.”</div><div><br /></div><div>http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/drdo-to-develop-army/s-next-generation-tank/404082/</div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-53569603956184286032010-08-10T12:27:00.000+05:302010-08-10T12:31:28.837+05:30Status of Missile Development Programmes as on August 2010<div><b>Status of Missile Development Programmes</b></div><div><br /></div><div>August 09, 2010</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Nag</b></span> - A 3rd Generation Anti-Tank Missile having ‘top attack’ and ‘fire and forget’ capability with a range of 4 km. Its validation trial based on User Trial feedback has been completed successfully. Missile system is ready to enter production /induction phase.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>HELINA</b></span> - A Helicopter Version of 3rd Generation Anti-Tank Guided Missile with a range of more than 7 km. Launchers have been cleared for captive carriage trials and handed over to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for carriage trials.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Astra</b></span> – A Air-to-Air Missile system for beyond visual range, designated to be a missile for Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). Its two guided flight trials from ground launcher have been undertaken during July 2010.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>LR-SAM</b></span> – A Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LR-SAM) jointly developed / produced by DRDO and IAI, Israel. Its Ballistic flight trials was undertaken in May 2010.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">MR-SAM</span></b> – A Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MR-SAM) jointly developed/produced by DRDO and IAI, Israel. Its preliminary design has been carried out. Pre-tender briefing to all prospective vendors has also been carried out.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Agni</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Series of Surface-to-Surface Missiles</span>: Agni-I with a range of 700 km and Agni-II with a range of more than 2000 km have been developed and inducted into Services. Agni-III with a range of 3000 km is ready for induction into Services.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>BrahMos</b></span> – it is a Supersonic Cruise Missile. It has twin roles against sea and land based targets and can be fitted on multiple platforms including ships, submarines, aircraft and mobile ground platforms. The missile has range of 290 km with 200 kg warhead and a speed of more than 2.8 mach number. BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile development programme started as a joint venture between India and Russia through an Inter Government Agreement in February 1998. It has already been inducted in Indian Navy and Indian Army. The Air Version of the missile is under development.</div><div><br /></div><div>Except BrahMos, no offer has been received from any country for joint venture in missile development programmes. There is no plan to accept the conditions of Missile Technology Control Regime. </div><div><br /></div><div>This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Shri SB Wankhede and Shri AP Shivaji in Lok Sabha today.</div><div><br /></div><div>Source : http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=64466</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-521004381372146382010-08-09T21:10:00.000+05:302010-08-11T21:13:43.883+05:30Agni III ready for induction : Defence Minister<div>Aug 9, 2010</div><div><br /></div><div>NEW DELHI</div><div><br /></div><div>After the Agni-I and Agni-II surface-to-surface missiles, the 3000-km range Agni-III missile is ready for being inducted into the service, Lok Sabha was informed on Monday. </div><div><br /></div><div>"700 km range Agni-I and 2000 km range Agni-II have been developed and inducted into service. Agni-III with a range of 3000 km is ready for induction," Defence minister A K Antony said in reply to a question. </div><div><br /></div><div>http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Agni-III-ready-for-induction-Antony/articleshow/6283385.cms</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-26184239476445137132010-07-26T21:14:00.000+05:302010-08-11T21:16:59.815+05:30India successfully test-fires interceptor missile<div>26 July 2010</div><div><br /></div><div>Balasore, Orissa</div><div><br /></div><div>India today successfully test-fired its indigenously developed interceptor missile, capable of destroying any in-coming hostile ballistic missile, from the Integrated Test Range at Wheeler Island off Orissa coast. </div><div><br /></div><div>Aimed at developing a full-fledged multi-layer Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system, the trial was carried out from two launch sites of ITR off the Orissa coast, defence sources said. </div><div><br /></div><div>The whole exercise is to achieve the desired result with precision, said a senior defence scientist. </div><div><br /></div><div>The target missile, a modified surface-to-surface 'Prithvi' was first lifted off from a mobile launcher at 10:05 am from the launch complex-3 of ITR at Chandipur-on-sea, 15 km from here. </div><div><br /></div><div>The interceptor "AAD" missile, positioned at Wheeler Island, about 70 km across sea from Chandipur getting signals from radars tracked it a few minutes later and than intercepted at a definite altitude in the mid-air over the sea, the sources said. </div><div><br /></div><div>While the test launch of both target and hit missiles were deemed success from their respective test sites, detailed results, specifically the 'kill' effects of the interceptor will be known after all data analysis from multiple tracking sources, a defence official said soon after both the missiles roared into the overcast sky leaving behind a thin layer of smoke.</div><div><br /></div><div>http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/India-successfully-test-fires-interceptor-missile/articleshow/6217915.cms</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-52875775374393477792010-07-26T02:55:00.000+05:302010-08-11T21:47:49.983+05:30Interceptor missile to be test-fired today by DRDO<div>July 25, 2010</div><div> </div><div>Preparation for the test-fire of India's own interceptor missile, likely to be conducted tomorrow at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) off Orissa coast, reached its final stage today.</div><div><br /></div><div>Range co-ordination work for the proposed trial has been completed and final check-up of the sub-systems are under process, defence sources said.</div><div><br /></div><div>Scientists of Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) are working overtime to see that the proposed trial is successful, they said adding that in March, the tests were put-off twice due to technical problems.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Aimed at developing a full fledged multi-layer Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system, the mock exercise is to be carried out from two different launch sites of the ITR," said a defence scientist.</div><div><br /></div><div>The whole exercise is just like hitting a bullet with a bullet, he said.</div><div><br /></div><div>The target, a modified surface-to-surface missile would first be lifted off from a mobile launcher from the launch complex-3 of ITR at Chandipur-on-sea, 15 km from here.</div><div><br /></div><div>The interceptor, positioned at the Wheeler Island, about 70 km across sea from Chandipur, which gets signals from radars positioned at different points along the Orissa sea coast would track it and then intercept at a definite altitude mid-air.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yet to get a formal name, this indigenously developed new hypersonic interceptor missile is designed to be engaged in both endo (within 50 km of earth atmosphere) as well as exo (beyond 50 km of earth atmosphere) atmospheric condition.</div><div><br /></div><div>The seven-meter long interceptor is a single stage solid rocket propelled guided missile, equipped with an inertial navigation system, a hi-tech computer and an electro-mechanical activator totally under command by the data up-linked from the sophisticated ground based radars to the interceptor.</div><div><br /></div><div>This would be the fourth time for the DRDO to test its intercepting missile. The three previous tests were conducted on November 27, 2006, December 6, 2007 and March 6, 2009 from the Wheeler Island.</div><div><br /></div><div>http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_final-round-preparation-for-test-firing-of-interceptor-missile-in-orissa_1414326</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-26674251789850947922010-07-24T12:58:00.000+05:302010-08-11T22:00:43.276+05:30Software for BrahMos Missile Project<div>Jul 24, 2010</div><div><br /></div><div>Madurai</div><div><br /></div><div>Researchers at Thiagarajar College of Engineering here have been involved in developing enhanced software capability for the BrahMos missile. </div><div><br /></div><div>Researchers worked on the project for three years and the new software will be evaluated and implemented in future or advanced versions of the missile, according to Mr A. Sivathanu Pillai, Chief Controller (Research and Development), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). </div><div><br /></div><div>The software will help the missile ‘view' its target , by correlating the target with satellite images The project was funded by BrahMos Aerospace.</div><div><br /></div><div>Validation of the software will take place within a year, he said, while inaugurating a two-day conference organised by Velammal College of Engineering and Technology, here, on Thursday.</div><div><br /></div><div>http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/07/24/stories/2010072451781900.htm</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-1476282471055722842010-07-16T21:39:00.000+05:302010-08-11T21:42:18.111+05:30Tank busting Nag missile's final validation trials completed<div>July 16, 2010</div><div><br /></div><div>Third generation anti-tank Nag missile is expected to be inducted into the Army's arsenal next year with the successful completion of “final validation trials” in the Chanan Air Force ranges in Rajasthan.</div><div><br /></div><div>The hit-to-kill missile proved its capability against both moving and stationary targets with precision. In all, four missiles — two each against a moving target and a derelict Vijayanta tank — were fired to cover varying ranges of 500 metres to 2,600 metres on Wednesday, a senior Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) official told TheHindu from Rajasthan.</div><div><br /></div><div>The “fire-and-forget” missile was bang on target. Each time, two missiles were fired consecutively within a span of few minutes against a moving and another stationary target. Moving with a speed of 210 metres per second, Nag caused extensive damage to stationary Vijayanta tanks on both the occasions, the official said.</div><div><br /></div><div>Channel-crossing ability</div><div><br /></div><div>The “flotation trials” of the Nag Missile Carrier (Namica) were held on Thursday in the Indira Gandhi Canal, Nachna, during which the entire system manoeuvred through the canal and established its “channel-crossing ability.” Namica was produced by Bharat Electronics Ltd., while the reconfigured launcher platform was developed by Larsen & Toubro, Mumbai. Each NAMICA can carry eight missiles in ready-to-fire mode.</div><div><br /></div><div>Deputy Chief of the Army Staff Lt. Gen. J. P. Singh and Director-General, Mechanised Forces, Lt. Gen. Dalip Bharadwaj witnessed the trials.</div><div><br /></div><div>The official said the Army was satisfied with the performance of the missile. He expressed confidence that it would be inducted by early next year. It is likely to replace the imported second generation missiles. Bharat Dynamics Ltd has established facilities for producing 100 Nag missiles a year.</div><div><br /></div><div>Last month, following a request from the Army, Nag, which has a maximum range of four km, destroyed both moving and stationary targets at a short range of 500 metres within a few seconds of its launch.</div><div><br /></div><div>Equipped with a Imaging Infra-Red seeker — that cannot be jammed — the missile has top-attack capability and carries a highly potent tandem HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) warhead that can defeat modern tanks and armoured vehicles. Another unique feature of the missile is that it has a low smoke propellant that would make it difficult for the adversary to identify the firing place.</div><div><br /></div><div>http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/16/stories/2010071653531500.htm</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-58248477562518904132010-07-11T23:24:00.000+05:302010-08-11T22:25:59.333+05:30India to test Interceptor Missile in August as part of efforts to build ballistic missile defence shield<div>July 11, 2010</div><div><br /></div><div>India will launch in early August an interceptor called Advanced Air Defence (AAD) missile to shoot down an incoming “enemy missile” as part of its efforts to build a credible ballistic missile defence shield.</div><div><br /></div><div>After the “enemy” missile takes off from its launch pad at the Integrated Test Range, (ITR) Balasore, Orisssa, the AAD missile will pounce upon it midway, lifting off from the Wheeler Island in the Bay of Bengal, about 60 km off Balasore.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has built both the missiles and will launch them. Preparations are progressing apace for the launches.</div><div><br /></div><div>V.K. Saraswat, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, said the AAD interceptor “is not one of the existing missiles,” hinting that it has been newly developed.</div><div><br /></div><div>The target “is a modified missile” and the interception would take place in endo-atmosphere. But the interception would be at a high altitude in the endo-atmosphere. While the endo-atmosphere is 50 km and below, the exo-atmosphere is above 50 km. Rains had led to the test being postponed from July to August.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of the four interceptor missile tests so far, the first three were successful. The last one in March 2010 was a failure.</div><div><br /></div><div>Dr. Saraswat, who is also Director-General, DRDO, said the test-flights of Astra, India's air-to-air missile on Tuesday and Wednesday were aimed at demonstrating its high manoeuvrability, and its control and guidance systems.</div><div><br /></div><div>“The Astra is meant for destroying aerial targets. It is a gradual process of proving its control and guidance systems. Before we integrate the missile with an aircraft, we should prove all this. [However], we have flown the missile integrated with an aircraft and it was done in Pune,” he said.</div><div><br /></div><div>The missile was integrated with a Sukhoi-30 aircraft. But the tests on Tuesday and Wednesday took place from the ground at the ITR.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Astra is about 3.6 metre long and weighs 160 kg.</div><div><br /></div><div>http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/11/stories/2010071163301000.htm</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-51671701052528055692010-07-08T03:30:00.000+05:302010-08-11T22:35:41.538+05:30Astra missile test-fired for second consecutive day<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HtzHWTyO9xc/TGLYWTvYQvI/AAAAAAAAAAs/OdnvX25siKM/s1600/astra-bvr-missile.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 346px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HtzHWTyO9xc/TGLYWTvYQvI/AAAAAAAAAAs/OdnvX25siKM/s400/astra-bvr-missile.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504199572367885042" /></a><br /><div>File picture of Astra Missile</div><div><br /></div><div>July 7, 2010</div><div><br /></div><div>India on Wednesday test-fired Astra, the indigenously developed beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile at Chandipur near here, hours after carrying out the first night trial of the weapon.</div><div><br /></div><div>The sophisticated missile was fired from a launcher at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) complex, about 15 km from here, at 2.07 pm, defence sources said.</div><div><br /></div><div>The second consecutive trial comes after the missile was test-fired for the first time for night trial in inclement weather conditions on Tuesday night. The data generated were being thoroughly examined by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists, the sources said.</div><div><br /></div><div>The single stage, solid-fuelled Astra is more advanced in its category than the contemporary BVR missiles and is capable of engaging and destroying highly manoeuvrable supersonic aerial targets, DRDO scientists said.</div><div><br /></div><div>The 3.8-metre-long missile, which has a diameter of 178 mm, can carry a warhead containing explosives weighing 15 kg and can be fitted to any fighter aircraft.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is intended for eventual integration with the IAFs Sukhoi-30 MKI, MiG-29, Mirage-2000, Jaguar and the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, the sources said.</div><div><br /></div><div>Describing Astra as a futuristic missile, the scientists said the weapon could intercept targets at supersonic speed (mach 1.2 to 1.4).</div><div><br /></div><div>Before being made fully operational, the complex missile system will undergo some more trials, though tests of its navigation, control, air frame, propulsion and other sub-systems have been validated, the sources said.</div><div><br /></div><div>Though the exact range of Wednesday’s trial was not disclosed, DRDO scientists are working to ensure Astra performs effectively at different altitudes — one cruising at an altitude of 15 km with 90 to 110 km range, another at an altitude up to 30,000 ft, having a range of 44 km and the third at sea level with a range of 25 km, the sources said.</div><div><br /></div><div>The trials of Astra, conducted on January 11 this year from the same base, were successful.</div><div><br /></div><div>http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/article504428.ece</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-66366527083681192832010-07-06T13:26:00.000+05:302010-08-11T22:34:04.049+05:30Astra Beyond Visual Range Missile successfully test-fired<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HtzHWTyO9xc/TGLXWEyf_vI/AAAAAAAAAAk/PP59KgMGcGY/s1600/astra-bvr-missile.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 346px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HtzHWTyO9xc/TGLXWEyf_vI/AAAAAAAAAAk/PP59KgMGcGY/s400/astra-bvr-missile.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504198468842815218" /></a><br /><div>File picture of Astra Missile</div><div><br /></div><div>July 6, 2010</div><div><br /></div><div>India on Tuesday conducted the night trial of its indigenously developed beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile 'Astra' in inclement weather.</div><div><br /></div><div>Defence sources said the sophisticated missile was test-fired from a launcher in launch pad number two of the Integrated Test Range complex at Chandipur, about 15km from Balasore, Orissa, at about 8.15 pm.</div><div><br /></div><div>The single stage, solid fuelled 'Astra' missile is more advanced in its category than the contemporary BVR missiles and is capable of engaging and destroying highly maneuverable supersonic aerial targets, Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) sources said.</div><div><br /></div><div>The 3.8 metre long missile, which has a diametre of 178 mm, can carry a warhead containing explosives weighing 15 kg and can be fitted to any fighter aircraft.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is intended to be eventually integrated with IAF's Sukhoi-30 MKI, MiG-29, Mirage-2000, Jaguar and the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, the sources said.</div><div><br /></div><div>Describing 'Astra' as a futuristic missile, DRDO scientists said the weapon could intercept the target at supersonic speed (mach 1.2 to 1.4).</div><div><br /></div><div>"Before being made fully operational, the complex missile system will undergo some more trials, though tests of its navigation, control, air frame, propulsion and other sub-system have been validated," the sources said.</div><div><br /></div><div>Though the exact range of today's trial has not been disclosed, DRDO scientists are working to ensure that 'Astra' performs effectively at different altitudes - one cruising at an altitude of 15km with 90 to 110km range, another at an altitude up to 30,000 ft, having a range of 44km and the third at sea level with a range of 25km, the sources said.</div><div><br /></div><div>The last two trials of Astra, conducted on January 11 from the same base, were successful.</div><div><br /></div><div>http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/air-to-air-missile-astra-successfully-test-fired-35977</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-6915873365230189402010-06-07T13:02:00.000+05:302010-08-11T22:05:09.418+05:30New missile interceptor test in end June: DRDO<div>June 7, 2010</div><div><br /></div><div>The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) would be testing a new missile interceptor in Balasore by the end of this month, DRDO chief Dr VK Saraswat told India Today. "We will have a test in end June or early July and are calling this new missile the PDV and it will have two solid stages," Dr Saraswat said. He revealed that the DRDO would begin ground-testing of AD-1 next year, a missile meant to shoot down intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).</div><div><br /></div><div>The DRDO-developed missile shield uses a system of long range radars and long-range missiles to shoot down incoming enemy missiles. The system has been tested successfully three times since December 2006. A fourth test in March this year was a failure. For the test planned in June, the DRDO now plans to replace the PAD-1 or the exo-atmospheric interceptor which has two stages, one liquid and one solid besides a 'kill vehicle' which destroys the enemy missile. It will be tested against an 'enemy' missile 100 km away.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HtzHWTyO9xc/TGLQ2xmQ2cI/AAAAAAAAAAc/P5gO1L-vznk/s1600/100607042021_missile_unnithan_story.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HtzHWTyO9xc/TGLQ2xmQ2cI/AAAAAAAAAAc/P5gO1L-vznk/s400/100607042021_missile_unnithan_story.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504191334045505986" style="cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div>An AAD missile being test fired from Wheeler Island</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The PDV is a modified version of stage 1 missile interceptors which can shoot down intermediate range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) of upto 2,000 km range like Pakistan's Ghauri and Shaheen missiles. "The PDV will be the mainstay of the defence shield," Dr Saraswat said.</div><div><br /></div><div>DRDO officials say this system will be the backbone of the missile defence shield until Phase 2 missiles are fully deployed. Phase 1 of the system is to be completed and ready for induction by next year.</div><div><br /></div><div>Dr Saraswat said that the AD-1 and AD-2, extended range missiles meant to shoot down ICBMs, were on the drawing board and would be fielded by around 2012 under Phase 2 of the missile shield. "Ground testing of the AD-1 will begin next year and the AD-1 missile will be test-fired in 2012," Saraswat said. These would be capable of shooting down missiles which have ranges greater than 5,000 km. Phase 2 is far more challenging because it calls for detecting ICBMs hurtling at twice the speeds of intermediate range missiles. It not only requires bigger interceptor missiles flying at hypersonic speeds of between six and seven times the speed of sound (present missile interceptor speeds are between Mach 4 and Mach 5) but also radars to detect incoming ICBMs at ranges of over 1,500 km as opposed to the current detection ranges of over 600 km.</div><div><br /></div><div>Phase 2 will be part of the DRDO's attempts at incrementally increasing the BMD capabilities of the home-grown system. The system has been successfully test-fired three times since December 2006-the first test shot of the exo-atmospheric interceptor downed a missile 45 km away; the second test a year later proved the endo-atmospheric or Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptor which shot down an incoming ballistic missile 15 km away. A third test in March 2009 shot down a ballistic missile 48 km away. The interceptor used a 'gimbaled directional warhead' or a warhead only one side of which explodes close to an incoming ballistic missile, shattering it.</div><div><br /></div><div>The DRDO has put into place the building blocks for developing extended range radars of over 1,500 km. The Phase 2 missiles will be in the class of the THAAD or Terminal High Altitude Area Defence missiles deployed by the United States as part of its missile shield beginning this year. THAAD missiles can intercept ballistic missiles over 200 km away and track radars with ranges of over 1,000 km.</div><div><br /></div><div>http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/100595/WEB%20EXCLUSIVE/new-missile-interceptor-test-in-end-june-drdo-chief.html</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-28433502024417915912010-02-18T22:19:00.000+05:302010-08-11T21:27:29.172+05:30Prithvi Missile Warheads displayed during DefExpo India 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HtzHWTyO9xc/TGLIVVk92lI/AAAAAAAAAAU/8_VrMsEoFDo/s1600/prithvi+missile+warheads.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HtzHWTyO9xc/TGLIVVk92lI/AAAAAAAAAAU/8_VrMsEoFDo/s400/prithvi+missile+warheads.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504181963495168594" /></a><br /><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-25534710141248386172007-12-31T20:38:00.000+05:302007-12-31T20:40:48.161+05:30HAL to supply components for 300 Su-30 fighters to RussiaIndia's state-run aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will supply components for the assembly of 300 Sukhoi Su-30MK multi-role fighters to a Russian aircraft manufacturer.<br /><br />Under the deal signed here last month during Indian Defence Minister A K Antony's visit, HAL will supply large components to Russia's Irkut Corporation for assembling the airframes of Su-30MK fighters. The Russian firm is working on Indian, Malaysian and Algerian export orders.<br /><br />"We had to cross several bureaucratic barriers over the years before this landmark deal could be finalised," President of United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) Alexei Fedorov said.<br /><br />The UAC official declined to divulge the value of the deal between HAL and the Russian firm.<br /><br />He said the highly successful Indo-Russian cooperation in the Su-30MKI project laid the base for the inter-governmental agreement for the joint development of the fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGA).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-17379485096767838042007-12-31T20:36:00.000+05:302007-12-31T20:37:51.132+05:30HAL to develop two new choppersHindustan Aeronautics Ltd, India’s aircraft maker, plans to design and manufacture two new helicopters in an effort to meet growing demand from India’s military.<br /><br />The two models are a lighter and smaller craft than the company’s Dhruv advanced light helicopter and a heavier 10-tonne multi-role helicopter that can lift cargo and troops to high-altitude regions in the Himalayas and the North Eastern parts of the country.<br /><br />HAL said that the 10-tonne helicopter, which will be similar to the MI-17 of the Russians, will be jointly developed with a yet to be identified foreign collaborator; it did not disclose details of the light helicopter.<br /><br />“We presently have an observation helicopter in the three tonne class like the Chetak; Dhruv is in the six tonne class and we want one in a heavier class,” said Ashok K Baweja, chairman, HAL at a seminar on helicopter technology organized by the Society of Indian Aerospace Technologies and Industry (SIATI).<br /><br />“It should be configured to Indian conditions, it should fly in both hot temperatures and high altitudes,” he added, referring to the heavier helicopter. While no time frame has been mentioned for the lighter helicopter, the heavy helicopter will be built in six years.However, an industry expert said that HAL has been looking seriously at the ligher helicopter too.<br /><br />“HAL is taking people of the Chetak and Cheetah (assembly) line and will utilize their expertise on developing the new light helicopter,” said Air Marshal (retd) K Sridharan, president of the Rotary Wing Society of India, a body of helicopter pilots and engineers in the country.<br /><br />HAL has produced over 700 Chetak and Cheetah helicopters in the country under license from Eurocopter, the Franco-German-Spanish division of EADS, the European aerospace company.<br /><br />In 1998, HAL had announced that it would indigenously build a three-tonne class light observation helicopter designed for operation at high altitudes of up to 6 km though it later scrapped the project.<br /><br />The company has delivered close to 100 Dhruv advanced light helicopters to the armed forces; these aircraft are also used by civilian customers such as ONGC Ltd.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-11200266042506445172007-12-31T20:33:00.001+05:302007-12-31T20:35:16.871+05:30HAL's Light Combat Helicopter will be ready by December 2008The first prototype of the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), being designed and developed by State-owned aviation major, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will be ready for its maiden flight between October and December next year, according to HAL Chairman Ashok K. Baweja.<br /><br />On the sidelines of a seminar on “Helicopter Technology” here on Tuesday, Mr. Baweja said, the detailed design drawing of the LCH would be completed by December this year. “We will be then releasing the drawings to make parts.<br /><br />The first prototype should be ready between October and December 2008,” he told presspersons. Eventually, the LCH would fit into the IAF’s attack helicopter squadron.<br /><br />Elaborating on the HAL’s current project to develop a 10-tonne attack helicopter, Mr. Baweja said the HAL was now looking for co-development partners for the project. “We are at the stage of firming up specifications with the customers and finding partners. Work is in that preparatory mode.<br /><br />The helicopter will have to be configured for Indian conditions, very high altitudes and very hot temperatures. Most machines in the world are a little short on that,” he explained.<br /><br />The 10-tonne copter would be in the same class as the Mi-17. The helicopter, which will augment the current fleet of the three-tonne class observation choppers and the six-tonne class Dhruv, would initially be made as a military version.<br />Hawks coming soon<br /><br />The first four of the Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) aircraft, Hawk, ordered by the Indian Air Force (IAF) to replace its ageing Kiran aircraft, would land at the Air Force Station, Bidar, within the next 15 days, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal F.H. Major told the journalists. “They should be here by November 15 or 16,” he announced.<br /><br />India had ordered 66 trainers from BAe Systems, the UK-based manufacturers of the aircraft. Twenty four of the aircraft were scheduled to come in a ready to fly configuration, the rest to be built under license at HAL’s Bangalore complex.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-87289348751431799272007-12-31T20:31:00.000+05:302007-12-31T20:33:01.308+05:30India's Vihang Netra UAV takes to the skiesThe oft-used Army adages ‘unity is strength’ and ‘united we stand, divided we fall’ has literally come true for a group of small entrepreneurs in Pune.<br /><br />Members of the DEMA Manufacturers’ Association, which began first as an association of small electronics manufacturing units catering to the defence electronics sector, decided to form a consortium to take on orders from the defence sector.<br /><br />And they did the unimaginable. As a 50-member consortium, instead of small isolated units, they built an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) called Vihang Netra for the Armed Forces. They pooled their resources in domains, going all the way from aerospace, avionics, navigation, sensors, radars, fuses, smart weapons, radio networks, thermal imaging, image processing, safety equipment, ground support equipment for missiles and quality assurance equipment.<br /><br />“The UAV has been accepted by the Indian Army since units have flown at an altitude of 1,000 feet above mean sea level (MSL), requiring smaller crew and ground support operations against imported variety. So, to explore the potential of this indigenous development, DEMA has formed a strategic partnership through an MoU with Larsen & Toubro.<br /><br />Under the MoU, Larsen & Toubro and DEMA members will work together to upgrade and supply the UAVs to end-users,” says Wavelet group head and DEMA member Vishwas Udpikar.<br /><br />Explaining the objectives of the consortium, he says that these include “removing the fear of the unknown from the minds of the small industrial entrepreneurs over working for defence and providing all the necessary support for successful work towards defence.”<br /><br />The consortium model proposes to provide a single umbrella for the inter-disciplinary and wide variety of requirements of defence. This has become possible due to a wide spectrum of domains covered by its members, says Kasco Industries partner and DEMA Manufacturers Association president DS Kamlapurkar.<br /><br />Referring to the development of the completely indigenously built UAV, members explained that it began under the guidance of former president Abdul Kalam, when he was scientific adviser to the defence minister and the director, Snow and Avalanche Studies Establishment.<br /><br />“We had to indigenise key technologies like the air-frame, controls, navigation, imaging, communication, flight consoles, ground equipment and delivery of units to DRDO. These units have now collectively flown over 400 sorties and more than 100 of these have been beyond the visual range of control,” says Udpikar.<br /><br />Following up on the success both, of the consortium approach and the UAV, DEMA is now looking at setting up a cluster of its own, targeted at the defence sector. The cluster will address the specific needs of defence-related development and supply.<br /><br />Such a cluster is expected to bring several centres of excellence in all the diverse areas at one location, giving an impetus to this vital area of national growth. Udpikar is confident of the cluster actually happening since DEMA has established methods of the consortium and working together over a long period.<br /><br />The defence cluster will additionally provide test, validation and certification facilities for defence-related production. Dr Natarajan, scientific adviser to the defence minister, has given a favourable response to this idea and DEMA has also asked the DRDO to participate in it by providing land near Pune.<br /><br />Despite the requirements of the defence sector being worth hundreds of crores of rupees, most equipment is imported and domestic research and development in this sector is negligible. While this is attributable partly to a lack of a long-term roadmap for development by the armed forces, it ensures that the country remains dependent on expensive imports of sensitive equipment.<br /><br />“Our effort to set up a defence-related R&D sector is to overcome the lack of research in such a critical area,” says Kamlapurkar.<br /><br />Member units of the consortium have begun using the reliability centre at the auto cluster promoted by the central government and the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture.<br /><br />DEMA was formed in 1989 under the guidance of late admiral Mudholkar by a few industrial units then pursuing defence-related products in the Pune region. The organisation now covers most defence-related organisations, the DRDO, the three Services, defence production units, PSUs in defence (HAL, BEL etc.) and the DGST and DGQA. The collective turnover of these units is over Rs 200 crore.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-36609131200447975742007-12-31T20:28:00.000+05:302007-12-31T20:30:19.721+05:30Dhruv flown at 27,500 feet<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Dhruv flown at 27,500 feet</span><br /></div><br />The Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv is doing wonders at the newly opened high-altitude airbase at Manasbal (Srinagar) close to the Siachen area.<br /><br />Three of its pilots were the first to take the ALH to heights higher than Manasbal, which was also the first time an Indian helicopter was taken to that height.<br /><br />C D Upadhyay, Unni Pillai and M U Khan flew the ALH at an incredible altitude of 27,500 feet in the Siachen area braving icy winds.<br /><br />Upadhyay describes that flight: "We started climbing stage by stage... 20,000 feet, 23, 24, 25, 26 and then 27,500. It had never been done before. We were hovering and watching a Cheetal (another helicopter) land just below us at 25,100 feet. Landing at that height isn’t easy. We were ready to pick up the pilot if something went wrong.<br /><br />"Naturally, we had to be at a higher altitude. It was cold and we were wrapped in woollens. There wasn't a single rattle at 27,500 ft... We'd worked out if the Cheetal could make 25,000 feet, the ALH could do more. We hadn't tried it on the Siachen Glacier. We succeeded."<br /><br />Upadhyay and his co-pilots tried out the copter at that height above the Leh runway and the hills before taking on the glacier.<br /><br />Minutes before the flight, Upadhyay said: "We checked the engine, then the software. It was fine. We were confident the copter would perform 100 per cent. Then we checked on the oxygen. At 27,000 feet, you need pressurised oxygen and a continuous supply. We ensured that. We did all the checks. We just took-off. The ALH was a beauty."<br /><br />Upadhyay and his co-pilots were the first to put the ALH through the glacier. They flew it in extreme cold conditions. They flew it after an overnight soak. Then in chilly winds, almost blizzard-like conditions.<br /><br />Upadhyay and co. did not have risk on their mind. "We didn't have the time to think. So there was no worrying. In any case, flying is part of our life. We have done it before and we'll keep doing it in future. If you love what you do, you don't think of what turns out for you. You learn to expect that in a pilot's life."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-9213987565735802912007-12-31T20:24:00.000+05:302007-12-31T20:27:11.259+05:30India's National Aerospace Laboratory working on regional jet<div style="text-align: center;">India's National Aerospace Laboratory working on regional jet<br /></div><br />6 October 2007<br /><br />Having already delivered 10 indigenously-developed Hansa two-seater trainer turbo-prop aircraft, the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) at Bangalore is well on its way to developing the 14-seater Saras light transport aircraft, Dr AR Upadhya, director, NAL, told a packed auditorium at Zephyr 2007, the aerospace meet of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at Powai, Mumbai, on Saturday 6 October.<br /><br />Two prototypes of the rear mounted twin-engine Saras are already ready, with the aircraft having made its successful maiden flight, powered by Pratt & Whitney engines, on 14 April 2007, Dr Upadhya said. He said full flight certification was expected in 2009. The aircraft earlier was about 500kg overweight, which had been reduced by a greater use of light carbon-fibre composites and a more powerful engine.<br /><br />NAL is also working on a four- and six-seater aircraft, presently named NM5, in a public-private partnership with Mahindra Plexion, and expects the first flight of the prototype to take place by the end of 2008.<br /><br />But the most ambitious NAL project is a 70-seater regional jet, which is to have a 50-seater turbo-prop variant as well as a 90-seater extended version.<br /><br />Apart from regional jet makers Bombardier and Embraer, a number of countries are already in advanced stages of production of regional aircraft, including China, Russia and Japan, Dr Upadhya disclosed, adding that to be successful, NAL's version would have to be lighter and therefore more fuel-efficient than those made by its competitors.<br /><br />He was quick to add, though, that civil aviation was only one of the dozen or more divisions in NAL, and that the laboratories were technology providers to all sectors of the aerospace industry. NAL also has longstanding foreign collaborations with a number of countries, including China Aerosspace (CAe) and jet turbine makers Pratt & Whitney, with whom it has jointly set up a number of jet propulsion test equipment stations.<br /><br />Among NAL's more visible achievements is its expertise in carbon fibre composites, a field in which it has made a number of developments, including a pilot project to manufacture the raw materials. It has also pioneered new lower-cost methods through vacuum-enhanced resin infusion technology for making composite components (being used for the wings of the Saras aircraft), as well as indigenously developed autoclaves for curing, which are used by Indian aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).<br /><br />The composite wings for India's prestigious fourth-generation Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) have spars developed by NAL, which has also developed the middle part of the fuselage and airframe, as well as the doors for the landing gear. Around 90 per cent of the LCA's surface, and 45 per cent of the aircraft by weight is made from advanced composites.<br /><br />Compsites technology is also used for repair of Indian Air Force aircraft, in making radomes for Doppler radars used for weather forecasting by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and to make radomes for IAF aircraft. Upadhya said that the NAL has a number of collaborative projects in these areas with HAL. The institution has also specialised in failure analysis, and its scientists and engineers are always involved in crash investigations, he said.<br /><br />Among other pioneering projects is developing shape memory alloys, to be used for the fins of the reusable launch vehicles being developed by ISRO, developing hydrophobic coatings to bring down laminar flow in aircraft and spacecraft, and developing the technology to burn fuel at supersonic speeds in scramjets, required by ISRO for its air-breathing hypersonic launch vehicle.<br /><br />It has also developed a prototype for a 55 HP Wankel rotary engine, and is working on a microgas turbine, for which all the parts have already been produced and integration is underway. Another field is development of micro-air vehicles, for surveillance purposes.<br /><br />In launch vehicle space technology, the NAL has developed Zirconi-based ceramic inserts for high temperature tolerances up to 3,200 degrees Kelvin. It has also developed mouldless slurry casting, nano-technology coatings for precision tools and magnetic non-contact bearings. A runway visibility meter its has developed is now used at a number of airports, including at Goa and Kochi, Dr Upadhya said.<br /><br />Test equipment is vital to the field of aerospace, and this is one of NAL's specialities, Dr Upadhya pointed out. Among test equipment developed is wind tunnels, both for aviation as well as space flight, aero-elastic modelling techniques, computational fluid dynamics, flow visualisation and pressure-sensitive paint, G-meters for aircraft, software to monitor aircraft performance, active noise control devices, and a semi-free jet test rig (with Pratt & Whitey).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-92161261332996709212007-12-31T20:17:00.000+05:302007-12-31T20:22:54.380+05:30Dhruv to be used to fight terror<div style="text-align: center; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Dhruv to be used to fight terror<br /></span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">Srinagar, Oct. 4,2007</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">After the successful trials in the icy heights of Siachen, India's indigenously-developed helicopter Dhruv has been inducted in the Indian army for providing logistic support to the ground troops during counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">This multifaceted helicopter will provide a new capability to the security forces in the state and can also be effectively used for disaster relief, search and rescue operations and casualty evacuation.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">Dhruv, the multi-role advanced light helicopter, would be stationed at Indian army's state-of-the-art aviation base at Manasbal in Ganderbal district.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">Developed by India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, this versatile new generation helicopter is capable of carrying out multiple tasks at the same time.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">A scintillating display of formation flying, high gravity manoeuvres, slithering operations and high speed small team insertion operations were given by a team of Dhruv helicopters led by commanding officer of the squadron Colonel Rakesh Kapoor at the inauguration of the Manasbal aviation base on Monday.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">The Dhruv helicopters had successfully conducted test trials in the Siachen in February this year.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">After its induction, Dhruv will join the Mi-17, Chetak, Cheetah and Chetan helicopters, which fly daily in Siachen skies for logistic, communication, casualty evacuation and supply support.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-61224096280241167872007-10-03T23:19:00.001+05:302007-10-03T23:25:22.132+05:30India's Nuclear-Capable Agni-I Missile is all set for Army’s First Training Trial<a href="http://www.indianexpress.com/story/223487.html">Source</a><o:p> </o:p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">Tuesday, October 02, 2007<o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">Chandipur trial set for Friday will lead to operationalisation and induction of short-range missile.<o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">New Delhi: The Indian army will, for the first time, validate its standard operating procedures and drills on a nuclear-capable missile by test-firing the Agni I at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur this Friday.<o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">The first “training trial” of the Agni I missile will lead to its full operationalisation to complete its induction process into the service, sources confirmed, adding that great strategic importance is being attached to the test as it will determine the procedures and time required to launch a nuclear missile by the armed forces.<o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">The Agni I, which can deliver a nuclear payload deep into Pakistan without being deployed at the border due to its range of over 700 km, was inducted into the Army in 2004 after over a decade of development trials by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). This short-range ballistic missile can be launched from both a road-based system and a broad gauge rail launcher system.<o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">India has already issued notices for diverting civilian air traffic in the region in anticipation of the launch.<o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">The notice specifies that “over flight restrictions” are being imposed in the area from 9 am to 5 pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday as an “experimental flight vehicle” will be launched from the ITR complex.<o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">The training trial comes months after a similar test was carried out on the short-range Prithvi missile in May to validate standard operating procedures of the Army’s special missile groups. The Army’s “334 missile group” currently operates Agni I missile while the Prithvi missile has been inducted into the “333 missile group.”<o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">The Agni II intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM), with a range of over 2000 km, has been inducted but its training trials are pending. The Agni III, with a range of over 3,500 km, needs to be tested “several more times” before induction.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7955954031840083863.post-16318644950238547872007-10-03T23:17:00.000+05:302007-10-03T23:19:11.763+05:30Environmental Survey Vehicle developed by DRDO handed over to Indian Navy<a href="http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/02/stories/2007100257771300.htm">Source</a><br /><br /><o:p></o:p>Tuesday, Oct 02, 2007<o:p><br /><br /></o:p>NEW DELHI: An Environmental Survey Vehicle (ESV) developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was formally handed over to the Navy here on Monday. DRDO chief M. Natarajan handed over the ESV to Vice-Chief of Naval Staff Vice-Admiral Nirmal Verma at a function at the DRDO headquarters.<o:p> </o:p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Laboratory on wheels</span><br />Designed and developed by the Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur, the ESV is a radiological laboratory on wheels and equipped with state-of-art instruments. It is capable of estimating radioactivity in field conditions in solid, liquids and air.<o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Suitability of eatables</span><br />The ESV will help certify the suitability of eatables and drinkables in field conditions from the radiation safety angle for coastal areas.<o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Radiation</span><br />It is also capable of measuring alpha, beta and gamma radiation quantitatively and qualitatively at even very low levels of radioactivity.<o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">This will facilitate early detection of any unusual increase in radioactivity in the area.<o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">The ESV is also capable of detecting any intentional or unintentional release of radioactivity in the marine environment.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0