The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), on 8 September, cleared a nearly Rs 11,000 crore project of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) to develop six new Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft for the Indian Air Force, using Airbus jets bought from Air India.

The IAF inducted its first indigenously developed AEW&C system, mounted on a Brazilian Embraer-145 jet, in February 2017, beefing up its capability to detect enemy aircraft and missiles. The Netra AEW&C system was developed by the DRDO and has a range of around 200 km.

The new AEW&C system, most likely to be mounted on the Airbus A321 aircraft, is expected to be more advanced than the Netra system, the official said. Currently, two Netra systems are in service.

The IAF also operates three Israeli Phalcon airborne warning and control system (AWACS) mounted on Russian IL-76 heavy-lift planes. The system has a range of 400 km. The IAF needs more such systems to cover the eastern and western sectors during offensive operations.

The approval for the new AEW&C jets came at a time when government has sharpened its focus on promoting self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector and positioning itself as an exporter of military hardware.

AEW&C systems are covered under the ban imposed by the government on the import of 209 defence items that will be implemented progressively from 2021 to 2025.

The AEW&C can detect and track all flying objects in the sky, including incoming fighters, cruise missiles and drones, faster than ground-based radars. They can also act as an aerial control room for missions while also keeping track of ships out at sea.

The criticality of the AEW&C was felt during the aerial duel between India and Pakistan on 27 February 2019.

Pakistan, which has six Saab 2000 early warning aircraft besides four others, had taken advantage of IAF’s changeover of the ‘eye in the sky’, when launching the attack.

Floating Missile Test Range INS Anvesh Ready

Sea trials of India’s first floating missile test range (FTR), INS Anvesh, were set to begin in September with the ship expected to be commissioned November. Built by Cochin Shipyard and designed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), the nearly 9000 tonne ship will be used to test missiles up to range of 1500 kilometers deep inside the Indian Ocean without the threat to population or sea traffic as well as land mass limitation.

India is expected to commission at least four ships in 2021 with ballistic missile tracking ship INS Dhruv being handed over to National Research Technical Organization (NTRO) on September 10. Stealth guided missile destroyer INS Vishakapatnam and diesel attack submarine INS Vela, fourth of the Kalvari class, will also be commissioned by the end of the year.

Once commissioned, the FTR INS Anvesh will bring futuristic missile projects up to speed as it will provide for a ready-made safety corridor without going through the tedious exercise of issuing NOTAMs to ships and aircraft flying in the area. While the DRDO missile testing site at Wheeler Island off Odisha is under the scanner of the adversaries, the FTR will also allow discreet testing of missiles and torpedoes 400 to 500 nautical miles into the sea.

While only a select group of nations operate FTRs, the DRDO has specific plans to use the vessel, equipped with electro-optical missile tracking, S-band radar tracking, telemetry devices apart from a launch pad, control and mission control center, for testing its phase II of Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) interceptor missiles. The phase II of the BMD envisages intercepting and destroying enemy missile up to range of 2000 kilometers by kinetic force with the FTR allowing live testing of the interdictor missiles and not computer simulations.

The FTR will also allow for live missile and torpedo firing by the Navy as well as surface-to-surface tactical missiles with the Indian Army.

DRDO Hands Over MRSAM System to IAF

In a significant boost to India’s defence capabilities, the first deliverable Firing Unit (FU) of the Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) System was handed over to IAF in the presence of defence minister Rajnath Singh at Air Force Station, Jaisalmer in Rajasthan on 9 September 2021. During the event, DRDO and IAI officials demonstrated the capabilities of the MRSAM system, as part of the On-Site Acceptance Test (OSAT).

The MRSAM (IAF) is an advanced network-centric combat Air Defence System developed jointly by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in collaboration with the Indian industry comprising of private and public sectors including MSMEs.

The MRSAM system provides point and area air defence for ground assets against a wide range of threats including fighter aircraft, UAVs, helicopters, guided and unguided munitions, sub-sonic & supersonic cruise missiles etc. It is capable of engaging multiple targets at ranges up to 70 km in severe saturation scenarios. The missile is powered by an indigenously developed rocket motor and control system for achieving high manoeuvrability during the terminal phase.

ARCI High Quality Ceramics for TI and Personal Protection

International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI) – an Autonomous Research and Development Centre of Department of Science and Technology (DST), has succeeded in developing high-quality transparent ceramics developed for the first time in India which can be used in thermal imaging and personal protection equipment.

Indian researchers have developed transparent ceramics, reaching theoretical transparency through a technique called colloidal processing followed by simultaneous application of temperature and pressure, for the first time in India, the Ministry of Science & Technology stated.

The material can be used for thermal imaging applications, especially in harsh service conditions and personal protection systems such as, helmets, face shields, and goggles.

Researchers at the ARCI have produced magnesium aluminate spinel ceramics with colloidal processing followed by HIP technique which involves the simultaneous application of temperature and pressure.

Transparent ceramics is a new class of advanced materials with unique transparency and excellent mechanical properties. These materials can be designed not only for transparent to visible light but also for ultraviolet (UV), Infrared (IR), and Radiofrequency (RF), giving the opportunity for diverse applications.

Though produced by different countries globally, transparent ceramics are restricted in supply as they can be used for strategic applications. Though several attempts were made in the country, the transparent ceramics produced were either on a laboratory scale or low transparency. The currently developed process is able to produce the sizes usable for several applications and on a pilot scale.

With potential applications in infantry personal protection systems involving thermal imaging such as helmets, face shields, and goggles, these transparent ceramics developed in India is a step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat.

DRDO Pitches LCA Tejas, Akash Missiles, Arjun Tank at Russian Expo

DRDO participated in week-long international arms exhibition Army 2021 Expo in Moscow from August 22.

The weapons showcased by DRDO included Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) ‘ASTRA’, Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM)-NAG and HELINA, Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) ‘Akash’, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-Tejas, Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&C), Identification of Friend and Foe (IFF) technology, Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), Joint Venture Protective Carbine (JVPC), Arjun Main Battle Tank MK1A, Rohini Radar, Air Defence Fire Control Radar (ADFCR)-Atulya Radar.

Rosoboronexport is offering India its whole range of small arms and light weapons, including assault rifles, machine guns, sniper rifles, submachine guns, pistols, and grenade launchers.

The Indian Army has apparently shown keen interest in acquiring small arms such as the Kalashnikov AK-100 series, AK-200 series, AK-12, AK-15, and AK-19 assault rifles.

Along with these, KORD assault rifles, sniper rifles as well as machine guns — all manufactured by the Kalashnikov Concern and the Degtyarev Plant, part of the Rostec State Corporation, may also be picked by the Indian Army.

Rostec’s key holdings took part in the Forum: United Aircraft Corporation, Russian Helicopters, High-Precision Weapons, Uralvagonzavod, Techmash, Central Research Institute for Precision Machine Engineering, United Engine Corporation, Concern Radio Electronic Technologies (KRET), Technodinamika, Ruselectronics, Shvabe, and Avtomatika.

DRDO Develops Chaff Technology for Fighters

DRDO, on 19 August, said it had developed an advanced Chaff technology to safeguard the fighter aircraft of the Air Force against hostile radar threats.

“The IAF has started the process of induction of this technology after the completion of successful user trials,” a DRDO statement said. “The technology has been given to the industry for production in large quantities to meet the annual rolling requirement of the IAF,” it stated.

Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur, developed the advanced Chaff material and chaff cartridge-118/I in collaboration with High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune, meeting the qualitative requirements of the IAF.

The DRDO said that in today’s electronic warfare, survivability of fighter aircraft was of prime concern because of advancement in modern radar threats. It explained that their survivability, Counter Measure Dispensing System (CMDS) was used that provides passive jamming against infrared and radar threats.

“Chaff is a critical defence technology used to protect fighter aircraft from hostile radar threats,” it noted, adding that the importance of this technology lay in the fact that very less quantity of chaff material deployed in the air acted as decoy to deflect enemy missiles for ensuring safety of the fighter aircraft.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on 13 February, handed over the indigenous main battle tank (MBT) Arjun Mk-1A, to the Army at Chennai.

 “We will continue working to make our armed forces one of the most modern forces in the world. At the same time, the focus on making India Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) in the defence sector moves with full speed,” the Prime Minister said at the event.

The state-of-the-art main battle tank has been indigenously designed, developed and manufactured by Chennai-based Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE), a unit of the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), along with 15 academic institutions, eight labs and several micro, small & medium enterprises (MSME).

With modern battle tank technologies, Arjun MBT Mk-1A is distinct from the contemporary MBT and is a dependable war-fighting machine. It is a weapon platform with superior firepower, high mobility, excellent protection and crew comfort with 14 major upgrades on Arjun MBT Mk-1, according to the CVRDE.

About the Arjun MBT

The Arjun MBT project was initiated by DRDO in 1972 with the CVRDE as its lead laboratory. The objective was to create a “state-of-the-art tank with superior fire power, high mobility, and excellent protection.” During the development, the CVRDE achieved breakthroughs in the engine, transmission, hydropneumatic suspension, hull and turret as well as the gun control system. Mass production began in 1996 at the Indian Ordnance Factory’s production facility in Avadi, Tamil Nadu.

The Indian Army received the first batch of 16 tanks in 2004 and they were inducted as a squadron of the 43 Armoured Regiment. In 2009, the first Arjun regiment of the Indian Army had 45 tanks. By 2011, over 100 tanks had been delivered. In 2010, the Indian army ordered another 124 Arjuns. The Ministry of Defence ordered another 118 units of the Arjun Mk-1A. These are the units being inducted now at a revised cost of over Rs 8,400 crore.

Main Features

The Arjun tanks stand out for their 120-mm calibre rifled gun. It also has a computer-controlled integrated fire control system with stabilised sighting that works in all lighting conditions. The secondary weapons include a co-axial 7.62-mm machine gun for anti-personnel and a 12.7-mm machine gun for anti-aircraft and ground targets.

The Mk-1A version has 14 major upgrades on the earlier version. It is also supposed to have missile firing capability as per the design, but this feature will be added later as final testing of the capability is still on. However, the biggest achievement with the latest version is 54.3 per cent indigenous content against the 41 per cent in the earlier model.

Initial Reluctance

Before operating Arjun, for a long time, the Indian Army operated Russian tanks with the Russian design philosophy of three-man crew with an auto-loader. Indian tank crews, tank commanders and the armoured corps made its strategies and tactics keeping the Russian tanks in mind also addressing the shortcomings of the autoloader. Implementing them on Heavy tanks based on western design would be quite challenging. This was the most significant reason behind the army’s reluctance.

Inducting such heavy tanks like Arjun will create logistic problems but this is not something which should prevent the army from buying these in large numbers. The army just needs to invest in carriages capable of carrying heavier loads.

Arjun is very well suited for the Western borders. It can outperform any other tank in that terrain. But now after the Ladakh standoff Army’s primary focus has shifted to China. The lighter tanks like the T-90 give a broader spectrum for deployment.

India is one of the largest operators of the Russian T-90. Thus, there are import lobbyists inside Indian committees which decide which tank to procure.

Technically speaking, the Army has no reason to be unhappy with the Arjun tank, as its senior officers had given the clearance more than a year ago after the MBT had undergone numerous trials. The tank comes with with 14 major improvements that the Army had sought.

Compared to its earlier version Arjun Mk 1, the Mark 1A boasts an improved gunner sight (a 120mm main gun), fitted with automated target tracking capabilities. This allows the tank’s crew to locate and track mobile targets automatically, enabling attack even when the MBT is moving.

It also incorporates day-and-night stabilized sights. Besides, it is integrated with thermobaric and penetration-cum-blast ammunition, in addition to the conventional fin-stabilized armor-piercing discarding sabot and high explosive squash head ammunition.

Arjun Mark 1A can run at a maximum road speed of 58 km/h and 40 km/h in cross country with a maximum cruising range of 500 km. It can negotiate a gradient of 30% and a vertical step of 910 mm. It can cross natural or man-made trenches 2,430 mm wide. The tank can cross a water obstacle of 1.4 m depth without preparation and 2.15 m with a kit.

At the same time, it is being said that this would be the last of the 68-ton Arjun series. The Army has placed a Rs 20,000 crore order for the manufacture of 464 T-90MS standard tanks to add to the 1,191 Bhishma tanks already inducted.

Not-so-rosy History

The Arjun has seen numerous changes in design and been over-budget with long delays. It was planned in 1972 and the DRDO started the work on it in 1974. It was to be a 40-ton vehicle, small enough to be strategically mobile and capable of being shuttled on internal lines (roads and railroads) to the borders.

But when in 2009, 35 years after it was originally conceived, Arjun was “ready” for production, its weight turned out to be 62 tons. It had other shortcomings too, which the Army did point out.

And yet, the Army was persuaded (pressured?) to buy 124 of them, with the last batch being procured in 2013. However, by mid-2015, two years after the purchase was complete, nearly 75 percent of the Arjun force was inoperable due to technical problems.

A 2016 report from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) noted that most of the tanks had not been in operation since 2013 due to a lack of spare parts. And the DRDO, in 2017, informed that it had imported spare parts to repair any faults that had sidelined 75 per cent of the Arjun tanks

Side by side, all these years (after 2010), the DRDO declared that it would work for Arjun 2 where many shortcomings of the Arjun 1 would be rectified with additional features. In 2014, the Union Cabinet decided to procure 118 of these, but the proposal was formally cleared by the DAC (Defence Acquisition Council) only in 2018, with Arjun 2 being rechristened now as Arjun Mark 1A.

But the Army said that even this version did not meet all its requirements like the ability to fire a missile from its main gun and battlefield management system. Besides, the Army, which had found problems with the 62-ton weight of version 1, had to cope with the 68-ton weight with the latest version of 1A.  It was only in 2020 that the Army gave its final “clearance”.

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