Canister Launch of Agni-V on Saturday

After the three-day tour of US President Barack Obama, the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) here is readying for the first canister launch of India’s longest range ballistic missile Agni-V in full operational configuration. The test is likely to be carried out from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) off the Odisha coast on Saturday.Defence sources said, the test was postponed twice — in December and early January — due to Obama visit and lack of schedule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was slated to witness the launch along with the Defence Minister.

While the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is yet to confirm Modi’s visit, the organisation is likely to go ahead with its schedule. The DRDO is planning to give a memorable farewell to its outgoing Chief Avinash Chander, who was unceremoniously removed from his post on January 13, sources in DRDO informed The Express.

“As the term of Chander, the brain behind the Agni missiles, ends on January 31, the scientists want to make the date momentous,” said sources.

Meanwhile, preparations for the launch are on in full swing at the Wheeler Island. Over 300 scientists and technical staff from several laboratories including Hyderabad-based Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Research Centre Imarat (RCI) and Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL) are camping here.

During the test, Agni-V will be fired from a sealed canister mounted on a launcher truck. With a dummy payload, the missile will be pushed out of the canister by a gas generator after which the actual stage separations will occur as per the coordination.

With a strike range of over 5,000, Agni-V is country’s first intercontinental range ballistic missile (ICBM) which is capable of hitting targets in all Asian countries and parts of Africa and Europe. The 17-metre long, two-metre wide, three-stage, solid-fuelled missile can carry a payload of 1.5 tonne and weighs around 50 tonnes.

A canister-launch system gives the forces the requisite operational flexibility to promptly transport the ballistic missile and launch it from a place of their choice. The DRDO is also working on the canister version of other Agni series of missiles including I, III and IV.

A successful launch would push the missile a step forward towards its induction in the Armed Forces signaling the defence organisation to go for its production though it has to undergo two more trials before it is inducted, possibly in two years.

After Agni-V missile is inducted, the DRDO will focus more on multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs) and manoeuvring warheads or re-entry vehicles to defeat enemy ballistic missile defence manoeuvring systems.

India and US to work on Next gen Raven uav

India and US Under the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) have agreed upon to develop next-generation hand-launched remote-controlled mini UAV which will be an advanced variant of “Raven” UAV system is manufactured by a US firm AeroVironment.

India media. have been reporting on possible local production of RQ-11 “Raven” leading to transfer of technology but today’s press release further clarifies that India and US companies will jointly work on new mini UAV which will eventually replace older RQ-11 model widely used in US military and among Nato troops .

India’s National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) has developed mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) ” Slybird.” and Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) too has unveiled the hand-launched fixed-wing mini UAV Imperial Eagle.

It’s still not clear which Indian companies will participate in the development of next-generation handheld mini UAV which will be operated by troops from both countries and other allies.

US to help India design jet engines

Washington has agreed to assist Delhi in sharing, designing and developing jet engines for aircraft—a critical technology that is exclusively owned by a handful of countries—in what is being considered a big step forward in Indo-US defence collaboration.

The assistance comes within months of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) winding up a Russia-backed project to develop Kaveri jet engines after losing more than Rs 2,000 crore and almost three decades.

New Delhi and Washington negotiated the text of the bilateral Defence Framework Agreement for the next 10 years as the existing framework signed in 2005 by then defence minister Pranab Mukherjee and his US counterpart Donald Rumsfeld expired in 2014. The new pact, however, is yet to be signed.

“We have decided to take our growing defence cooperation to a new level. We have agreed, in principle, to pursue co-development and co-production of specific advanced defence projects. These will help upgrade our domestic defence industry, and expand the manufacturing sector in India,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the joint press conference with US President Barack Obama here on Sunday.

The big takeaway is the collaboration on jet engines, to be used in home-grown aircraft. “India and the US have agreed to explore development of jet engine in the country. It would be broader than the Kaveri programme,” said S Jaishankar, Indian Ambassador to the US.

Originally meant for use in indigenous light combat aircraft, the Kaveri jet engine was being developed with support from Russia. But the engine developed by the Gas Turbine Research Establishment in Bengaluru could fly only for 73 hours on the IL-76 Flying Test Bed (FTB) in Russia.

Because of the delay, DRDO picked up the US-made GE 404 engine for the Tejas Mk-1 and GE 414 for the Tejas Mk-II aircraft.

DRDO to develop next-gen indigenous technology for army tanks

The Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defence, Government of India is currently working on the development of an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), a new concept in military operations, according to P. Sivakumar, Scientist `H’, Director, CVRDE.

Talking to newspersons on the sidelines of InoVIT 2015, the State Level Science Contest for School Children on the VIT University campus here on Saturday, Dr. Sivakumar said that the UGV would be capable of carrying out surveillance and mine detection, besides operating in nuclear and bio-chemical area.

“We are developing the technologies and have completed all trials. We are asking the Army what it wants”, he said.

The CVRDE Director further added that the DRDO is in the process of developing indigenous technology for Army tanks, repair vehicles and surveillance.

  

DRDO IS DEVELOPING Laser cannon to bring down drones and missiles

DRDO  has confirmed that it is developing a HMV-mounted laser weapon system for detecting, tracking and then destroying UAVs which are upto a distance of 5km.

According to sources preliminary system design architecture and technology  gaps are identified and efforts have been made to fast-track development with the help of international collaborations.

Vinayak Shetty, an Defence Expert said that the 100 kw Class Directed Energy Laser Weapon System  will be a very powerful laser which DRDO is developing and will have ability to take down much more than UAV’s. He further said that Lockheed Martin was awarded a similar contract only last year by U.S. Army to design, built and test a 60-kilowatt electric laser to be integrated on a truck and tested. The system will have ability to destroy rockets, artillery, mortars and unmanned aerial threats. 

            Recently Chinese developed a powerful anti-drone laser to be used in urban areas. He further added that 10 kilowatt laser is sufficient to target mini-UAV copters and hand launched drones which can be easily used by terrorists for attack purpose. Chinese developed laser has a range of 2Km and a 50 meter altitude.

            In near future, that is within 5-10 years US Navy is going to field Laser Weapons System (LAWS), a 15-50kw laser on board USS Ponce which is an Austin class amphibious transport dock of United States. This laser will have ability to target drones and enemy missiles.