Indian Defense Industry General News and Updates

Bharat forge 120kgf Gas Turbine Engine

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Big discounts on offer to set up units in UP’s Defence corridor

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh is rolling out the red carpet for companies wishing to set up big defence and aerospace units in the ‘Defence Industrial Corridor’ in the state, which was recently announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, by way of reimbursing 25% cost of land for the project and host of other benefits.

UP is notifying nearly 3,000 hectare of land between six nodes in the Bundelkhand region after PM announced the Rs 20,000 crore worth of defence corridor at the Investors Summit in Lucknow this February. A draft policy of UP, which was reviewed by ET and is expected to be notified soon, goes beyond existing concessions for new industries notified just last year and hence goes the extra mile to woo companies wishing to set up manufacturing and production units in the proposed defence corridor passing through Aligarh, Agra, Jhansi, Chitrakoot, Kanpur and Lucknow.

The biggest attraction will be offering reimbursement up to 25% of the cost of land to units investing over Rs 300 crore or creating at least 1,000 direct job opportunities in notified area of the defence corridor.


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India working on unmanned tanks, vessels, robotic weaponry for future wars
In an ambitious defence project, the government has started work on incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the operational preparedness of the armed forces in a significant way that would include equipping them with unmanned tanks, vessels, aerial vehicles and robotic weaponry.

The move is part of a broader policy initiative to prepare the Army, Navy and the Air Force for next generation warfare and comes amid rising Chinese investments in developing critical applications of AI for its military.

Secretary Defence Production Ajay Kumar said the government had decided to introduce AI in all the three forces as it would be a "big area" considering the requirements of future warfare.

He said a high-powered task force headed by Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran was finalising the specifics and framework of the project, which would be implemented in a "partnership model" between the armed forces and the private sector.

"It is India's preparation for next generation warfare. This (AI) is where the future is going to be. We need to prepare ourselves for the next generation warfare which will be more and more technology driven, more and more automated and robotised," he told .

Like many other world powers, India had also started work on the application of AI to boost the capabilities of its armed forces, Kumar said, adding that unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned naval vessels, unmanned tanks and automatic robotic rifles as weapon systems will have an extensive use in future wars.

"We need to create capabilities for all these platforms," he said.

Military sources said the project would also include production of a range of unmanned platforms for the three services.

They said the forces were strongly pushing for extensive applications of AI in their operational preparedness on a par with leading global military powers.

The sources said the application of AI in the surveillance of India's borders with China and Pakistan could significantly ease the pressure on armed forces personnel guarding the sensitive frontiers.

China has been pouring in billions of dollars into AI research and machine learning. Last year, it unveiled an ambitious plan to make the country the AI innovation centre of the world by 2030.

The US, Britain, France and the European Union are also investing significantly in AI, an area of computer science devoted to the creation of intelligent machines.

The US has been carrying out successful operations targeting terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan and Northwest Pakistan using unmanned drones which operate with the help of artificial intelligence.

"AI is going to be a very big concept in the coming years. Major countries of the world are now working on strategies to see how AI can be used for defence forces. We are also moving ahead. What is unique about this initiative is that we have industry and defence forces working jointly," Kumar said.

He said the recommendations of the task force were likely to come in by June and then the government would take the project forward.

"India has a fairly strong IT industry base and that is going to be our biggest strength in terms of developing AI capabilities," said Kumar, who has been playing a key role in pushing forward the project.

Kumar said a framework was being finalised under which industry and defence forces could work together to create a strong base for AI in defence systems.

"We need to work on a partnership model which should be different from a buyer- seller proposition while fully leveraging capabilities of the industry," he said, adding state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) would be a major player in the project.

Kumar said there was an enormous potential for the use of AI in the civilian sphere as well and the task force was also looking into it.
India working on unmanned tanks, vessels, robotic weaponry for future wars
 
Govt to seal deal by Oct to procure 200 Kamov military choppers
The government is all set to conclude a multi-billion dollar deal by October to procure 200 Kamov Ka-226T attack helicopters through a joint venture between Russian Helicopters and state-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

Official sources said almost all the groundwork to finalise the mega project has been completed as the government is eyeing to seal it within the next four months.

An inter-governmental agreement between India and Russia was signed for the project during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Moscow in December 2015.

In October 2016, India and Russia had finalized a broad agreement to set up the joint venture (JV) between HAL and Russian Helicopters which will co-produce the choppers. India is procuring the choppers to replace its ageing Cheetah and Chetak helicopters + .


Last month, the defence ministry issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to the Indo-Russian venture + for the project.

Officials said the HAL-RH joint venture will send a detailed response to the RFP by end of August and the final deal is set to be signed in October.

They said the government has already approved the technical configuration for the twin-engine multi-role helicopter which is known for its superior manoeuvring capabilities in mountainous areas.


The defence ministry has already approved the payment for setting up of the JV. A site in the vicinity of Tumkur near Bengaluru has been identified for setting up the facility to produce the choppers.

The Kamov helicopters will be supplied to the Indian Air Force and the Army. Both these forces have been pressing for early conclusion of the deal so that they could replace their ageing fleet of existing choppers within next three to four years.

According to the 2015 agreement, 60 Kamov-226T helicopters will be supplied to India in fly-away condition, while 140 will be manufactured in India.

Russia had agreed to ensure transfer of technologies to India as part of the pact. Russia has been one of India's key suppliers of arms and ammunition for decades.
Govt to seal deal by Oct to procure 200 Kamov military choppers - Times of India
 
India’s first indigenous technology to search, track and kill enemy drones, has been developed and a working prototype is sitting in Bengaluru.

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Reliance investing in India’s first carbon fibre unit

New Delhi:Reliance Industries is investing in setting up India’s first carbon fibre manufacturing unit to cater to aerospace and defence needs, the company said in its annual report.

“RIL is investing in India’s first and largest carbon fibre production line with its own technology—to cater to India’s aerospace and defence needs as well as the specialty industrial applications,” it said.

It had last year acquired the assets of Kemrock Industries to enter the composites business and is focusing on thermoset composites such as glass and carbon Fibre-Reinforced Polymers (FRPs).

“The ability to deliver exceptional strength (similar to or better than steel) at a significantly lower weight is a critical performance attribute of FRPs. Additionally, FRPs can withstand harsh weather, have a long life with minimal maintenance, are corrosion resistant and can be moulded into any shape,” it said.

Vehicle to probe sea surface to hit the market soon

It’s Made In India. A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) with multiple civil and military applications ranging from detecting mines to removing garbage deep in the sea, is planned to be commercially launched in a year.

The unmanned vehicle can scan the sea surface in both shallow and deep waters. It can go up to a depth of 6,000 metres and transmit high resolution photos and data. In shallow waters it can see up to a depth of 500 metres.

Joint effort

For the Indian Navy it is considered of strategic importance. ROVs have been field-tested to map coral reef biodiversity in Andaman and Nicobar Islands a few years ago. The National Research Development Corporation (NRDC)’s Visakhapatnam-based Intellectual Property Facilitation Centre and Technology Innovation Support Centre marketed the technology and facilitated the signing of an agreement between NIOT and L&T Defence recently.

NRDC Chairman and Managing Director H. Purushotham told The Hindu on Thursday that L&T Defence would roll out the first vehicle in nine to 12 months. Each vehicle will cost Rs. 25 crore to Rs. 30 crore.

Mine detector

He said the Navy would benefit by detecting mines planted by enemies and undertake exploring the mineral wealth in the oceans. In future, he said export of ROVs would be explored to tap overseas demand.

Dr. Purushotham said the low-cost buoyant apparatus developed by NIOT could also be deployed in water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and coastal areas. The vehicle is equipped with sensors and one of the functions is garbage removal.

The technology will be licensed for 10 years. “It will be non-exclusive with recurring royalty and a lumpsum technology transfer fee.” Dr. Purushotham said but declined to give details. During field tests, the ROV had taken images of corals useful for developing algorithms to map the coral reefs using sensing techniques, especially satellite remote sensing.
 
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Corporate war stalls Indian Navy’s Rs 20,000 crore project
The Anil Ambani-led Reliance Naval & Engineering Ltd (RNEL) has filed a complaint with the defence ministry against a senior naval officer, alleging that he has been favouring its competitor, Larsen & Toubro, in a contract because his son is employed there. The complaint, on which an internal inquiry is now on, has stalled a Rs 20,000-crore ‘Make in India’ naval warship deal. The allegations include ‘favouritism and supplying of insider information’.

The contract to make four amphibious warships in India has been hanging fire since last year when L&T and RNEL were shortlisted by the defence ministry. ET has learnt the RNEL complaint specifically states that the son of the top Navy officer works with L&T’s defence division.

The officer concerned, a vice-admiral, has also sent across his views on the matter after the defence ministry began a probe, officials told ET. In response to queries by ET, a spokesman for RNEL said: “Yes, we have filed an official complaint in the matter.” He declined to go into details.

When contacted, L&T officials denied the allegations. “Our company does not engage in such acts and the organisation’s ethos does not permit engaging in anything against our value system,” said a top L&T official. The Navy did not offer any comment.

The two companies have been fighting a bitter battle for the mega contract that can turn around the fortunes of the victorious shipyard. The landing platform docks (LPDs), used to transport troops and equipment such as tanks and attack helicopters across sea, would be the largest warship to be built in an Indian private sector shipyard.

While RNEL had tied up with the French Naval Group for the contract, L&T’s technology partner is Spain’s Navantia Group. All four ships are to be built at an Indian yard with the help of a foreign partner who will chip in with design and technology. The companies were shortlisted in 2017, but the next step in the procurement process — opening of commercial bids and determining the winner — has now been stalled.

Earlier, the selection process rejected a bid by ABG Shipyard, which is facing bankruptcy proceedings.

Concerns have been expressed recently after the report of an internal auditor raised doubts on RNEL’s ability to “continue as a going concern” due to current liabilities and loans being called back by lenders.
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Meanwhile, a May 31 news report by PTI said independent auditors had raised doubts on L&T’s shipbuilding arm continuing as a ‘going concern’ due to liabilities after multiple years of losses.

“The company’s current liabilities exceeds its current assets as at the balance sheet date. These conditions indicate the existence of material uncertainty that may cast significant doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern,” Sharp & Tannan, the auditors, said in the FY17 balance sheet.

The Indian warship-building sector has suffered considerable strain over the past five years with few orders trickling to the private sector.

Almost all major contracts have gone to public sector shipyards that are currently saddled with orders beyond their building capacity.

Corporate war stalls Indian Navy’s Rs 20,000 crore project
 
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Indian Bharat Dynamics To Export Light Weight Torpedoes For $14.3M

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Export version of Light-Weight Torpedo (Image: BDL)

India’s state-run Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) has bagged an export order worth $14.33 Million for export of Light Weight Torpedoes to a friendly country.

The Company has achieved 65 percent of export target set for the financial year 2018 – 19.

The Naval Science & Technology Laboratory (NSTL) research unit in Visakhapatnam manufactures export version of Light-weight Torpedoes (LWT-XP).

The LWT-XP is an electrically propelled, self-homing underwater weapon and it can be launched from ship / helicopter. The torpedo is powered by a sea water activated battery.

BDL and Larsen and Toubro signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to export LWT-XP models in March 2017.

NSTL is a leading research lab under the DRDO, which is supporting the Navy. NSTL torpedoes are deployed in Indian Navy ships.

BDL also manufactures Heavy Weight Torpedoes (Varunastra), a ship launched, electrically propelled underwater weapon. It is equipped with an automatic and remote controlled guidance system and uses its own intelligence in tracing the target.
 
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Government to unveil key policy next month to make India defence manufacturing hub

NEW DELHI: The government is likely to unveil a major policy next month outlining a roadmap to build a robust defence production industry and make India one of the top five manufacturers of military equipment and platforms in the next 10 years.
Official sources said that final touches are being given to the policy before it is sent to the Union Cabinet for its approval.

They said a significant focus of the defence production policy (DPP-2018) will be to invest adequate resources to develop critical technology for manufacturing state-of-the-art military platforms including fighter jets, attack helicopters and weaponry indigenously.

The DPP-2018 is likely to be released next month, the sources said
 
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Government to unveil key policy next month to make India defence manufacturing hub

NEW DELHI: The government is likely to unveil a major policy next month outlining a roadmap to build a robust defence production industry and make India one of the top five manufacturers of military equipment and platforms in the next 10 years.
Official sources said that final touches are being given to the policy before it is sent to the Union Cabinet for its approval.

They said a significant focus of the defence production policy (DPP-2018) will be to invest adequate resources to develop critical technology for manufacturing state-of-the-art military platforms including fighter jets, attack helicopters and weaponry indigenously.

The DPP-2018 is likely to be released next month, the sources said

The success of Make in India depends largely on the orders placed by Govt of India

The recent episodes of Private sector shipyards loosing out to PSUs will not help in attracting investments
 
The success of Make in India depends largely on the orders placed by Govt of India

The recent episodes of Private sector shipyards loosing out to PSUs will not help in attracting investments
It is not possible to order just to give orders to private industry, compromising quality. Making high end ships is not a joke. Especially when it cmes to submarines, destroyers, stealth frigates etc, it requires high skill. Private industry is new to the field. It will take time. Hurrying will only add uncertainty
 
BEL signs MoU with Saab for surveillance radar
Defence public sector undertaking BEL has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Saab, Sweden, recently for jointly marketing the L-Band 3D Air Surveillance Radar, RAWL-03, co-developed by BEL and Saab.

BEL has joined hands with Saab, Sweden and the US, to market the Long Range Air Surveillance Radar, a cost-effective L Band three dimensional radar, for early detection and tracking of air and surface targets, thereby, enabling engagement of fire control systems to neutralise the same.

RAWL-03 will be offered in both ship-borne and land-based configurations.

The system is based on the latest GaN TR Module technology and incorporates the latest signal processing techniques.

Wait what? :unsure:
 
HAL step closer to develop rotary UAVs for military ops


Defence aviation PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd got a step closer to developing large rotary UAVs capable of carrying weapons when it successfully test flew here a two-stroke petrol engine, light weight helicopter that can fly 10 km with a 2.5-kg payload capability.

According to a statement, the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd recently demonstrated the flight of the rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicle (RUAV) here in the presence of its board of directors.

It is a two-stroke petrol engine, twin blade main rotor and tail rotor, has payload capability of 2.5 kg including live stream video camera with a 8-10 km range of the vehicle and an endurance of one hour.

The flight lasted about 10 minutes and cleared all aviation tests including on the attitude control, attitude hold (ACAH) mode, position control, position hold mode (autonomous hover), low speed flight in forward, backward and sideward directions.

The video feed from onboard the helicopter was streamed live and shown on the dedicated video receiver. The status of the helicopter, its parameters and its real-time position on the map were also shown, the statement said.

The vehicle was developed in association with IIT-Kanpur and is the first "outcome of HAL's tie-ups with academia".

To achieve self reliance in the aviation field and to enhance its R&D efforts, HAL is working closely with premier educational institutes and has established chairs at IITs in Madras, Roorkee, Kharagpur, Bombay and Kanpur and IISc Bengaluru.

"With this demo, HAL's Rotary Wing R&D Centre (RWR&DC) is well poised to employ its skills and capabilities to undertake development of rotary UAVs of higher weight classes and weapons as payloads. The success is the testimony of the industry-academia collaboration," said HAL chief T. Suvarna Raju.

The centre at HAL is involved in design and development of rotary wing platforms for military and civil operations.

Advance Light Helicopter in its different variants (ALH-Dhruv, ALH-Rudra, ALH Wheeled version) is one of its star products and in service with the Indian defence forces.

The Light Combat Helicopter is also designed and developed by this centre and is under production for the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.

The centre has now partnered with IIT-Kanpur to embark upon design and development of a rotary unmanned air vehicle for defence and para-military forces and homeland security.

"These efforts led to successful development of control laws, a full authority flight controller, also known as fly by wire system for helicopters and other associated technologies like autonomous navigation system, ground control system," the statement said.
 
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Air Marshal RKS Shera, Air Officer-In-Charge Maintenance of IAF Spells Out Technology Infusion & Indigenisation Plan of Indian Air Force