1) PAF is not idiotic enough to purchase the J-10 over gripen. There HAS to be a reason to why, am i not correct?

Seems to be an article of faith here!
:p

2) Less F-16’s were bought because the rest of the funding were to be uses on more F-16’s however when General President Pervez Musharaff was offered the J-10..HE DID NOT REFUSE THE OFFER! the F-16 purchase was cut beacause Pakistan wanted J-10

Perhaps he was made an offer he could not refuse..but seriously, what with all those restrictions on the F-16’s, even JF-17 is in someways better now..in terms of flexibility of employment

3) PLAAF had cut all SU-27/J-11 running lines because they were in favour of a better fighter which in this case is J-10 (MEANING THAT J-10 IS BETTER THAN THE SU-27!

4) J-10 has beaten the Su-27 in mock-battles (go ahead ask Tphuang)

LOL, and this is proof?

Hmmm so many ways to go. At least he got a ride and a cool photo 😀 All the fancy turning is nice. However the SH is weak if it has to chase something down. Just about everything in the current IAF lineup can refuse engagment. Where… an SH can’t refuse engagement. Go with the AESA and they would have a no peer diverse strike jet. The fighter ability of the SH just isn’t there. However if you have a large gang of SU-30s backing you up, an SH can pretty much hit any ground targets you want unmolested. That might be a stratagram.

What about BVR with the latest AMRAAMs and an AESA?

You are right about Kargil being another story for another day – as I recall 2 IAF fighters made the mistake of crossing the border – 1 was shot down by ground fire and the other – according to IAF itself – fell out of the sky of its own accord – damn good job the PAF didn’t get involved.

You are full of it.

Neither the MiG-27 nor the MiG 21 flown by Ahuja crossed the border. They were slap bang besides it. The MiG-27 was lost due to a flameout at high-alt and since engine relight failed, the pilot ejected and the a.c continued ahead and landed across the LOC, with Nachiketa. Ahuja circled repeatedly over the crash zone, and in an error of judgement one too mant times, becoming a target of MANPADS. Note that your own Kaiser Tufail of the PAF accepts the latter as a shootdown not the former.

Whatever else you may say about the PAF — it is not a stupid force.

😮

If the F-16’s are not going to be of any use in war they would not be buying them.
Peoples ‘feeling’ that the F-16’s will be downgraded versions is not supported by the technical specs given to Congress.

Sure, sure- EW kits without DRFM, no HARMs etc etc. 😉

Can we lock this thread please, its going nowhere anyhow

ok so you admit—believe me i am not pm-ing anyone to ban you. As i said before you( the remaining two indians nick and qantaz) can resort to personal abuse –it does me no harm—just shows your class and upbringing.

And all the pious protestations about not abusing… :rolleyes:

Can one say troll!

when and where did I abuse you Anza? or for that matter anyone else? You are the one who has broken all forum rules. and yes i sent a PM to Frank cause i am supposed to.

Go fight with Key Publishing Group. You can surely find who has major holdings in the group. If you cant let me know I will for you. 😉

Forget it- the admins can see for themselves who did what and his pious protestations cut no ice.

attrition has its limits—what the IAF is into is called massacre territory.

Gee, sad to say that the PAFs is more

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/MONITOR/ISSUE2-4/rupak.html

i notice your no longer disputing engine failure problems of the sukhoi mki.

Actually I didnt even bother with it cause it was so much rubbish

Next you’ll want us to all belive in the Pakistani flat earth theory

why does it only happen to the indians—first the famed migs and now sukhois.

All Air Forces which actually fly face challenges and deal with them

Others live on hand me downs, shoot down their own planes with the hand me downs, and crash those hand me downs with Pigs on the runway :p

Long live HAL and DRDO two betest friends of PAF and Pakistan after china.

Keep deluding yourself…

(Wikied’)

DRDO

The organisation includes more than 5,000 scientists and about 25,000 other scientific, technical and supporting personnel.

Several major projects for the development of missiles, armaments, Light Combat Aircraft, radars, and electronic warfare systems are on hand, and significant achievements have already been made in several such technologies.
Contents
[hide]

* 1 Projects
* 2 Aircraft and upgrades
* 3 Electronic warfare
* 4 Radars
* 5 Tanks and armoured vehicles
* 6 Other engineering vehicles
* 7 Naval warfare systems
* 8 DRDO’s Missile Systems
* 9 Command and control software and decision-making tools
* 10 References

[edit]

Projects

In recent years the DRDO has achieved marked success in several endeavours whilst others are ongoing. DRDO has been helped by the network of industries – both public and private cultivated by them, as well as various research institutes that have backed their efforts. The sections below give an overview of some of DRDO’s known projects. This list is by no means comprehensive and reflects only what is available from public domain sources.
[edit]

Aircraft and upgrades

1. The DRDO is responsible for the Light Combat Aircraft program. A 4th Generation combat aircraft, the LCA is intended to provide the Indian Air Force with a modern, Fly by wire, multi-role fighter, as well as develop an indigenous local aeronautical industry. Whilst the program has been an extremely ambitious one, with time and cost over-runs as in similar programs worldwide, a wide network of industries has sprung up across India, to support local aeronautical programs. The LCA program has allowed India to become fairly advanced in avionics development (Mission, navigation and flight computers), flight control systems, defensive avionics and sensors, and composite structures, along with aircraft design and development. Most importantly, key infrastructure and a large pool of trained personnel have been established for even follow on programs.

LCA workcenters

LCA and Economics

India leading in digital avionics

2. The DRDO provided key avionics for the Su-30 MKI program.

DRDO’s Project Vetrivale

The DRDO is part of the Indian Air Force’s upgrade programs for its MiG-27 and Sepecat Jaguar combat aircraft upgrades, along with the manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. DRDO and HAL have been responsible for the overall system design and integration of these upgrades, which combine locally developed item along with imported subsystems.

DRDO, HAL, IAF and private industry have developed:

* HOTAS controls

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

These are integrated with Laser designation pods, Ring laser gyro based navigational systems, Head up displays, Multifunctional displays, other EW equipment sourced from abroad.

Jaguars to have second upgrade

MiG-27s turn night eagles

The MiG-27 Upgrade

3. DRDO is also codeveloping more advanced avionics for incorporation in the Light Combat Aircraft and the IAF’s combat fleet. These include more powerful Open Architecture computers, better Defensive avionics, Optronics systems and navigational systems such as Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial navigational units. Other units under development include Map generators, a Modern multi-mode fire control radar, Missile approach warning systems, Helmet mounted displays and Smart multifunctional displays.

4. DRDO has assisted Hindustan Aeronautics with its programs. These include the HAL Dhruv helicopter and the HAL HJT-36. Other duties have included assisting the Indian Air Force with indigenization of spares and equipment.

5. The DRDO will be responsible for a follow on to the LCA project, dubbed as the Medium Combat Aircraft or MCA. This might be combined with the Indo-Russian venture for a fifth-generation project, currently being discussed between the two countries.

DRDO to develop new fighter aircraft
[edit]

Electronic warfare

1. The Samyukta, land based EW project, comprising of 145 vehicles. The Samyukta consists of ESM and ECM stations for both communication and non-com (radar etc) systems. The Indian Army has ordered the Samyukta. Prominent partners in the effort included India’s multi-billion dollar Tata Group of Industries and state owned Bharat Electronics and Electronics Corporation of India. Various other industries supplied locally made components.

Indian President Abdul Kalam presenting a model of the Samyukta to the then Army chief, NC Vij at its induction ceremony

News report on the Samyukta

2. The Sangraha, naval EW program successfully productionized, comprising of various ESM and combined EW systems, from the Ellora EW suite on India’s newest frontline warships to ESM systems on the Navy’s light ships, Do-228, Tu-142 aircraft and its Kamov helicopters.

3. State of the Art Radar warning receivers for the Indian Air Force- Tarang series (Tarang is “spectrum” in Hindi). These are now present on all of the Indian Air Force’s aircraft, from the MiG-21 Upgrades to the Su-30 MKI’s, to the Indian Navy’s Sea Harriers. The Tranquil RWR for MiG -23s (superceded by the Tarang project). Tempest jamming system for the Air Force’s MiG’s. Shiv High Accuracy Direction Finding system for the Indian Air Force’s fighters.

Tarang RWR, image copyright acig.org

Tempest Jammer, image copyright acig.org

Shiv pod, image copyright acig.org

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

Sujav System visible in the background, image copyright Army Recognition

Sujav and Safari ordered in substantial numbers

5. Additional DRDO EW projects have included the Vikram, Coin, and Ajanta. DRDO and BEL developed ELINT equipment for the Indian Air Force, installed on the service’s Boeing 737’s and Hawker Siddeley Avro aircraft. DRDO has also developed a Radar Fingerprinting System for the IAF and the Navy.
[edit]

Radars

1. The Indra -I radar for the Indian Army, Indra Pulse Compression (PC) version for the Indian Air Force, also known as the Indra-II. These are 2D radars meant to be used as gapfillers. As of three years back, the IAF ordered six Indra-II’s from Bharat Electronics Ltd (the manufacturer).

Indra-I radar, image copyright Bharat Rakshak

Indra- II radar, image copyright PIB, India

2. The Central Acquisition Radar, a state of the art, 3D planar array antenna radar operating on the stacked beam principle. With a range of 180 km against fighter sized targets and able to track ~150 targets, the S Band CAR is a mobile unit. Its systems are integrated on locally built TATRA trucks for high mobility; however the CAR design is meant to be used by all three services. Initially developed for the long running Akash SAM system, the radar tasted success, when seven were ordered by the Indian Air Force for their radar modernization program, plus another variant chosen by the Indian Navy for their P-28 Corvettes, 4-6 of which are to be produced.

Small JPEG image of the 3D CAR, image copyright DRDO

3. BFSR-SR, a short range 3D surveillance radar, meant to be manportable. 1176 have been ordered by the Army from BEL and it is being exported as well.

BFSR orders and export push

BFSR, image copyright DRDO

Vehicle Mounted BFSR, image copyright Army Recognition

4. SV-2000 Naval surveillance radar, meant for helicopters and light transport aircraft. The SV-2000 basic design has been accepted by the Navy and it is currently under modification to be fitted to the Advanced Light Helicopter, and the Navy’s Do-228’s.

SV-2000 radar, image copyright DRDO

5. DRDO has been responsible for “indigenising” components and improving subsystems for license produced radars manufactured at BEL, India in cooperation with BEL scientists and other researchers.

DRDO’s Electronics and Radar Development Establishment LRDE product list

India’s Bharat Electronics Ltd. Not all products are listed on the website. BEL webpage

In development:

1. The Weapon Locating Radar: Successfully developed from the Rajendra fire control radar for the Akash system, this radar uses a passive electronically scanned array to detect multiple targets for fire correction and weapon location. The system has been developed and demonstrated to the Army and tentative orders placed upon BEL. It is currently in the penultimate series of trials to fine tune its features, to save money and time, as series production begins.

WLR, image copyright Acig.org

Report on the Weapon Locating Radar

2. The Multi-Mode radar, a HAL project of which DRDO is a subsystem provider, this project has faced stiff challenges and been struck by delay. Help has been sought from other R&D org’s, manufacturers to bring it to fruition. The multimode radar is a 100 km ranged, 10 target track, two target engage fire control radar meant for the HAL Tejas.

Tejas MMR, image copyright Acig.org

Indian Ministry of Defence press release about MMR problems

3. The Rajendra fire control radar for the Akash SAM. Whilst Blocks 1 and 2 are ready, and being used for trials, an improved Block 3 is under development. The Rajendra is a Passive electronically scanned array radar, able to guide multiple Akash SARH SAM’s against low to medium flying aircraft. It has a range of approximately 60 km and is able to track 64 targets.

Rajendra Radar, image copyright Bharat Rakshak and DRDO

4. A new Airborne Warning and Control System based on Active Electronically Scanned Array technology developed by the DRDO was launched in 2005 for the Indian Air Force. The Indian Air Force has signed up for three such systems, and the design plus the first system is intended to be certified by 2010, whilst all the aircraft will be manufactured and integrated with the radar and onboard electronics in 75 months (approximately seven years). The aircraft for the radar is likely to be from Brazil’s Embraer.

Aircraft for AWACS to be chosen by the IAF

Indigenous AWACS project launched

5. Low Level Lightweight radar for the Indian Air Force, which requires many of these units. Newer strategic radars for long range detection.

Additional links:

Report on BEL manufactured products developed in cooperation with the DRDO
[edit]

Tanks and armoured vehicles

1. The Indian Army’s Combat Improved Ajeya upgrade for the T-72 fleet, incorporating a mix of locally made and imported subsystems. 250 have been ordered. Local systems include: ERA, Laser warning system, the Combat Net radio, Advanced land navigation system( Fibre optic gyros plus GPS), NBC protection, Fire detection and suppression system amongst others. Imported systems include a compact thermal imager and fire control system (meant to fit in the T-72 without modification or cutting of the tank’s armour for installation; this ruled out the capable but larger local fire control system for the Arjun), as well as a new engine.

The ERA equipped Combat Improved T-72 Tank, with its laser warning sensors visible, image copyright DRDO, Bharat Rakshak

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

Cutaway of DRDOs 125 mm FSAPDS, Mk1 which has been superceded by the Mk2 variant

DRDO webpage on development of 125 mm Mk1 FSAPDS

3. Various armour technologies and associated subsystems- from Composite Armour and Explosive reactive armour, to Radios (Combat Net Radio, freq. hopping, with encryption), to Battle Management systems. Fire control systems for the Arjun tank, currently in production at BEL.

Arjun FCS, image copyright BEL

Indian Ministry of Defence’s “Soldiers News” newsletter with an writeup on the DRDO ERA

Advanced Land Navigation system, image copyright BEL

Orders for BEL ALNS placed

Combat Net Radio

STARSV Secure tactical Radio

4. India’s homegrown Arjun tank. Currently in production at HVF Avadhi, the Arjuns penultimate design has been accepted by the Indian Army, but production tanks will be put through intensive trials to validate the production quality at HVF. An initial batch of 5 is being currently evaluated. The Arjun has been one of the DRDO’s most contentious projects, thanks to extensive time and cost overruns. Part of the reason being the Indian Army’s high staff requirements for the tank, which were frequently updated, and the DRDO and Indian industry’s lack of experience in building a heavy tank. Prior experience was limited to license manufactured Vickers medium tanks and the T-72. However, the Arjun is now in limited series production at Avadhi. The Arjun follows a template similar to western tanks such as the Leopard and Abrams, with containerised ammunition storage, with blast off panels, heavy composite armour, a 120 mm gun (rifled as compared to smoothbore on most other tanks), a modern FCS with high hit probability, and a 1400 HP MTU engine with Renk transmission (to be replaced by an Indian transmission) and a 4 man crew.

A picture of the Arjun MBT

Modified Variants of the BMP-2 series, intended for Engineering and Combat Purposes

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

AERV handed over to the Army

Image of the AERV, copyright PIB

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

Image of the AAD, copyright DRDO

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

Image of the CMT, copyright PIB

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

Gallery of Engineering Vehicles

Gallery at Bharat Rakshak
[edit]

Other engineering vehicles

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

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

Image copyright PIB, Bharat Rakshak

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

The BLT Arjun followed by the AFFS, Image copyright Rediff.com

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

Complete text relating to the Sarvatra available at the Bharat Rakshak Monitor

In development:

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

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

Image of the Tank-Ex, copyright Acig.org

3. Armoured vehicle for Paramilitary troops, the AVP, currently a prototype.

AVP in foreground at Defexpo 2004, image copyright Army Recognition

4. Self Propelled Mine Burrier: Developed by the DRDO against a requirement projected by the Indian Army, its an automated mine laying system developed on a high mobility vehicle and is currently in trials.

5. Automated platform for multipurpose payloads: This tracked robotic vehicle with staircase climbing ability has completed technical trials and is particularly intended for remote explosion of Explosive devices. The Indian Army and paramilitaries are very interested in this system.

Indian Army to test anti-terror robot operated vehicle DRDO develops remote-controlled explosive disposal robot
[edit]

Naval warfare systems

1. Sonars: DRDO, BEL and the Indian Navy have developed and productionized a range of Sonars and related systems for the Navy’s frontline combat ships. These include the APSOH, the HUMSA and HUMVAD variable depth sonars, Nagan Towed Array Sonar, Panchendriya Submarine sonar and fire control system, sonobuoy “Tadpole” and its airborne signal processor “Simhika”. Other sonars such as the airborne sonar Mihir, are in trials, whilst work is proceeding apace on “New Generation” sonars. Sonars may be considered one of DRDO’s most successful achievements, with the work begun under the leadership of a young Naval officer decades back. Today, the Indian Navy’s most powerful ships all rely on Indian made sonars.

2. Torpedoes: DRDO is currently engaged in developing multiple Torpedo designs. These include a lightweight torpedo (Advanced Experimental Torpedo) that has been accepted by the Navy and cleared for production (initial reports of it being unsuccessful proved to be speculative and false). Others include the heavy weight wire-guided torpedo “Varunastra” and the Thakshak thermal torpedo suitable for use against both ships and submarines. The DRDO with the help of Larsen & Toubro, India also developed and productionized a microprocessor controlled Triple tube torpedo launcher for the Indian Navy’s ships as well as Towed torpedo decoy (“TOTED”).

Product list at the DRDO’s NSTL laboratory Article on DRDO’s NPOL Article on DRDO’s sonars

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

DRDO’s Naval Materials Lab

4. Information Command and Control systems: DRD0s labs have been part of ambitious and successful projects to develop sophisticated command and control systems for the Navy’s ships, such as the EMCCA (Equipment Modular for Command and Control Application) which ties together various sensors and data systems.The EMCCA system gives commanders on the ship a consolidated tactical picture. It adds to the ship’s maritime combat power.

Article on EMCCA

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

In development

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

2. New generation Sonars and Electronic Warfare equipment.

Additional links

Detailed Report dating from 2000 on DRDO’s torpedoes and mines
[edit]

DRDO’s Missile Systems

Integrated Guided Missile Development Program:

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

The IGMDP has seen significant success in its two most important constituents- the Agni missile and the Prithvi missile systems, while two other programs, the Akash SAM and the anti-tank Nag Missile are still in development. The Trishul missile, a program to develop a tri-service short range SAM was dropped by the Indian Navy in favour of the Barak-1 after its failure to overcome challenges in intercepting sea-skimming anti ship missiles. However, a variant is still being developed for the Indian Air Force, and another for the Indian Army.

IGMDP Ballistic Missiles:

1.Prithvi Short Range Ballistic Missile: Three variants exist- the Prithvi I, II and III. Status: In production for the Air Force and Army; a variant for the Navy in development. The Prithvi is an extremely accurate liquid fuelled missile with a range of upto 350 Km. While relatively inexpensive and accurate, with a good payload, its logistics footprint is high, on account of it being liquid fuelled.

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

Additional Links:

The Road to Indian Missile Development

Critique:

The significant cost and more importantly, time overruns in the DRDO’s big-ticket projects such as the Akash, Trishul, Nag, Light Combat Aircraft and the Arjun , are often the subject of virulent criticism of DRDO even as the organization is engaged in completing the programs. It can be said that productionizing these systems and significant orders for them, would be a big shot in the arm for the DRDO as the criticism over these long running programs often overshadows the organization’s work in many other areas.

“When the AKASH succeeds it will be a feather in DRDO and industry’s cap”

Delays in the Akash and Trishul have led to the services exploring interim measures and in the case of the Trishul, alternatives:

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

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

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

Indian Patriot, an article on the Akash SAM

2.The Trishul:

The Trishul problems have meant that the Indian Air Force is currently evaluating the Israeli Spyder SAM system and the French VLS Mica system as replacements for the Trishul. In February 2005, the system, mounted on an ACMAT multi-role vehicle of the French Army, was demonstrated for the Indian Air Force.

VL MICA Short range Air Defence system

SPYDER Surface to Air Python 5 and Derby Air Defence system, Israel

The Indian Army is upgrading its OSA-AKM/ SA-8 systems

Army to upgrade OSA-AK system

However the high cost of these systems may still result in the Trishul being purchased, were it to be successfully developed.

“”We are focussing now on the possibility of Trishul being used by the IAF,” DRDO chief

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

Navy defends Barak deal

3. The Nag

The Nag ATGM is regarded as a highly capable missile, even though its development has been protracted, mainly due to the technological challenges of developing a state of the art, IIR sensor equipped top attack missile, able to attack fast moving targets in the dusty battlefields of South Asia. Criticism has been directed at development time, and acquisition cost, since the fire and forget Nag is more than twice the cost of wire guided Milan and Konkurs ATGMs. However, the Nag is still cheaper than most imported missiles in its category and is earmarked for the Army and Air Force’s Advanced Light Helicopters, and dedicated BMP-2 based carriers (Namica).

Helicopter version of Nag under way

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

Additional Details:

The Indian Missile Program has contributed extensively to building a colloborative network of developers and industrial suppliers, which did not exist earlier and may be regarded as a success in this aspect.

India’s missile programme is spurring industries’ — Dr V. K. Saraswat, Director, Research Centre Imarat

The DRDO is also looking to export these missiles.

DRDO plan to export missiles

The increasing industrial capabilities have also allowed India to enter into a variety of joint ventures for missile systems- such as the BrahMos and Barak – long range, programs.

New Programs:

The Brahmos Missile

Launched as a joint venture between India’s DRDO and the Russian NPO, the BrahMos program aims at creating a range of missile systems derived from the Yakhont missile system. Named the “BrahMos” after the Brahmaputra and the Moskva rivers, the project has been highly successful.

The Indian Navy has ordered the BrahMos Naval version, both slant launched and Vertically launched, for its ships, with the Indian Army ordering two regiments worth of Land launched missiles for long range strike, and an air launched version is in development for the Indian Air Force’s Su-30 MKI’s and the Navy’s Tu-142 long range aircraft.

India has been responsible for the Navigational systems on the BrahMos, other aspects of its propulsion, airframe and seeker, plus its fire control systems and launcher. Indian firms such as Godrej, Larsen and Toubro, Tata Inc. have played a vital role in the program.

Official website

India makes the world’s fastest cruise missile, BrahMos

India, Russia to develop air-launched BrahMos

IAF making alterations in Sukhoi aircraft to carry Brahmos

Long range Barak Surface to Air Missile

India and Israel have worked out an agreement to develop and produce the long-range Barak air defence system for both the Indian and the Israeli militaries. The initial co-development funding is about $ 350 million, of which IAI will finance 50 per cent, for the next five years, a senior scientist of India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said. Additional funding will be infused by both parties as needed.

India, Israel tie up on next-gen Barak missiles

India, Israel to develop long-range Barak defence system

Astra BVRAAM

Intended to provide India with a locally produced alternative to expensive imported beyond visual range Air to Air Missiles, the Astra BVRAAM is currently in the development stage. The Astra will have a range of upto 80 Km and will be carried by Indian Air Force LCA, Mirage, MiG and Sukhoi aircraft.

ASTRA BVRAAM at Bharat Rakshak, copyright Arun Vishwakarma
[edit]

Command and control software and decision-making tools

1. Tactical tools for wargaming: Shatranj and Sangram for the Army, Sagar for the Navy and air war software for the Air Force.

2. C3I systems: DRDO, in cooperation with BEL and private industry has developed the Artillery Command and Control system for the Army, Data management and command and control systems for the Navy, plus Radar netting and multi-sensor fusion software for linking the Indian Air Force’s network of radars and airbases. Other achievements include sophisticated and highly complex mission planning and C3I systems for Missiles, such as the Agni and Prithvi ballistic missiles, to the Brahmos cruise missile. The DRDO and BEL have also developed a Battle Management system for the Indian Army for its tanks and tactical units. Other programs in development for the Army include Corps level information and decision making software and tools, intended to link all units together for effective C3I (Communications, Command, Control, Intelligence).

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

References

* Official site

* A three part series on the DRDO – DRDO: Media’s whipping boy, DRDO: A stellar success, What’s behind the DRDO bashing

* PDF on DRDOs varied projects