Akash-NG

Flight trial of new generation Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) Akash-NG was conducted against a Banshee target from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, Odisha. It is meant for use by Indian Air Force (IAF) with the aim of intercepting high manoeuvring low RCS aerial threats. The system has been developed with better deployability compared to other similar systems with canisterised launcher and much smaller ground system footprint.

ITCM Missile

Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) is a new generation ‘Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile’ being developed for land and sea platforms. Flight trial was conducted on 21 Feb 2023 form the ITR Balasore, Odisha.

Maiden test of ASTRA BVRAAM Missile

ASTRA is a state-of-the-art Beyond Visual Range ‘Air-to-Air missile’ to engage and destroy highly manoeuvring supersonic aerial targets. Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, successfully fired the ASTRA indigenous BVR air-to-air missile.

Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile

MPATGM is a 3rd generation ATGM with ‘Fire & Forget’ and ‘Top Attack’ capabilities with day and night operational capability. Flight trials of MPATGM was conducted for a range of 2.5 Km at NOAR, Kurnool.

ALSO READ: Laser-guided anti-tank missile successfully tested from Arjun tank

Very Short Range Air Defence System

VSHORADS is a 4th generation Man Portable Air Defence Research & Development system. It employs state-of-the-art uncooled imaging infrared seeker. The missile was flight-tested against high speed unmanned aerial targets, simulating approaching and receding aircraft from ITR Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha.

Medium Range Surface to Air Missile for Indian Navy

MRSAM for the Indian Navy is a joint development programme of DRDO and Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI), Israel. The weapon system provides a point and area defence for P15A ships of the Indian Navy against a vast variety of aerial threats including fighter aircrafts, subsonic and supersonic missiles, etc. The Indian Navy successfully flight-tested MRSAM from Visakhapatnam.

Heavy Weight Torpedo

Indigenously Designed and Developed (IDD) Heavy Weight Torpedo ‘Varunastra’ was successfully test-fired with a live warhead against an undersea target by Indian Navy. ‘Varunastra’ is a ship-launched anti-submarine torpedo having low drift navigational systems, acoustic homing, advanced acoustic counter measure features, autonomous guidance algorithms, insensitive munitions warhead and a GPS-based recovery aid for practice torpedo.

Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile

VL-SRSAM is a vertical launch short range surface to air missile having a strike range upto 80 km for Fighters aircraft, helicopter, UAVs, etc. The missile has been developed for the Indian Navy for neutralizing various aerial threats at close ranges including sea-skimming targets. The missile was flight tested from ITR Chandipur.

BrahMos

BrahMos is a two stage precision strike supersonic cruise missile, operating on fire and forget principle, which can be launched from multiple platforms (at air, sea and ground) against land and sea targets. Indian Army test-fired land attack version of extended range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. Indian Navy with DRDO test-fired two consecutive sea attack version of extended range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile.

Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet Technology

The state-of-the-art air-to-air missile powered with ‘SFDR’ propulsion for Air Launched Tactical Missiles (ALTM) enables the missiles to intercept aerial threats at very long range at supersonic speeds and is configured with nozzle-less booster, thrust modulation system and sustainer to deliver specific impulse in ramjet mode. The missile was flight tested in 2023.

ALSO READ: India tests Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet technology missile

Long Range – Anti Ship Missile

DRDO is engaged in development of technologies required for Long Range Anti-Ship Missile weapon systems capable of engaging a warship with a long range. The missile was flight-tested from ITR.

Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator

DRDO has successfully carried out a flight trial of Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator, an indigenous high-speed flying-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) from the Aeronautical Test Range, Chitradurga. With this flight in the tailless configuration, India has joined the elite club of countries to have mastered the controls for the flying wing technology. he aircraft prototype, with a complex arrowhead wing platform, is designed and manufactured with light-weight carbon composite material developed indigenously.

Integrated Life Support System

Indigenously designed and developed ILSS for pilot of LCA Tejas was flight-tested twice in February. The successful testing is an initial step to mark the country’s presence in elite club of four nations possessing the complex ILSS technology.

Military Combat Parachute System

A successful live parachute jump trial was conducted in April and September from 10,000 ft was successfully conducted at Drop Zone  Malpura, on indigenously-designed Military Combat Parachute System ‘HANS’ (High Altitude parachute with Navigation & advanced Sub-assemblies)’ to meet the military operational requirements of Indian Armed Forces. HANS enables Special Forces to undertake para jump along with all necessary combat sub-assemblies and will replace all existing systems for free fall operations.

Air Droppable Container

DRDO has designed and developed Air Droppable Container (ADC-150) with a pay load capacity of 150kg to enhance the naval operational logistic capabilities. ADC-150 will provide quick response to meet the requirement of critical engineering stores of ships under distress & far away from the coast. DRDO & Indian navy conducted the successful maiden test of ADC-150 dropped from IL38DF aircraft.

Crew Module Parachute System for Gaganyaan Programme

CMPS was successfully demonstrated In-flight Abort Demonstration of Crew Escape System with the newly developed Test Vehicle followed by Crew Module Separation & safe recovery using parachute system developed by DRDO.

Naval Anti-Ship Missile – Short Range

NASM-SR missile is powered by two stage solid propulsion system with an in-line ejectable booster and a long-burn sustainer. DRDO successfully flight tested the missile from ITR in November. The missile was tested for a range of 35 km, using an indigenous IR Seeker for its Terminal Guidance in ‘Lock-on after Launch’ mode.

Fuel Cell-based Air Independent Propulsion system

The system of DRDO’s Naval Materials Research Laboratory will soon be fitted onboard INS Kalvari. An agreement was signed between senior officials of NMRL and Naval Group France to extend cooperation to enter into the detailed design phase for integration of indigenous AIP in the Kalvari class submarines. As part of the agreement, Naval Group France will certify the AIP design for integration in the submarines. The AIP has a force multiplier effect on lethality of a diesel electric submarine as it enhances the submerged endurance by several folds.

Technology Development Fund

The TDF scheme encourages participation of public/private industries especially MSMEs and start-ups, so as to create an eco-system for enhancing cutting edge technology capability for defence application. Further, the Scheme funds industries up to an amount of Rs 50 crore per project for innovation, R&D of defence technologies in the field of defence and Aerospace.

Transfer of Technology

DRDO has carried out more than 1,600 ToTs to Indian Industry including both Private and public. ToT is being carried out as per the policy and procedure approved by   RM. DcPP/PA/DP of DRDO are given Technology free of cost i.e at “Nil ToT Fee”.

DRDO Patents

DRDO has a Policy for Free Access of DRDO Patents by Indian industries. This is likely to increase the technological capabilities of industries and enhance their competitiveness in global supply chain. 1,700 IPRs have been opened to Indian Industries.

Dare to Dream Innovation Contest

It aims to promote innovators and start-ups are being conducted. Three versions of contests have been concluded. Dare to Dream 4.0 was also launched in January for individual and Start-ups to unearth disruptive ideas and concepts in emerging technologies identified by DRDO for enhancing defence capabilities. Development cum Production Partner/ Production Agency identified for more than 105 systems.

Partnership with industry

DRDO has been partnering with industry for the realization of its systems. Collaborating with DRDO in the development of major weapon systems, the Indian industry has matured to a stage where they can develop systems on their own. Indian industry has progressed from a ‘build to print’ partner to ‘build to specification’ partner. DRDO test facilities have been opened to the industries for utilisation. Segments like Missiles, Bombs etc. have been opened to private industries for development.

Academia

DRDO provides support to academia to carry out directed research in the identified research areas through DRDO Industry Academia – Centres of Excellence to undertake translational  projects by providing direction, technical interactions and project funding. So far, 15 DIA-CoEs have been established. They are at IITs (BHU, Jodhpur, Kanpur, Roorkee, Kharagpur, Hyderabad, Delhi, Bombay, Madras), Gujarat University, IISC Bengaluru, Jammu University, Mizoram University, University of Hyderabad and  Bharathiar University.

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The missiles hit with precision and successfully defeated the targets at two different ranges. The all-indigenous ATGM employs a tandem high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead to defeat explosive reactive armour (ERA) protected armoured vehicles, news agency ANI reported.

The ATGM has been developed with multi-platform launch capability and is currently undergoing technical evaluation trials from 120-mm rifled gun of MBT Arjun. With these trials, consistency of ATGM’s capability to engage targets from minimum to maximum range has been established successfully.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh complimented the DRDO and the army for the successful performance of the ATGMs. Secretary of the department of defence R&D and chairman DRDO G Satheesh Reddy congratulated the teams associated with the test firing of the ATGMs.

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The Israeli `tank killers’ were ordered under emergency procurements last year due to the troop stand-off with China, which is yet to show any signs of de-escalation. The sheer utility of such weapons has been demonstrated during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Ukrainian troops armed with US-origin Javelin ATGMs and western next-generation light anti-tank light missiles (NLAWs) have destroyed hundreds of Russian tanks and other armoured vehicles since the conflict began on February 24.

The Israeli family of Spike ATGMs is equally lethal and versatile.

The Army is inducting the Spike LR-2launchers and missiles, which have a ground strike range of 5.5-km, while the IAF is integrating its Russian-origin Mi-17 V5 armed helicopters with Spike NLOS (non-line of sight) missiles that can destroy ground targets around 30-km away.

“Both the fifth-generation ATGMs are being inducted in limited numbers under emergency procurements to plug certain operational gaps. The much larger requirement for ATGMs will be met through `Make in India’ projects,” a top defence source said on Sunday.

“The pilot-controlled NLOS missiles, which can be armed with different kinds of warheads, are primarily meant for specialized ‘behind the hill’ missions by IAF helicopters,” he added.

The IAF, incidentally, has 22 Apache attack helicopters, armed with Stinger air-to-air missiles, Hellfire Longbow air-to-ground missiles, guns and rockets, inducted under the Rs 13,952 crore deal with the US in September 2015. The Army, in turn, is getting six Apaches under a Rs 5,691 crore deal in February 2020.

The Spike LR-2 missiles can be used with either a tandem HEAT (high explosive anti-tank) warhead, with 30% more armour-penetration capability, or a smart multi-purpose warhead.

The Army had earlier also inducted a limited number of an earlier generation of Spike tank-killers, with a strike range of 4-km, to meet immediate operational requirements till the indigenous man-portable ATGMs being developed by DRDO were ready.

With a huge deficiency in different kinds of shoulder, vehicle and helicopter-launched ATGMs, the Army has been demanding third and fourth-generation ATGMs for well over a decade.

The force’s existing inventory largely consists of second-generation Milan-2T (2-km range) and Konkurs (4-km) ATGMs, produced by defence PSU Bharat Dynamics under licence from French and Russian companies.

The indigenous helicopter-launched third-generation ATGMS, Helina for Army and Dhruvastra for IAF with a maximum strike range of 8-km, have been successfully tested from Dhruv advanced light helicopters but are yet to be inducted till now.

Similarly, DRDO tested the man-portable ATGM, with a 2.5-km strike range, in its “final deliverable configuration” in January this year. But it is still some time away from induction.

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A DRDO & Larsen and Toubro light tank is currently under fabrication, based on the chassis of DRDO’s Next Generation Main Battle Tank (NGMBT) and the rollout of the first prototype is likely to happen in 2023.

This will also strengthen the DRDO’s proposal  to develop the Next Generation Main Battle Tank (NGMBT) to meet the Indian Army’s requirement for 1,770 Next Generation Main Battle Tank (NGMBT) under Future Ready Combat Vehicles (FRCV) program.

Talks have already started that the Next Generation Main Battle Tank will be manufactured through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) under a public Private partnership model which has been adopted for the development of the 5.5 generation AMCA and Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH).

Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet technology successfully tested

DRDO successfully flight tested Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) booster at the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha on 8 April 2022. The test successfully demonstrated the reliable functioning of all critical components involved in the complex missile system and met all the mission objectives. 

The SFDR-based propulsion enables the missile to intercept aerial threats at very long range at supersonic speeds. The performance of the system has been confirmed from the data captured by a number of range instruments like Telemetry, Radar and Electro Optical Tracking Systems deployed by ITR. The SFDR has been developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Hyderabad in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories such as Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Pune.

Short Range Naval Anti-Ship Missile (NASM-SR) Ready

DRDO was in the process of developing a Naval Antishipping Missile Short Range (NASM-SR) with an estimated range of 55 km for use from Sea King helicopters and eventually equip the MH-60R helicopters. This project is possibly being developed for a number of platforms, having different ranges. ‘SR’, or Short Range, means that development of other longer range versions is expected as well.

According to DRDO, the NASM-SR will be a 380 kg projectile with a maximum range of 55 km and used initially with Indian Navy Sea King helicopters, replacing the earlier Sea Eagle missiles. As the Sea King itself is approaching the end of its service life, it may be expected that the new indigenous missile will be in service with future helicopters of the Navy.

The American made MH-60R helicopters is due to arrive in July 2022 which is a multi-role platform and these are slated to be equipped with Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile. Further, for the Indian Navy’s IMRH acquisition, MBDA pitched its Sea Venom which has a range of 25 km and also the Marte-ER which can reach more than 100 km.

The NASM-SR could be considered for these potent platforms. The long range version of the NASM may have a range excess of 150 km, enabling engagement of hostile targets from stand-off distances.

The Indian Navy is also in the market for new medium range anti-ship missiles (MRAShM) for 24 current and future warships as detailed by Livefist — three Delhi-class destroyers, four Kora-class missile corvettes and the six new Next Generation Missile Vessels (NGMV) that will enter service in the next decade. The other anti-ship missiles currently in service with the Indian Navy are Boeing Harpoon Block-IIIs on the P-8I Poseidon fleet.

Long Range Pinaka missile system Tested

A new version of the Pinaka rocket system has been successfully flight-tested by the DRDO and the Indian Army at the Pokhran firing ranges, the defence ministry said on 9 April. As many as 24 Pinaka Mk-I Enhanced Rocket Systems were fired for different ranges during the last fortnight and the weapons met the required accuracy and consistency, it said.

The EPRS is the upgraded version of the Pinaka variant that has been in service with the Indian Army for the last decade. The ministry said the rocket system has been upgraded with advanced technologies enhancing the range to meet the emerging requirements.

With these trials, the initial phase of technology absorption of EPRS by the industry has successfully been completed and the industry partners are ready for user trials/series production of the rocket system.

The Pinaka rocket system has been developed by Armament Research and Development Establishment, Pune, supported by High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, another Pune-based laboratory of the DRDO.

After establishing the performance efficacy of the enhanced range version of Pinaka, the technology was transferred to Munitions India Limited MIL and Economic Explosives Limited, Nagpur.

Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’ successfully flight tested

Indigenously developed helicopter launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’ was successfully flight tested on April 11, 2022 at high-altitude ranges as part of user validation trials. The flight-test was jointly conducted by the teams of scientists from Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Indian Army and Indian Air Force (IAF).

The anti-tank missile was tested again next day, this time in the northern high altitude mountain regions after its successful test on Monday in the desert regions of Pokhran.

The flight trials were conducted from an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and the missile was fired successfully engaging simulated tank target. The missile is guided by an Imaging Infra-Red (IIR) Seeker operating in the Lock on Before Launch mode.

It is one of the most advanced anti-tank weapons in the world. In continuation to validation trials conducted at Pokhran in Rajasthan, proof of efficacy at high altitudes paves the way for its integration on the ALH. The trials were witnessed by senior Army commanders and senior scientists of the DRDO.

With the flight test, consistent performance of the complete system, including Imaging Infra-Red Seeker, has been established, which will enable the induction of the ‘Helina’ into the armed forces,” said a press statement from the Ministry of Defence on 12 April.

DRDO has said that the Helina missile system has all weather day and night capability and can defeat battle tanks with conventional armour as well as explosive reactive armour. It has been developed for integration with choppers in both the Army and Air Force.

Indo-Israeli Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile Tested Twice

India successfully conducted twin tests of Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) from a defence facility off Odisha coast on 27 March 2022 demonstrating the system’s high killing efficiency against high-speed aerial targets.

The network-centric and most advanced sleek missile has been developed by DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in collaboration with public and private sector enterprises.

The MRSAM-Army system intercepted unmanned aerial vehicles and destroyed them completely achieving direct hits at both long and short ranges. The missile intercepted the target in medium altitude at long range during the first trial and destroyed another target in low altitude at short range during second trial.

With a strike range of nearly 100 km, the 4.5-meter long supersonic quick reaction missile weighs around 2.7 tonne and can carry a payload of 60 kg. Travelling at a speed of Mach 2, it can achieve high degrees of manoeuvrability at the terminal phase.

Each MRSAM unit comprises one command and control system, multi functional surveillance tracking radar, threat alert radar, mobile launcher, combat management system, mobile power and radar power systems apart from the missile.

The next generation weapon system has been developed with cutting-edge technology to neutralise airborne threats like jets, subsonic and supersonic cruise missiles, anti tank systems and rockets.

One of the variants of MRSAM system has already been handed over to Indian Air Force (IAF). The missile is designed to provide point and area air defence for ground assets against a wide range of threats.

Air-launched BrahMos hits targets 800 km away

India is developing a new air-launched version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile which would be able to strike at enemy targets at more than 800 kilometres.

India has enhanced the range of the tactical missile recently, and it can go beyond 500 kilometres with just an upgrade in its software.

The Indian Air Force has equipped around 40 of its Su-30 combat aircraft with the BrahMos cruise missiles, which can cause heavy destruction in enemy camps.

BrahMos was also successfully test-fired in the Andaman and Nicobar, on 23 March.

Earlier in March, the Indian Navy had successfully demonstrated the accuracy of an extended-range land-attack Brahmos supersonic cruise missile from the stealth destroyer INS Chennai.

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The anti-tank missile was tested again next day, this time in the northern high altitude mountain regions after its successful test on Monday in the desert regions of Pokhran.

The flight trials were conducted from an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and the missile was fired successfully engaging simulated tank target. The missile is guided by an Imaging Infra-Red (IIR) Seeker operating in the Lock on Before Launch mode. It is one of the most advanced anti-tank weapons in the world.

In continuation to validation trials conducted at Pokhran in Rajasthan, proof of efficacy at high altitudes paves the way for its integration on the ALH. The trials were witnessed by senior Army commanders and senior scientists of the DRDO.

With the flight test, consistent performance of the complete system, including Imaging Infra-Red Seeker, has been established, which will enable the induction of the ‘Helina’ into the armed forces,” said a press statement from the Ministry of Defence on 12 April.

DRDO has said that the Helina missile system has all weather day and night capability and can defeat battle tanks with conventional armour as well as explosive reactive armour. It has been developed for integration with choppers in both the Army and Air Force.

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The contract, which was signed in New Delhi today, will be executed in three years. The order book position of BDL stands at Rs 11,400 crore net including the Konkurs-M contract.

Siddharth Mishra (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director of BDL stated that Konkurs-M is being manufactured by BDL under a license agreement with a Russian Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).

The missile has been indigenised up to the maximum extent. BDL is also offering Konkurs-M missiles for export to friendly foreign countries.

Bharat Dynamics has augmented its manufacturing capacity to meet the domestic as well as overseas demand for Konkurs-M. As a part of its global outreach, BDL is also offering Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missiles, Nag, Milan-2T, and Amogha, in addition to Konkurs M, for export.

Konkurs-M is a second generation, mechanised infantry anti-tank guided missile, to destroy armoured vehicles equipped with explosive reactive armour. The missile can be launched either from the BMP-II tank or from a ground launcher. It has a range between 75 to 4000 metres.

The Atmanirbhar mission initiated by the government of India has given momentum to the indigenisation efforts of the Company. BDL is also strengthening its in-house Research and Development capabilities to take up product innovation to mitigate the Indian armed forces’ product dependency on foreign countries.

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Developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the anti-tank guided missile meant to be launched from a helicopter was flight-tested from a static launcher positioned at Integrated Test Range (ITR) under simulated conditions on July 15 and 16.

HeliNa has been named after the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv, which will be equipped with the missile. Fitted with imaging Infra-Red seeker, Dhruvastra operates in ‘lock-on before launch mode’.

A defence official said the missile was test-fired from a ground-based launcher as a mandatory requirement with respect to safety. The missile would soon be tested from the ALH after a couple of more trials from the ground-based launcher.

Dhruvastra can be fired in two different modes – direct attack and top attack. Eight missiles can be integrated with the helicopter with four twin launchers specially designed for the weapon. Several trials of the third generation missile that operates on ‘fire and forget’ principle have been conducted from both the ITR and Pokhran firing ranges.

The missile can be launched from twin-tube stub wing-mounted launchers on board the armed light combat helicopters and advanced light helicopters. While Nag missile has a maximum range of 4 km, the HeliNa has an extended strike range of about 8 km.

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