New sub-machinegun can pierce bullet-proof jackets: DRDO

India’s Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) says it has developed a modern sub-machinegun (SMG) that will be extremely useful in anti-terror operations as its ammunition is capable of piercing bullet-proof jackets.

“The SMG is 100 percent indigenous and specially designed to fight against militants in close combat. Its ammunition can pierce through bullet-proof jackets,” a DRDO official told IANS at the DefExpo 2010 land and naval systems exhibition here.

“The weapon incorporates a laser sight and has an effective range of 200 metres,” the official added.

“It is very light in weight and can be used as a single and multiple shot weapon,” the official said, adding that in rapid mode, it can fire 700 rounds per minute.

The SMG, which is currently undergoing field trials that are expected to be completed between April and June, is the third element of the 5.56 mm INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) family that DRDO has developed. The other two are an assault rifle and a carbine variant.

The DRDO SMG’s closest competitor is the Israeli Tavour assault rifle that is already in use with the Indian Army’s Special Forces.

Now India tests laser guided bombs successfully

India on Thursday carried out two successful flight trials of laser-guided bombs (LGBs) for the Indian Air Force to test the effectiveness of the guidance and control systems at the Chandipur integrated test range in Orissa.

"Two flight trials were conducted at Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, to test the effectiveness of the guidance and control systems of the LGBs," a Defence Ministry release said in New Delhi.

IAF officers flew their aircraft and released the LGBs as per prescribed standard operating procedures. "On-board systems in both the trials worked satisfactorily and the mission objectives have been met," the release added.

Bangalore-based Aeronautics Development Establishment (ADE) has developed the guidance kit for 1000-pound LGBs and these are designed to improve accuracy of air-to-ground bombing by IAF.

The ADE has already carried out a number of tests on the LGBs both through simulation and flight tests over the last few years to reach the required performance levels.

"The bomb, once released, by the mother aircraft at appropriate range, will seek the target and home on to it very accurately and with high reliability. All the necessary on-board components are sourced from Indian industry," it said.

Instruments Research and Development Establishment, another DRDO lab in Dehradun, has partnered ADE in the project.

source:reddif
Image Copyrights Bharat-rakshak.com

2 Astra missiles successfully test fired In Orissa

Achieving a new milestone, India on Monday successfully test-fired two indigenously developed air-to-air missiles 'Astra' in quick succession from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Orissa.

The beyond visual range (BVR) missiles were test-fired from a ground launcher in the launch pad No. 2 of the ITR complex at about 9.45 am and 12.06 pm, defence sources said.

Describing both the trials as "successful", they said the data of the flight test was being thoroughly analysed. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists said Astra was a futuristic missile and it could intercept targets at supersonic speeds between mach 1.2 to 1.4 (mach one is equivalent to 1236 kmph.)

"The tests on the missile's navigation, control, air frame, propulsion and other sub-system have been validated," they said.

The complex missile system would undergo some more trials before being made fully operational, they said. The single stage, solid fuel 'Astra' missile "is more advanced in its category than the contemporary BVR missiles and it is capable of engaging and destroying highly manoeuvrable supersonic aerial targets," defence sources said.

Though the exact range of today's trial was not disclosed, scientists are working to ensure that 'Astra' performs effectively at different altitudes - one, cruising at an altitude of 15 km with 90 to 110 km range, another at an altitude up to 30,000 ft having a range of 44 km and the third, at sea level with a range of 30 km. Astra had earlier been test-fired from the ITR at the ground level several times, the sources added.

Astra air-to-air missile to make its first flight To add punch to IAF’s fleet of Sukhoi, Mig-29, Mirage-2000, Tejas

Veteran fighter pilots lament the end of the dogfight, the evocative name for a twisty, sky-ripping, adrenaline-packed aerial duel, in which the winner gets behind his opponent and shoots him down with a burst of cannon fire.

Today, it is less about flying skill, cold nerve and highly-responsive aircraft; the modern-day dogfighting ace is an airborne video-game expert who uses radar to detect his foe at long ranges, and launch a beyond visual range (BVR) missile even before his victim realises that the engagement has begun.

Just days from now, a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter will take off from an Indian Air Force (IAF) base, an Astra missile fitted on its wing. This will be the first-ever flight of this indigenously developed BVR missile, which the IAF hopes will add punch to its fleet of Sukhoi-30MKI, Mig-29, Mirage-2000 and Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) fighters.

The Astra, built by the Defence R&D Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad, will allow IAF pilots to hit enemy aircraft up to 44 km away, at altitudes up to 20,000 metres. Improving on that will be the Astra Mk II, with a longer range of 80 km.


The Astra incorporates many cutting-edge technologies. Here is how an Astra would take on an enemy fighter: an IAF fighter’s radar picks up the target; the pilot launches an Astra missile. A high-energy propellant quickly boosts the missile to several times the speed of sound. At ranges beyond 15 km, the Astra cannot “see” its target, so the IAF fighter guides the missile, relaying the target’s continually changing position over a secure radio link. Once it is 15 km from the target, the Astra’s onboard seeker picks up the target; after that the Astra homes in on its own.

At this point, the target would start turning and diving to throw off the missile. But the Astra manoeuvres better, and moves much faster, than even the most agile fighters. A radio proximity fuse measures the distance to the target. When the target is within 5 metres, the Astra’s radio proximity fuse detonates its warhead, sending a volley of shrapnel ripping through the enemy fighter.

Most of these technologies have already been proven. The propulsion system, the data link between the aircraft and the Astra, the radio proximity fuse, the onboard computer, the inertial navigation system and other key technologies were developed at the DRDO’s missile complex in Hyderabad.

The Astra’s seeker is still imported from Russia, but the DRDO hopes to develop one.

The forthcoming test with a Sukhoi-30MKI is called a “captive flight trial”; it will evaluate whether the Astra can withstand the physical stresses of supersonic flying and high-speed manoeuvring. Early in 2010, a “captive-II flight trial” will check whether the Astra’s avionics are properly matched with those of the Sukhoi-30MKI. The fighter should receive the missile’s signals; and the Astra should receive the aircraft’s commands.

“Matching an Indian missile with a Russian fighter’s avionics has turned out to be a complex task”, explains Mukesh Chand, one of the Astra’s key developers, “But the Astra will be much better integrated with the Indian Tejas LCA.”

Only in October 2010, after all the Astra’s systems are certified airworthy, will a live Astra be fired from a fighter. But the project scientists are confident; in a September 2008 test in Balasore, Orissa, a ground-launched Astra shot down an electronic target, validating many of the most complex technologies.

A drawback in the Astra remains its high weight; even a heavy fighter like the Sukhoi-30MKI cannot carry the missile on its wingtip stations. In comparison with the Astra’s estimated 150 kg, other BVR missiles like the Israeli Derby weigh around 100 kg only.

MMRCA flight test evaluation by April: IAF chief

The Indian Air Force will complete flight test evaluation for the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) by April next year, Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Naik said.

"We will complete flight test evaluation for these aircraft by April...the report would then be sent to the government," the Air Chief told PTI.

The IAF has been holding trials for its USD 10-billion Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft tenders in which US' Boeing and Lockheed Martin, French D'Assault, Swedish SAAB, European consortium EADS and Russian MiG are contenders.

"The evaluation report would be discussed by the Cabinet Committee on Security, after which the process of awarding contract would be initiated," he said.

"The aircraft would be in service by 2013," he added.

Stealth warships to get deadlier

Ajai Shukla / New Delhi December 17, 2009,

The Indian Navy’s prestigious Project 28, the programme to build four of the world’s stealthiest anti-submarine corvettes, is on track to become even more cutting edge. By the end of this month, three international shipbuilders will be bidding to provide Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) with the technology to build a major part of the corvettes — the entire superstructure — with lightweight composites.

By making the superstructure, which is the upper part of the ship that rests on the hull, of lighter composite material, the 2,500-tonne warships will become lighter, stealthier and far more stable in the water. Already acclaimed as world-class warships, composite superstructures will make them amongst the most effective submarine hunters in any of the world’s navies.

Business Standard has learned that the Ministry of Defence will shortly issue tenders to three shipbuilders with extensive experience in fabricating composites. Kockums of Sweden, a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), which builds the world’s stealthiest warships, the 650-tonne Visby class corvettes, is a leading contender; also in the fray are Greek shipbuilder, Intermarine; and Korea’s Kangnam Corporation.

With composite materials increasingly crucial to warships, this lucrative tender could open the door for broader partnership with Indian defence shipyards.

The three companies are maintaining a discrete silence for now, but an aide to the spokesperson of TKMS admitted, “India is an interesting market for TKMS at the moment because of the serious attention that the government of India is giving to the technical future of the Indian Navy.”

The first two corvettes of Project 28, which are nearing completion, have already been built with conventional steel superstructures. Subsequent corvettes, that is the third ship onwards, can have composite superstructures. The chairman and managing director of GRSE, Rear Admiral KC Sekhar, told Business Standard during a visit to GRSE in August that, “Composite materials technology can only be incorporated for the third and fourth ships of Project 28. The first corvette is already 90 per cent completed. Eighty per cent of the superstructure is ready for the second corvette.”

All the high technology going into Project 28 is boosting costs; GRSE and the defence ministry are locked in negotiations to finalise a price for the corvettes. Since 2003, when the order was placed, GRSE has worked on Project 28 based on nothing more than a Letter of Intent (LoI) from the ministry. The cost mentioned in that LoI was derived from the cost of the earlier Project 25A, for previous generation Kora class corvettes.

But now, that cost has ballooned, partly because of repeated changes that the Navy has demanded in order to keep Project 28 at the cutting edge of stealth technology. The LoI’s Rs 2,800 crore for the four ships of Project 28 (Rs 700 crore per corvette), has swelled to Rs 7,000 crore (Rs 1,750 crore per corvette). And, since the cost of the first ship of Project 28 was to determine the real cost of Project 28, the defence ministry has little option but to pay that amount.

But Business Standard has learned that the MoD-GRSE negotiations could soon have a happy ending.

Although the order was placed in 2003, the ministry is likely to agree to a “commencement of production” date of March 2006, to compensate for the delays caused by repeated changes in specifications.

Since the first Project 28 corvette is likely to roll out in 2012, that will amount to a notional build period of 6 years, in line with the time that most foreign shipyards take to produce the first ship of a class. Subsequent ships, however, are expected to be churned out much faster.

Dhanush missile successfully test fired

India on Sunday successfully test fired its nuclear-capable ballistic missile 'Dhanush', with a range of 350 km, from a naval ship off the Orissa coast.

The single-stage ship-based missile was flight-tested at around 11.30 am and the trial was successful, defence sources
said.


'Dhanush' has a payload capacity of 500 kg and is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads. It can hit both sea and shore-based targets.

The missile, which has liquid propellant, is the naval version of India's indigenously developed surface-to-surface
'Prithvi' missile system, the sources said.

"Dhanush, being developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), was put to trial jointly by a
team of scientists and officers from the Navy," they said.

"Today's test launch has been tracked from its take-off to impact point through an integrated network of sophisticated
radars and electro-optic instruments for post-mission data analyses," the sources said.

The missile had failed in its first test at the development stage on April 11, 2000 due to certain technical problems relating to the take-off stage but subsequent trials were successful.

The last trial of 'Dhanush' was successfully conducted from a naval ship off Orissa coast on March 30, 2007, the sources said.

Indian Army set to upgrade its WLRs(Weapon Locating Radar)

The Indian Army is in the final stages of accepting for induction a newly developed weapon locating radar (WLR), designed and developed by Bangalore-based Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), a senior defence research official said today.

“We have a long border. The product has been developed and is ready for acceptance. Bharat Electronics is ready to roll out the systems in bulk. The radar can look at objects from 30 kms. It can locate rockets and even give the trajectory and give an early warning,” S Varadarajan, director of LRDE, a Defence Research and Development Organisation lab, told reporters.

The Army is likely to place an order for the delivery of 29 WLRs worth Rs 1,500 crore, he said. The foliage radar is also under development and the LRDE is looking for a collaboration. It is an airborne radar which can detect objects 20-30 kms away and can be deployed for internal security and help in low-intensity conflicts such as those resorted to by terrorists and insurgents, he said.

The radar will be ready for production in 2012, he added. Varadarajan expects the Army to place orders with the Bharat Electronics Limited for a large number of WLRs. LRDE is also in the advanced stages of developing a 300-km range radar for air defence applications. “Gone are the days when radars are for specific purposes. Today a radar has got the capability for multiple functions. By 2012, the radars will be ready for commercial production,” Varadarajan said.

These technologies will be on display at the 7th international radar symposium India (IRSI) 2009 being held here during December 8-11. The objective of the seminar is to provide a common platform for practicing radar scientists, engineers, manufacturers and users to share their experiences, issues and knowledge to carve out the technology path for better future, he said. Bharat Electronics, LRDE, Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers, Bangalore Centre, ISRO, HAL among others are sponsoring the symposium.

I V Sarma, director-R&D, BEL said the company is gearing up to manufacture a wide range of radars for both civilian and defence applications. The company presently has orders worth Rs 4,600 crore in hand and for this fiscal, and it plans to deliver radars worth Rs 1,000 crore, a growth of 10 per cent over the last fiscal. He said the country is likely to capture about 10 per cent of the world market for radars in the next 10 years, worth about Rs 40,000 crore. BEL has dedicated three out of 17 strategic business units to manuacture various radars, he said.

LCA Fighter aircraft clocks fastest speed during testing

In the final phase of its tests before formal commissioning, India’s indigenous light combat aircraft Tejas went past its ultimate speed of 1,350 KMPH over the Goa skies and clocked the fastest speed ever, a top IAF officer said on Tuesday. “The aircraft went past its ultimate speed of 1350 kmph on December 7 over the skies in Goa after take off from the naval air station INS Hansa,” Commander Rohit Varma, project director (flight test), National flight test centre, told reporters here.

“This is the fastest speed ever achieved by an Indian- made fighter aircraft,” he said. The aircraft also passed flight flutter test diving from an altitude of four kilometers to almost sea level at 900 feet. “Tejas has already passed high-altitude tests in Leh, the desert rigours in Rajasthan and now it has proved its worth over the maritime space in Goa,” Varma said.

The IAF has already ordered 20 LCAs from HAL at a contract worth Rs 2701.70 crore. The fighters are to be delivered by 2013. The LCA, a project of aeronautical development agency (ADA) is the first supersonic fighter craft manufactured indigenously by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

The aircraft will have naval and Indian air force version, of which the latter is undergoing testing at Goa naval base. “It can fly from a base and also from an aircraft carrier,” P S Subramanyam, Programme Director (Combat aircraft) and director, ADA, said. The officials confirmed that the naval version of the aircraft would be attached to aircraft carrier Gorshkov once the aircraft is inducted for operations.

Subramanyam said the LCA-naval will have capability to take off from ski jump platform of aircraft carriers. “The development of the naval version is progressing very fast. There are few glitches but we will overcome them.” The IAF is likely to base the lightweight multi-role jet fighters at Sulur in Coimbatore. “They are earmarked for squadron no 45, which will be the first LCA squadron,” Varma said.

The HAL has manufactured four aircraft which are being put under rigorous testing by fighter pilots. Varma said a team led by Captain Jaydeep Malawankar was testing the aircraft before their induction into the defence force. Air vice Marshal Shankar Mani told reporters that the first consignment of four aircraft would be delivered by January 2011, followed by eight aircraft in 2012 and another eight in 2013.

Source: http://www.expressindia.com/

Vidhwansak- Indian Sniper Rifle

 











Vidhwansak (The Destroyer) is an Indian multi-caliber anti-material rifle (AMR) or large-caliber sniper rifle manufactured by India. It can be used in the anti-materiel role for destroying enemy bunkers, lightly armoured vehicles, radar systems, communication equipment, parked aircraft, fuel storage facilities, etc. It is also effective in long range sniping,counter sniping and ordance disposal roles.

The development of Vidhwansak was completed in November 2005 and the rifle had been offered to the Indian army, BSF and National Security Guards.

Features:

• Multi Calibre – 12.7 mm, 14.5 mm & 20 mm

• Anti Material Weapon up to the range of 2000 metres

• Manual Bolt Action

• Magazine Feed

• One Minute Change of Calibre (12.7 mm or 14.5 mm or 20 mm)

• Easily carried by Two Men

A muzzel break is fitted on the end of the barrel which absorbs an estimated 50%-60% of recoil. This is further supplemented by a buffered slide in the receiver.Vidhwansak is equipped with an 8X magnification, long eye relief telescopic sight with Parallax adjustment.

Vidhwansak AMR is one of few firearms to support 3 calibers with quick interchangeability (without completely disassembling and reworking the weapon). The Vidhwansak can be easily converted between the three calibers - 12.7 mm, 14.5 mm and 20 mm, by replacing the barrel, bolt, magazine and scope, which takes about 1 minute in the field, without the need for any specialized tools.

Ammunition	12.7 × 107 mm	14.5 × 114 mm	20 × 82 mm
Weight	25 kg	29 kg	26 kg
Overall Length	1.7 m	2.015 m	1.795 m
Barrel	8 Grooved, 1.1 m length, Quick Change type	8 Grooved, 1.22 m Length, Quick Change type	8 Grooved, 1 m Length, Quick Change Type
Pitch of Rifle	1: 390 mm	1 : 420 mm	1 : 560 mm
Sights	8 X 42 Power Telescopic Sight with Parallax adjustment	8 X 42 Power Telescopic Sight with Parallax adjustment	8 X 42 Power Telescopic Sight with Parallax adjustment
Muzzle Velocity	845 m/s	1,080 m/s	720 m/s
Range	1,800 m	1,800 m	1,300 m

Users:

Indian Army, BSF (about 100 )

INSAS(Indian Small Arms System)

INSAS (an abbreviation of Indian Small Arms System) is a family of infantry arms consisting of an assualt rifel, a Light Machine gun and a carbine. It is manufactured by the Indian State Ordance Board at its Ishapore factory. The Insas Assault Rifle is now the standard infantry weapon of the Indian Armed force.The INSAS system was originally planned to have three component weapons: a standard rifle, a carbine, and a squad automatic rifle (LMG), all chambered for ammunition. In 1997 the rifle and LMG were ready for mass production, and in 1998 the first Indian army units were observed armed with INSAS rifles for the Republic Day Parade. At least 300,000 INSAS rifles are in service with the Indian army; some of these have seen action in Indo-pakistan conflict.

Salient Features

• Common ammunition for all the weapons of the family.
• Same basic group components providing very high percentage of commonality/interchange-ability of components.
• Simplified and reduced training, maintenance & logistics.
• Less recoil than older weapons, making firing easier and improving overall performance.
• Effective use during day and night operations due to provision of optical sight and passive night sight.
• Extensive use of engineering plastics and FRP composites eliminating the use of high grade wood.
• Chrome plated barrel & chamber for smooth functioning, almost doubling the barrel life and ease of maintenance.
• Cold swaging technology for mass production of barrels.

Export

INSAS rifles have been exported to the neighboring kingdom of Nepal.Although other parties have shown some interest, till now, none have yet come forward to purchase. The INSAS rifle was sold at a highly discounted rate to the government of Nepal, and many more given as military aid to combat the Maoist insurgency in that country. Some sources claim that around 100,000 weapons were exported to Nepal as part of this agreement. Sources say that few African countries have shown interest in procuring the INSAS, however no conclusive decision has been made. Some say that manufacturers are working hard on their export version to improve the external looks of the rifle in order to compete in the world market.

Users

India
Nepal
Bhutan
Sri Lanka