Image used for representation purpose only.
| Photo Credit: ANI

This is part of the efforts to develop a long-duration supersonic combustion ramjet technology.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

In a crucial milestone in the development of next-generation hypersonic munitions, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully demonstrated a cutting-edge active cooled scramjet combustor ground test for 120 seconds for the first time in India. This is part of the efforts to develop a long-duration supersonic combustion ramjet or scramjet powered hypersonic technology.

The key to hypersonic vehicles is scramjets, which are air breathing engines capable of sustaining combustion at supersonic speeds without using any moving parts, DRDO noted in a statement. “The ground test of scramjet combustor showcased several notable achievements, demonstrating its potential for operational use in hypersonic vehicles, like successful ignition and stable combustion,” it stated.

This was developed by the Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), a Hyderabad-based laboratory of the DRDO.

Hypersonic missiles are a class of weapons that travel at speeds greater than Mach 5 – five times the speed of sound or more than 5,400 km/hr. Several nations including the U.S., Russia, and China are actively pursuing hypersonic technology.

Ignition in a scramjet engine is like ‘keeping a candle lit in a hurricane’, the DRDO said. Explaining this, the statement said that scramjet combustor incorporates an innovative flame stabilisation technique that holds continuous flame inside the combustor with air speed in excess of 1.5 km/s. Many novel and promising ignition and flame holding techniques were studied through many ground tests in arriving at scramjet engine configuration, it said. “The indigenous development of endothermic scramjet fuel, the first time in India, jointly by DRDL and Industry is central to this breakthrough. The fuel offers dual benefits of significant cooling improvement and ease of ignition.”

Further, DRDO said that another key achievement is the development of state-of-art Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC) which is designed to withstand extreme temperatures encountered during hypersonic flight. A new advanced ceramic TBC having high thermal resistance and capable of operating beyond melting point of steel has been jointly developed by DRDL and Department of Science and Technology (DST) Laboratory. “The coating is applied inside the Scramjet engine using special deposition methods that enhance their performance and longevity. With demonstrated capabilities in stable combustion, enhanced performance and advanced thermal management, this breakthrough sets the stage for next generation hypersonic missions,” the statement added.

New Delhi:

India’s Ministry of Defence signed two significant deals to greatly enhance its submarine fleet. While one of the deals was signed with France’s Naval Group, the larger of the two contracts was signed with Mumbai’s Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.

The two contracts have a combined value of Rs 2,867 crore. While the contract with France’s Naval Group, worth Rs 877 crore, pertains to more advanced torpedo technology, the contract with Mazagon Dock, worth around Rs 1,990 crore, is over DRDO’s new indigenous submarine propulsion system.

“The Ministry of Defence has signed two contracts, worth approximately Rs 2,867 crore, for the construction of Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) Plug for DRDO-AIP system and its integration onboard Indian submarines; and the integration of electronic heavy weight torpedo (EHWT) onboard the Kalvari-class submarines,” a ministry statement read.

DEAL WITH FRANCE’S NAVAL GROUP

The agreement is about the Electronic Heavy Weight Torpedo or EHWT.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the deal for the integration of EHWT onboard the Kalvari-class submarines will be a joint effort by the Indian Navy, the DRDO and Naval Group, France. “It will greatly augment the firepower capabilities of Kalvari-class submarines of the Indian Navy,” the defence ministry statement read.

According to the Naval Group, the Electronic Heavy Weight Torpedo, also known as the F21 Heavy Weight Torpedo, “successfully integrates the mastery of aluminum silver oxide technology, which greatly enhances the torpedo’s range and allows for much higher speed. This makes it a much more lethal weapon compared to other torpedoes”.

Another key feature of this torpedo is that “it is designed such that it can never explode on-board a submarine even if there is a fire on the platform, or if it is dropped of fired accidentally.”

DEAL WITH MAZAGON DOCK

The agreement is about an advanced Air Independent Propulsion or AIP system. The AIP technology is being indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation or DRDO.

According to a statement by the defence ministry, “The project pertains to construction of AIP-Plug and its integration. It will enhance the endurance of conventional submarines and significantly contribute towards the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. It would generate employment of nearly three lakh man-days.”

Air Independent Propulsion is a marine technology which allows a conventional or non-nuclear submarine to operate without access to atmospheric oxygen. In other words, it allows the conventional submarine to stay submerged deep underwater without having to surface or use its snorkel for a much longer duration.

A snorkel, in submarine terminology, is a pipe that can reach the surface of the ocean while the submarine is at periscope depth to allow a proper air influx for the diesel engines. An AIP Plug can augment or replace the diesel-electric propulsion system of non-nuclear submarines. It is also called Air Independent Power as it allows for much longer underwater endurance.

Both agreements are under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, which means the propulsion system as well as the torpedoes will be manufactured in India.
 

New Delhi:

India’s Ministry of Defence signed two significant deals to greatly enhance its submarine fleet. While one of the deals was signed with France’s Naval Group, the larger of the two contracts was signed with Mumbai’s Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.

The two contracts have a combined value of Rs 2,867 crore. While the contract with France’s Naval Group, worth Rs 877 crore, pertains to more advanced torpedo technology, the contract with Mazagon Dock, worth around Rs 1,990 crore, is over DRDO’s new indigenous submarine propulsion system.

“The Ministry of Defence has signed two contracts, worth approximately Rs 2,867 crore, for the construction of Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) Plug for DRDO-AIP system and its integration onboard Indian submarines; and the integration of electronic heavy weight torpedo (EHWT) onboard the Kalvari-class submarines,” a ministry statement read.

DEAL WITH FRANCE’S NAVAL GROUP

The agreement is about the Electronic Heavy Weight Torpedo or EHWT.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the deal for the integration of EHWT onboard the Kalvari-class submarines will be a joint effort by the Indian Navy, the DRDO and Naval Group, France. “It will greatly augment the firepower capabilities of Kalvari-class submarines of the Indian Navy,” the defence ministry statement read.

According to the Naval Group, the Electronic Heavy Weight Torpedo, also known as the F21 Heavy Weight Torpedo, “successfully integrates the mastery of aluminum silver oxide technology, which greatly enhances the torpedo’s range and allows for much higher speed. This makes it a much more lethal weapon compared to other torpedoes”.

Another key feature of this torpedo is that “it is designed such that it can never explode on-board a submarine even if there is a fire on the platform, or if it is dropped of fired accidentally.”

DEAL WITH MAZAGON DOCK

The agreement is about an advanced Air Independent Propulsion or AIP system. The AIP technology is being indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation or DRDO.

According to a statement by the defence ministry, “The project pertains to construction of AIP-Plug and its integration. It will enhance the endurance of conventional submarines and significantly contribute towards the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. It would generate employment of nearly three lakh man-days.”

Air Independent Propulsion is a marine technology which allows a conventional or non-nuclear submarine to operate without access to atmospheric oxygen. In other words, it allows the conventional submarine to stay submerged deep underwater without having to surface or use its snorkel for a much longer duration.

A snorkel, in submarine terminology, is a pipe that can reach the surface of the ocean while the submarine is at periscope depth to allow a proper air influx for the diesel engines. An AIP Plug can augment or replace the diesel-electric propulsion system of non-nuclear submarines. It is also called Air Independent Power as it allows for much longer underwater endurance.

Both agreements are under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, which means the propulsion system as well as the torpedoes will be manufactured in India.
 

New Delhi:

Amid a rise in global demand for it, India today successfully completed the flight-test of its advanced guided weapon system Pinaka. During the test, the Pinaka system’s range, accuracy, consistency and rate of fire for multiple target engagement in a salvo mode were assessed.

“Defence Research and Development Organisation or DRDO has successfully completed the flight-tests of Guided Pinaka Weapon System as part of Provisional Staff Qualitative Requirements (PSQR) validation trials,” the Defence Ministry said today, adding that the flight-tests have been conducted in three phases at different field firing ranges.

“Twelve rockets from each production agency from two in-service Pinaka launchers upgraded by the launcher production agencies have been tested,” the statement said.

With this, New Delhi’s defence manufacturing push under ‘Make in India’ is gaining momentum. France has recently showed interest in the Pinaka Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher or MBRL system to bolster its defences.

THE PINAKA SYSTEM

The Pinaka system, considered on par with America’s HIMARS system, has been India’s first major defence export as conflict-hit Armenia had placed the first order. Now France has also shown interest in the advanced rocket system to boost its army’s artillery division. In fact, talks are already at a fairly advanced stage, sources familiar with the matter said, adding that France has decided to test the system in the coming weeks.

Named after Lord Shiva’s divine bow, the Pinaka rocket system was a replacement for the Russian Grad BM-21 rocket launcher for the Indian Army. It was first deployed during the 1999 Kargil War. The Pinaka system had played a pivotal role in destroying Pakistani positions at strategic heights during the war.

The Pinaka rocket system is developed by Armament Research & Development Establishment or ARDE, which comes under the DRDO. The system comprises of a free-flight artillery rocket having a maximum range of 38 km with different types of warheads and fuzes. It comes with a multi-tube launcher vehicle, a replenishment-cum-loader vehicle, a replenishment vehicle, and a command post vehicle.

The multi-barrel rocket system has two pods containing 6 rockets each, capable of firing all 12 rockets in salvo mode within 44 seconds, neutralizing a target area of 700 x 500 meters. For the Indian Army’s specific requirement of a free flight rocket with enhanced range, ARDE has successfully developed the Pinaka Mk-II rocket with a 60-km range. The existing launch vehicle and ground systems of Pinaka MBRS is used for the Mk-II as well, with minor modifications for firing this new rocket.

A battery can fire 72 rockets. Each launcher can now be operated independently and rockets can be fired individually or simultaneously in different directions. The launcher may be operated in manual, remote, stand alone, and autonomous modes. Its shoot-and-scoot capabilities also enable it to escape counter battery fire.

The current version of the Pinaka system is a guided one, which means that the rockets have seekers, which are used for precision strikes. Because of it becoming a guided system, it has now been able to increase its range to nearly double of what the first version was. The DRDO is now working on a guided Pinaka system which is capable of ranges greater than 120 km, 150 km, and 200 km to counter China’s long-range guided rocket systems.

GLOBAL INTEREST

The system is already in service with the Indian Army and deployed both at the LoC with Pakistan and LAC with China. It was also reportedly delivered to Armenia via Iran in 2023 to bolster its defence against Azerbaijan.

France’s move to consider buying the Pinaka system is part of the effort to boost defence and strategic ties between the two nations. France is India’s second biggest defence supplier after Russia. The recent T AC 295 transport aircraft deal and the Rafael deal are testament to Paris and New Delhi’s steadfast defence ties.
 

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman Samir V. Kamat with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
| Photo Credit: File photo

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman Dr. Samir V Kamat said that there is an aversion to risk and intolerance of failure in India due to which people end up taking less challenging projects.

Dr. Kamat made the comment in Bengaluru on September 21 while delivering the Air Chief Marshal L.M. Katre Memorial Lecture 2024 on Defence R&D The Road Ahead. “If there is a failure, immediately you get a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report saying that you have caused loss to the government. Questions are raised on who is accountable. That makes people take on less challenging projects.”

Need for change

Due to this, many projects keep getting extended instead of them being closed. “This has to change. You learn a lot more from your failures than from your success. If you have to fail, fail fast, so that you learn and move on,” he added.

Dr. Kamat said that this attitude is slowly changing as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently gave leeway for high-risk projects.

“The Defence Minister has given us this leeway where if you say at the beginning of the project that this is a high-risk project, we will make an attempt, but if it doesn’t happen, we will close the project. This leeway has been given and we hope it will bring a transformation in the ability to develop critical cutting edge technology in the country,” said Dr Kamat, who is also secretary, Department of Defence (R&D).

He also said that India should improve its R&D spending with more investment from the private sector.

“If you look at our R&D spend, India is spending only 0.65 % of our GDP on R&D. Whereas USA spends 2.83 %, China spends 2.14 %, Russia spends 0.98 %, France spends 2.19% and South Korea spends 4.8% of their GDP on R&D. The government is aware of this and there is a clear thinking that in the next four to five years we should move to at least 1% of our GDP on R&D. Hopefully, by 2035, we should rise to 2%,” he said.

AMCA project

On the indigenous fifth generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), the DRDO chief said the first prototype will roll out by 2028, and production is expected to begin by 2034.

The AMCA project got sanction from the Cabinet Committee on Security in March.

New Delhi:

The Indian Navy and the DRDO on Thursday successfully carried out a flight test of a vertical launched short-range surface-to-air missile off the coast of Odisha.

The flight test was conducted from a land-based vertical launcher, targeting a high-speed aerial target flying at a low altitude.

The missile system successfully tracked and engaged the target, the Defence Ministry said.

The @DRDO_India and Indian Navy have successfully flight tested Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha today.

RM Shri @rajnathsingh has congratulated DRDO, Indian Navy and associated teams… pic.twitter.com/UezbdnYDgJ

— रक्षा मंत्री कार्यालय/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) September 12, 2024

“The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy successfully conducted the flight test of the Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha,” it said.

The ministry said the test aimed to validate multiple updated elements of the weapon system, including the proximity fuse and seeker.

“The performance of the system was meticulously tracked and confirmed by various instruments such as the radar electro-optical tracking system and telemetry deployed at ITR Chandipur,” the ministry said in a statement.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the teams from the DRDO and the Indian Navy for their achievement, stating that this test reaffirms the reliability and effectiveness of the VL-SRSAM weapon system.

Samir V Kamat, the chairman of the DRDO, also congratulated the teams involved, emphasising that the system will significantly enhance the operational capabilities of the Indian Navy and serve as a force multiplier.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

India has carried out a “successful” maiden flight test of the long-range glide bomb (LRGB) Gaurav from a Su-30 MK-I fighter jet of the Indian Air Force.

During the flight test, the glide bomb hit the target erected at Long Wheeler’s island with pinpoint accuracy, the defence ministry said on Tuesday.

The test was conducted off the coast of Odisha.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh complimented the DRDO, the Indian Air Force and the industry for the successful flight test of the glide bomb.

He described the successful test as a major milestone in the country’s effort to develop indigenous defence technologies for further strengthening the capability of the armed forces.

“The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has carried out a successful maiden flight test of long-range glide bomb Gaurav from Su-30 MK-I platform of the Indian Air Force,” the ministry said in a statement.

‘Gaurav’ is an air-launched 1,000 kg class glide bomb capable of hitting targets at long distances.

After being launched, the glide bomb steer towards the target using a highly accurate hybrid navigation scheme, the ministry said.

‘Gaurav’ has been designed and developed indigenously by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad.

“During the flight test, the glide bomb hit the target erected at Long Wheeler’s island with pinpoint accuracy,” the ministry said.

“Complete flight data during the test launch was captured by Telemetry and Electro-optical tracking systems deployed by Integrated Test Range along the coastline,” it said.

The flight was monitored by senior DRDO scientists.

The ministry said the Adani Defence and Bharat Forge, the development-cum-production partners also participated during the flight trial.

Secretary of Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Samir V Kamat congratulated the entire DRDO team on conducting the successful flight test of LRGB. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

In a major boost to Indian forces deployed opposite China in Ladakh, premier defence research agency Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and private sector firm Larsen and Toubro (L&T) are at advanced stage of trials of the indigenous Light Tank Zorawar.

DRDO chief Dr Samir V Kamat today reviewed the progress made in the project at the Larsen and Toubro plant at Hajira in Gujarat.

#WATCH | Exclusive footage of the light tank Zorawar developed jointly by DRDO and Larsen and Toubro. The tank project being developed for the Indian Army was reviewed by DRDO chief Dr Samir V Kamat in Hazira, Gujarat today. The tank has been developed by the DRDO to meet the… pic.twitter.com/bkJHdWkoWo

— ANI (@ANI) July 6, 2024

Developed in a record time of two years for high altitude areas of Ladakh, the tank is testimony to Indian progress in indigenous manufacturing.

The DRDO and L&T have integrated USVs in loitering munitions in the tank learning lessons from the Russia and Ukraine conflict.

The light tank Zorawar weighs 25 tonnes. It is the first time, a fresh tank has been designed and made ready for trials in such a short time.

59 of these tanks will be provided to the Army initially and it will be a front runner for the major programme of 295 more of these armoured vehicles.

The Indian Air Force can supply two tanks at a time in the C-17 class transport aircraft as the tank is light and can be run at high speeds in mountain valleys.

The trials are expected to be completed in the next 12-18 months and be ready for induction.

Even though the first ammunition is coming from Belgium, the DRDO is ready to develop the ammunition indigenously.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Amid the large-scale requirement for shoulder-fired air defence missiles, DRDO is going to carry out trials of the indigenous shoulder-fired air defence missiles before handing them over to the Indian Army for user trials.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation has been developing Very Short Range Air Defence missiles to meet the requirements of the Indian Army and Air Force to tackle aerial targets like fast-moving drones, fighter aircraft and helicopters in border areas.

DRDO is looking to carry out high-altitude trials of the Indigenous tripod-fired short-range air defence missile in mountainous regions like Ladakh or Sikkim, defence officials told ANI.

After successful completion of the trials, the missile system will be handed over to the users for their trials and assessments, they said.

The missile system has been able to lock on and take out both long-range and short-range targets.

The issues with the short-range targeting have been sorted out and the system is moving ahead progressively, the officials said.

Indian forces, with the Indian Army in the lead, have been trying to fulfil the shortages of different types of very short-range air defence missiles in their inventory.

The Indian Army is progressing in two cases worth Rs 6,800 crore for developing Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) systems indigenously, amid a lack of inventory of shoulder-fired missiles to tackle aerial threats from Pakistan and China.

The current VSHORAD missiles in the Army and Air Force’s inventory are all equipped with lR homing guidance systems, while the Igla 1M VSHORAD missile system was inducted in 1989 and was planned for de-induction in 2013.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)