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BEL’s USV stands apart with its eco-conscious design. Powered by solar energy, this sea drone operates with zero emissions, making it an environmentally friendly alternative for maritime operations.

The USV’s 30kg payload capacity allows it to carry specialized sensors to gather underwater data and map seabed features. This capability is crucial for creating accurate nautical charts and supporting safe navigation.

With remote control and waypoint navigation, the USV transforms into a vigilant coastal sentinel. It can patrol strategic areas, monitor maritime traffic, and enhance security by providing real-time situational awareness.

BEL emphasizes the potential for customization, hinting at future use in logistics operations for transporting supplies over water.

Intriguingly, the possibility of deploying this USV for “kamikaze applications” is also mentioned, though details on this role remain undisclosed.

BEL’s solar-powered USV offers compelling advantages. Its unmanned nature reduces the risks faced by personnel in potentially hazardous environments. Additionally, its eco-friendly operations promise both cost savings and reduced environmental impact.

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In the fiscal year 2023-24, BEL successfully secured orders worth around Rs 35,000 crore. Among the notable defence orders obtained during the year were Electronic Fuzes, EW Systems, Communication Systems for naval warships, Fire Control Systems, Akash Prime Weapon System, Radars, Sonars, Software Defined Radios, Night Vision Devices, Tactical Communication Systems and other projects in Non-defence sector.

With this, the total order book of BEL as on April 1st, 2024, stands at around Rs 76,000 crore.

BEL also achieved export sales of around US$ 92.98 million during FY 2023-24, as against the previous year’s export turnover of US$ 48.33 million, registering a growth of 92%. Major products exported include Transmit & Receive (TR) Modules, Compact Multi-Purpose Advanced Stabilisation System (CoMPASS), Radar & Electronic Warfare Systems, Medical Electronics, Communication equipment, etc.

As on April 1st, 2024, BEL’s export order book stands at US$ 407 million, with export orders acquired during the fiscal year amounting to US$ 211 million.

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The MoD also signed a contract with BEL-Hyderabad for the Instrumented Electronic Warfare Range (IEWR) for the Indian Air Force. BEL also signed an MoU with the Army Design Bureau of the Indian Army for collaboration in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Defence applications. All these contracts assume immense significance especially when it comes to making India a self-reliant nation in terms of defence production and research.

As per BEL, the supply of advanced EW systems will significantly enhance the battle-survivability of the IAF fighter aircraft while undertaking operational missions against adversaries’ ground-based as well as airborne fire control and surveillance radars. The EW suite has been indigenously designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

At the same time, the contract regarding the Instrumented Electronic Warfare Range (IEWR) for the Indian Air Force is being termed as a significant step towards enhancing the capabilities of the IAF to prepare for future warfare. The overall cost of the contract is estimated to be Rs 1,109 crores. The IEWR will be used to test and evaluate airborne Electronic Warfare (EW) equipment and validate their deployment in an operational scenario.

Similarly, the MoU with the Indian Army seeks to bring together the Army Design Bureau (ADB), and BEL under one roof to jointly carry out research activities for the development of innovative AI solutions for the Indian Army. BEL and ADB will co-develop AI-based projects for the Army. The MoU will be executed in a collaborative manner through a nodal organisation named Artificial Intelligence Incubation Hub (AIIH). The AIIH will be co-chaired by the ADG, ADB, and Director, R&D, BEL, with members from the Indian Army and BEL. The MoU also has the provision to co-opt representatives of academia and industry/start-ups.

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The defence ministry signed three contracts worth ₹19,600 crore with domestic shipyards for 11 next-generation offshore patrol vessels and six next-generation missile vessels, and another one worth ₹1,700 crore with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for a fire control system to boost the navy’s capabilities.

It also signed a ₹8,160-crore contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for improved Akash surface-to-air missiles for the army, and another one worth ₹990 crore with BEL for Swathi weapon locating radars, also for the army.

The sixth contract of the day was signed with BrahMos Aerospace for next-generation maritime mobile coastal batteries (long range) and BrahMos missiles for ₹1,700 crore.

The offshore patrol vessels are being bought from Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, for ₹9,781 crore, while the missile vessels will be supplied by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) for ₹9,805 crore.

The latest deals come a day after the ministry signed three contracts worth ₹5,400 crore for an advanced communication satellite, GSAT 7B, for the army, an automated air defence control and reporting system for the army’s air defence units, and Sarang electronic support measure systems for navy helicopters.

The ministry has signed contracts worth almost ₹52,000 crore (including the deals signed on Thursday) in the last four weeks for indigenous military hardware, including basic trainer aircraft, cadet training ships, medium-power radars, radar warning receivers and Dornier aircraft.

“Of the 11 offshore patrol vessels, seven will be indigenously designed, developed and manufactured by GSL and four by GRSE. The delivery of the ships is scheduled to commence from September 2026…and the missile vessels from March 2027,” the ministry said in a statement.

It elaborated on the capabilities the platforms ships will bring to the navy.

The offshore patrol vessels will enable the navy to maintain its combat capability and meet various operational requirements including anti-piracy, counter-infiltration, anti-poaching, anti-trafficking, non-combatant evacuation operations, and search and rescue.

The construction of these ships will generate an employment of 110 lakh man-days over seven-and-a-half years, the ministry said.

The heavily-armed missile vessels will come with stealth, high speed and offensive capability, and their primary role will be to provide offensive capability against enemy warships and land targets.

“These ships will be capable of conducting maritime strike operations, anti-surface warfare operations and would be a potent instrument of sea denial for enemy ships especially at choke points,” the ministry said. The construction of these ships will generate an employment of 45 lakh man-days over nine years.

The contract with BDL for improved Akash weapon system (AWS) is for the army’s Army Air Defence’s third and fourth regiments. “In order to meet aerial threats, two additional regiments of AWS with upgradation are being procured for Indian Army for the northern borders (with China),” the ministry said in another statement.

“The project will give a boost to the Indian missile manufacturing industry in particular and the indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem as a whole. It has an overall indigenous content of 82% which will be increased to 93% by 2026-27.”

On the weapon locating radars, the ministry said the system is capable of locating hostile guns, mortars and rockets, and facilitating their destruction through counter bombardment. “This will enable troops to carry out their operational tasks without any interference from the enemy and also provide them safety against enemy fire. Induction is planned to be completed in 24 months.”

The Lynx-U2 system fire control system ordered for the navy is capable of accurately tracking and engaging targets amid sea clutter as well as air/surface targets, the ministry said in a separate statement.

It will be installed on offshore patrol vessels to be built at GRSE, and GSL. This latest order for BEL will generate an employment of 200,000 man-days over the next four years, the statement added.

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The biennial event which completed its 14th edition in Bengaluru witnessed the largest participation of the contingent from the United States of America for the first time ever in Aero India.

Aerobatics performed by the metal birds enthralled the onlookers who had gathered in huge numbers on the last day at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in the city. India’s indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, light combat helicopters and light utility helicopters developed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited were part of the show.

Besides, Rafale jets and Sukhoi aircrafts put up an impressive show during the event.
However, the most notable was the presence of F-35, B-1B Lancers, the F-16 and F-18 which too participated in the show.

Sorties by vintage aircrafts, aerobatics by Surya Kiran team of the IAF, which flew the Hawk aircrafts and Sarang (meaning peacock in Sanskrit) display team of the IAF using the HAL developed Dhruv helicopters left the audience spellbound.

The five-day event saw a number of seminars such as Manthan and Bandhan where deliberations were held on a range of subjects including India’s self-reliance programme, indigenous development of futuristic aerospace technology, India’s space initiatives, advancement in maritime surveillance system, investment opportunities in Karnataka.

There was a huge turnout at the exhibitions and displays by various companies during the show. The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Indian Space Research Organisation, Bharat Electronics Limited, Defence Research and Development Organisation were among those who put up their stalls.

As many as 266 partnerships including 201 MoUs, 53 major announcements and nine product launches were firmed up at the Aero India that could unlock business potentials worth around Rs 80,000 crore. The MoUs included one between Hindustan Aeronautics and Safran Helicopter Engines of France for work share for formation of joint venture for design, development, manufacture and life time support of helicopter engines.

The agreements and the MoUs were formally signed at an event titled “Bandhan” ceremony that was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, top leaders of Indian defence industries and senior military officials.

“The Bandhan ceremony also witnessed the forging of 266 partnerships including 201 MoUs, 53 major announcements, nine product launches and three Transfers of Technology (ToT), worth around Rs 80,000 crore,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

The Bharat Electronics Ltd and Aeronautical Development Agency also inked an MoU for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). The product launches at Aero India included the vertically launched short range surface-to-air missile (Bharat Dynamics Ltd).

It is a next-generation, ship-based, all-weather, air defence weapon which can be used by the Navy as a quick reaction defence against supersonic sea skimming targets such as aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. The missile has a smokeless propulsion system with all-weather capability. It has a highly agile configuration with state-of-the-art electronic counter-measures features.

Another significant product launch was of the semi-active laser seeker based anti-tank guided missile developed by Bharat Dynamics Limited. The missile weighs 23 kgs with the launch tube, and can be used in different kinds of terrains to incapacitate moving and stationary targets such as tanks and infantry combat vehicles.

Another major landmark at the Aero India 2023 was the participation by Israel this year which marked 30 years of Indo-Israel defence collaboration. SIBAT, the International Defence Collaboration Directorate of the Israel Ministry of Defence, is in charge of fostering defence cooperation between Israel and India. The show saw the demonstration of some defence technologies developed by Israel including Air Defence Systems, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Aerial and Ground Precise Guided Munitions, Electronic Warfare (EW) Systems, Land and Naval Solutions, Avionic Systems, Air and Missile Defence Systems.

In a major boost to indigenous defence industry, the CMD of Munitions India Limited, Ravi Kant said that the company has got orders for more than 10 lakh multi-mode grenades for Indian armed forces and over Rs 3,000 crores of orders for exports.

The 14th edition of Aero India at the Yelahanka Air Force station complex on the outskirts of Bengaluru was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 13 february and it saw participation of over 700 defence firms and representatives of around 100 countries.

The defence minister said that Aero India showcased to the world the ‘New Defence Sector’ of ‘New India’, which has not only grown in the last few years, but is now fully ready to walk alongside the defence sectors of leading countries.

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The first rendition, the Rudram-1 missile, primarily aims at Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD). This consists of destroying enemy communication systems, surveillance radar stations with an operational range of approximately 250 km and a maximum speed of 2 Mach- double the speed of sound.

Beyond this, Rudram-2 and Rudram-3, with ranges of 350 and 550 km, respectively, are also under development.

While developed by DRDO, the indigenous weapons are jointly produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).

Rudram will provide air superiority tactical capability to the IAF jets. .

Little is known about the features of the advanced versions of Rudram– namely, Rudram-2 and Rudram-3. It is believed that both also have INS-GPS navigation and come equipped with a passive homing head.

Lesser amount of information is available about Rudram-3.

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Bhanu Prakash Srivastava, Director (Other Units), BEL, and Mr S K Rout, Director (Operations), MIL, exchanged the MoU documents at Defexpo in the presence of Ravi Kant, CMD, MIL, Joydeep Majumder, Executive Director, BEL and other senior officers of BEL and MIL.

The MoU aims at leveraging the complementary strengths and capabilities of BEL and MIL and strengthens the spirit of the Make In India initiative of Government of India, for achieving self-reliance in Defence Sector. The co-operation will enable the companies to   jointly address the domestic and Export opportunities in the areas of Ammunition, Explosives and related systems and sub systems.

MIL is a DPSU under Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, Government of lndia. MIL, India’s largest manufacturer & market leader, is engaged in the design, development and manufacture of various types of ammunition and explosives including Small, Medium and High Caliber ammunition, Mortars, Rockets, Hand Grenades, High Explosives, Propellants, Initiathe tory Compositions etc.

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