Indian Defense Industry General News and Updates


I know we licence the NSV machine gun, but what about the M2 Browning? Any particular reason why Navy and Coast Guard went with American HMG?

Becoz the performance of 12.7x108 and 12.7x99 is almost comparable, so why not stick to 12.7x108 which has local assembly?
The Army chose NSVT as they’re already in use with all Indian Army tanks as turret mounted guns to use against air and ground targets in a manual functioning (T72CIA and Arjun), Remote Controlled but no stabilisation, no FCS and no thermals (T90 Bhishma) and fully functioning RCWS with independent thermal sights, FCS, and stabilisation. All use the 12.7x108mm round unlike the 12.7x99mm round used in the M2 Browning based SRCG RCWS the Navy has chosen.
Indian Navy has probably decided to shift to this round possibly to ensure commonality with other friendly Navies in our region who almost all use this caliber. This can also be seen with their decision to mount the GAU-21 (based on M2 Browning) helicopter door mounted HMG on their new ALH MK3s.
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Hence, it does not make sense for the Indian Armoured Corps to move away from this round, unlike the navy who used the NSV guns on ships for A2A roles in limited numbers relative to the Army, who use the M2 in limited numbers on the LoC along with few sniper rifles of the same caliber.
Also it seems like OFB post the SRCG deal with Elbit has also gotten the capability to build M2 Browning’s too.
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Bengaluru’s Sasmos To Supply For Boeing's P-8A​

In yet another boost to the Indian defence and industrial ecosystem, Bengaluru-based firm Sasmos has reportedly received a new contract. As per a report in the Economic Times, this contract is to provide Boeing with 6,600 wiring harnesses for the next 16 United States’ Boeing’s P-8A Poseidon maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft.

Wiring harnesses include a number of electrical wires and connection elements to transmit signals/electric power though aircraft, serving an instrumental role in communications and power transmission, ET stated.


Sasmos’ joint venture (JV) with Fokker Elmo will produce the wiring harnesses for Boeing, as per the report. Fokker Elmo, based out of Pune, is under the UK company GKN Aerospace, which is a leading supplier in the aerospace industry.


Since 2016, the Sasmos-Fokker Elmo has been producing electrical wiring interconnection systems for the aerospace industry, as well as wire harnesses for P-8As and P-8Is, ET stated. The P-8Is are part of the P-8 Poseidon family, with the ‘I’ referring to India for its India-specific modifications. The Indian and US Navy’s deploy the Poseidon. As an extremely popular ISR platform, its other users include the UK, Australian and Norwegian Air Forces as well as the Korean and German Navies, the ET report added.


According to HG Chandrashekar, Sasmos Het Technologies chairman, the P-8A is a symbol of Sasmos’ quality-driven vision, excellence in design and the latest solutions in the global aerospace and defence field, as per ET.


As per the Economic Times, Ashwani Bhargava, Boeing India’s senior director (supply chain management), said, “Our partnership with Sasmos JV is a testimony of our commitment to building a global supply base, as it brings more value to our customers. We believe that building capabilities indigenously will drive innovation and contribute to the growth of the Indian aerospace and defence industry”


Sasmos has also been involved with Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet; in 2020 it provided the Super Hornet’s 1,000 electrical panel assembly, reported The Week. The Super Horner is an aircraft carrier-based fighter jet still used by the US Navy which is still operational despite its first combat flight coming during the American bombing of Libya in 1986.


Following the Tata-Boeing deal to manufacture the C-295 transport aircraft, Sasmos’ producing electrical harnesses for Boeing is another step in the right direction towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of defence indigenisation and self-reliance.
 
Saw this recently, seems Pinaka will be getting more orders soon within next 7-8 months, I am guessing they mean pinaka btw. Back in July they said pinaka mk1 tests were almost done (ie all components) that is both mk1 & enhanced. Armenia also getting the enhanced pinaka.

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Its a shame still ATAGS orders are not placed and like us the makers are also getting frustrated despite excellent work went on in this field.

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Reading through , the multiple suo-moto proposals to the armed forces has some back work, obviously serious development would start only when they give AoN, but the private sector is gearing up with their own work. EEL ie Economic Explosives hoping to clear their missile & rocket projects, this is from April 2022:

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Saw a report where it said DRDO is looking for Pvt companies to grow their food products in Ladakh for the soldiers.

 
Indiaʼs Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has conducted trials of the indigenously developed 155 mm/52 calibre mounted gun system (MGS).

According to the DRDO, the MGS is a truck-mounted artillery gun system, deployable in desert, mountainous, and high-altitude terrains.

The MGS equips a 155 mm/52 calibre Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) on an eight-wheeled high-mobility vehicle (HMV) developed by Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML).

A DRDO official told Janes that the trials of the MGS have been going on for some time now.

“The mobility and performance trials of the MGS are completed. The standalone firing trials of the armoured cabin are also completed. The MGS is ready to undergo the strength of design trials,” the official said.

The official added that the DRDO is manufacturing the MGS as part of the Indian Army's requirement for gun-mounted wheeled platforms.

The DRDO said that the MGS is equipped with “shoot-and-scoot capability”. The system is fitted with an auto gun alignment and positioning system, fire-control system (FCS), and ammunition handling system.

The system can fire up to a maximum distance of 45 km and has a maximum speed of 80 km/h. The elevation angle of the gun ranges from 0° to +72°. The system holds an ammunition-carrying capacity of 24 projectiles with an appropriate quantity of bi-modular charge system (BMCS).

The MGS can onboard seven soldiers. The system's burst rate of fire is three rounds in 30 seconds, with an intense rate of fire of 12 rounds in three minutes.

 
Some progress going on in the current trial products, seems qrsam mrsam ngarm all are going to production soon or already in. Mines are also in production now.
About the pinaka mark II pic, it relates with the suo-moto proposals MoD have received from the bigger player for 130km and 250km long range [ Refer to the youtube video below from defexpo ] so what is going to happen is earlier mk1 makers will be sub-vendors & mous are signed regarding this. So there is genuine possibility of long range arti very likely.
Note: treat with normal confidentiality, not supposed to take pics :D
The two long font pics are from the presentation slide. Rest from convo transcript.

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Second part, including from August

Did not know rocket motor was exported, means our industry have some ability on that front & can work in DCPP partner model

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Good chance of akash export imo

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MRSAM & Astra numbers adding up now
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This part about competition

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Hyderabad’s woman run SKM Tech gets recognition from HAL​


SKM Technologies, the industry partner of DRDO involved in manufacturing of Aerospace and Defence components which recently opened its state of the art 70,000 sq ft new facility at Aerospace Park in Adibatla gets recognition as best supplier from Aircrafts Division of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited(HAL), an aerospace and defense company, owned by the government of India

SKM Technologies is a manufacturer of high precision components and assemblies for some of the reputed companies in India and abroad such as Rafael, Pratt & Whitney, Dedienne Aerospace, Dassault Aviation, Magellan Aerospace Corporation, Nuclear Fuel Complex, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, DRDO, BDL and among many others.


The recognition is just bestowed on the company during a Valedictory function of Quality Month at HAL in Bangalore. An assessment was carried out by a sub-committee for all the suppliers with respect to Quality Parameters. It is an initiative towards encouraging the suppliers for improving Quality of the products” stated R. Madhaian, Additional General Manager, Quality Control in a communication to SKM Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

Sarita Rathibandla, MD of the company, who is probably only woman entrepreneur in Aerospace Engineering, Defence and Missile Sectors manufacturing high precision components and assemblies in the city received the honour on behalf of 150 employees from Mr. S. Manicka Vasagam, GM of HAL at a special function held just in Bangalore.

A Women Entrepreneur in Aerospace Engineering Sector to be watched, Sarita though alien to the industry is making her own mark. The R & D facility she built in the city was inaugurated in May this year by Dr G Satheesh Reddy, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO.

The facility situated in three acres land was set up at an investment of Rs 55 Crore. It eyes a turnover of Rs 30 crore this year. And more turnover is likely to be expected with additional investments pumped in.

Giving her remarks on the honour the company received, she Sarita said it is a reward for excellence. We leave no stone unturned to ensure quality products”.

We have partnered with BDL for indigenous missiles like Akash, QRSAM and many others which are under R & D. We are also working with HAL in various locations. We have added many high technology, high precision machinery at this plant. Currently we have 5-Axis, 4-Axis, 3-Axis.

VMCs, HMC, VTL, turning machining centres of various sizes as large as 5 metres bed size that can accommodate jobs upto 8 meters and we have a Carl Zeiss CMM that can measure an accuracy of 0.7 microns. And we plan to expand as per the demand, Sarita Rathibandla shared.


Masters in Industrial Engineering, Sarita has 20 years of working experience. She returned from the US to pursue her dream to head her father’s company, Dynamic Tools Pvt Ltd, has acquired SKM Technologies Pvt Ltd in 2020 and it is now a leading company in Aerospace and Defence sector. We at SKM Technologies strongly believe in making a contribution for a self-reliant India in the world of Research and Defence Technologies, she says.

They make the assembly parts of most missiles I think,


 
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Seems the su30 engine local production might be progressing & become reality soon. This from Q1 & Q2 , waiting for current Q3 update if I find will post.

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Also looks like Lockheed talk did not progress
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Projects in various phases of execution, the counter drone system especially have been delivered to all three services apparently so that is a big positive.

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New 125mm ammo or rus alternative of mango rounds?

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Will be very happy if astra mk2 hits production alongside mk1. I do not know if they treat both as same series together but different block variant like but generally always been answered as astra missile during convo. For Pinaka they do ask as mark 1, 2 or Enhanced version. NGARM most likely hitting production by 2023-24 FY, already been talked around & we also heard news last week. For QRSAM army currently want 2 regiments, then 2 more couple of years later.

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