RUSTOM 1 ( UAV )

The indigenously designed and developed RUSTOM-1 made it  flying at about 11,500 ft AGL and speed of above 140-km/h during 2 hrs 10 minutes of cruise.

The highlights of the flight include:-

 a) Use of lean mixture control system in the engine for flights at high altitudes.

 b) Take-off weight heaviest so far.

 c) Achieved max altitude of 3.5 kms, about 11500 ft and

 d) Extended range of about 50 kms tried out for the first time. The waypoint track was perfect and so were takeoff and landing.

The Rustom-1 is built for a maximum altitude of 22,000 ft and endurance of 12-15 Hours with an operating range of 250 Kms when fully developed.

Indian Army has shown keen interest  in  this  programme. This UAV has the potential military missions like Reconnaissance and Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Target Designation, Communications Relay, Battle Damage Assessment and Signal Intelligence, the release said.

This UAV can attain a maximum speed of 150 Knots, 22,000 ft of altitude and endurance of 12-15 hours with an operating range of 250 kms when fully developed. 

Rustom-1's basic design is derived from the NAL light canard research aircraft (LCRA). The aircraft has been named after Rustom Damania, a former professor of IISc, Bangalore who died in 2001. DRDO decided to name the UAV after him because it is derived from National Aerospace Laboratories' light canard research aircraft (LCRA) developed under Rustom Damania’s leadership in the 1980s

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Rustom 1 is a medium altitude long endurance unmanned air vehicle (MALE UAV) program. This is a multi mission long endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle with day/night capability used for battlefield surveillance and reconnaissance, target tracking & localization, and artillery fire correction, SAR images taking facility with take off & landing on runway with external pilot (EP). This UAV will take off from conventional runway with the help of EP.  With the Rustom MALE UAV project, DRDO intends to move away from traditional ways of developing products whereby laboratories under DRDO, like the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), which is involved in this project, develop and finalise the product and transfer technology to a production agency.

DRDO will follow a practice of concurrent engineering where initial design efforts also take into consideration production issues, with the production agency participating in the development of the system right from the design stage. The agency will also follow up issues related to infrastructure and expertise for the product and its support, thereby overcoming time delays in crucial projects.

Rustom-1 which bears an uncanny resemblance to Rutan Long-EZ designed by Burt Rutan has a wingspan of 7.9 metres and weighs 720 kg, will be launched by the conventional method and not the launcher as in the case of the DRDO Lakshya. Rustom will be able to see the enemy territory up to a distance of 250 km and carry a variety of cameras and radar for surveillance.

Rustom-H, built on a different design, owes nothing to Burt Rutan's Long-EZ design. It is a Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (MALE UAV), a twin engine system designed to carry out surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Rustom H will have a payload capacity of 350 kg.

The range of advanced technologies and systems include the following:

Ø  Aerodynamic configurations, High aspect ratio wing, Composite airframe integrated with propulsion system, De-icing system for wings

Ø  Highly reliable systems with built-in redundancy for flight critical systems like flight control and navigation, data links, power management, - and mission critical payload management system

Ø  Digital Flight Control and Navigation System, Automatic Take off and Landing (ATOL)

Ø  Digital communication technologies for realizing data links to control and operate the mission and relay UAVs

Ø  Payloads with high resolution and precision stabilized platforms. 

ARJUN MK-1 (MAIN BATTLE TANK)

ARUN MBT

The Arjun is an indigenous project, but not wholly so. Imported items such as the engine/ power pack, gunner’s main sight, and other components account for 58% of each tank’s cost. This is not uncommon around the world. Israel’s Merkava tank family also relies on a foreign-built engine, for instance, as does France’s Leclerc.

It is uncommon among Indian policy-makers, but the reality is that a series of project failures gave them little choice. The Arjun has been plagued with a mix of problems over its 36-year development history, including its fire control system, suspension issues, and poor mobility due to excessive weight. It has also grown from a 40-tonne tank with a 105mm gun, to a 62-67 tonne tank with a 120mm gun. Predictably, project costs spiraled up from Rs 15.5 crore in 1974 to Rs 306 crore (INR 3.06 trillion). The army was not pleased. In an unusual stance, they accepted the tank only after a third-party audit by an international tank manufacturer, and orders were strictly limited.

The Indian army didn’t even stand up its 1st Arjun armored regiment until May 2009, 35 years after the program began. To underscore the point, even that milestone followed a development that seemed to end the platform’s future. In July 2008, India had announced that production of the Arjun would be capped at the already-committed total of 124 vehicles. Instead, development would begin on a new next-generation tank, designed to survive and serve until 2040 or so.

That appeared to close the book on a failed project, but opinion in India was sharply split. Many observers cited this as the final failure. Other were noting the problems with the T-90s, and the Army’s refusal to conduct side-by-side tests, alongside recent test successes that began earning the Arun some military fans. In May 2010 desert trials alongside the T-90S, the Arjun did surprisingly well.In response, the government and the Army changed course somewhat. Arjun production would double to 248. That’s an improvement, but DRDO insists that a 500 vehicle order is needed to give them the volume needed to iron out all production difficulties, and provide a platform for future development.

The Army’s plan still calls for 1,657 T-90S “Bhishma” tanks external link at about 12 crore (INR 120 million, about $2.78 million) each if prices remain stable. About 1,000 of those are slated to be built in India by Avadi Heavy Industries, the same firm that builds the Arjuns. They will be joined by just 248 Arjuns at about 16.8 crore (INR 168 million, about $3.92 million) each, as well as 692 older T-72 tanks upgraded to the T-72M1 “Ajeya” standard external link. This overall plan changes the force structure proposed in 2006, from 3,780 tanks (1,302 T-90s and 2,480 T-72s) to 2,597 higher-end tanks. 

MOBILITY :-

The vehicle uses the world famous German MTU diesel engine (turbo-charged), which gives 1400hp, a top road speed of 72km/h and an operational range of 450km’s.The vehicle has proven to have a low ground-pressure, which has been idea for desert warfare mobility. The vehicle uses a hydrogas suspension, which gives a smoother crossing over rough terrain, allowing it to travel faster over rough terrain, a more stable platform for firing on the move and greater comfort to the 4 man crew.

FIREPOWER :-

The vehicle is equipped with 120mm rifled calibre Length 55 main gun capable of firing HESH (High Explosive Squash Head) and APFSDS (Armour-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot) rounds at the rate of 6-8 rounds per minute. 39 rounds are carried in protected storage. Unlike most rifled main guns the Arjun can fire a modified HEAT round. Though details are not given, HEAT rounds generally are less effective as the imparted spin from the rifling effects the shaped charges inverted  copper jet.

The main gun has a coaxial 7.62mm Machine Gun and a roof mounted 12.7mm MG. The main gun is fully stabilised so can fire on the move. The Fire Control System is fully computerised with a laser designator and thermal sight for the gunner and the commander has a independent sight (day channel only) giving the vehicle a hunter killer capability, making it a third-generation tank.

PROTECTION :-

The vehicle is fitted with a composite armour called Kanchan. Tests of the armour showed it to withstand APFSDS rounds fired at it from a Russian T-72. The vehicle is equipped with full NBC protection and a HALON fire detection & suppression system within the crew compartment

SPECIFICATIONS :-

Weight 64.5 tonnes

Length 10.6m

Width 3.864m

Height 2.32m

Crew 4 (commander, gunner, loader and driver) 

INS SHIVALIK ( STEALTH WARSHIP )

INS SHIVALIK

INS  SHIVALIK :-

Shivalik Class frigates are multirole stealth craft built for Indian Navy. They are the first Indian warships to be built with stealth features and will be the lead frigates of the country's navy during the first quarter of the 21st century.The lead ship of this class  is named 'Shivalik', after the lowest of the Himalayan ranges, which extends to 2,500km. The frigates to follow were also named after other mountain ranges – 'Satpura' and 'Sahyadri'. They are being produced as an upgrade to the Talwar Class frigates, which will be succeeded by the Project 17-A Class frigates.

Shivalik Class frigates are 143m long and 16.9m wide. They have a displacement of 4,900t and run on gas and diesel turbines. These frigates include unique stealth features and land-attacking capabilities. Shivalik Class frigates can carry a crew of 257, including 37 officers.The structural, thermal, and acoustic stealth features make them less detectable to the enemy. The radar systems and engines are further modified to reduce and avoid detection and noise levels. Fitted with Klub anti-ship and BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles providing strong attacking capabilities. The fire control systems used on these frigates are developed by DRDO and built by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).

The vessels were built in 172 modules through modular construction. Construction of the first frigate began in December 2000. In July 2001, the keel of this frigate was laid, and it was launched and named Shivalik in April 2003. In February 2009, the frigate underwent sea trials before being commissioned into the Indian Navy in April 2010.The keel of the second frigate, Satpura, was laid in October 2002 and launched in June 2004. It was commissioned in August 2011. The keel of the third frigate in the class, Sahyadri, was laid in 2003 and launched in May 2005. It was commissioned in July 2012.All three frigates received the initials 'INS' (Indian Naval Ship) when commissioned with the Indian Navy.

The proposed P-17A acquisition has had different figures floated. Early figures mentioned Rs 30,000 crore (300 billion Indian rupees, then about $6.7 billion), with expected costs of Rs 4,000 crore (then about $892 million) per ship. March 2009 reports give figures of Rs 17,000 crore, or about $3.3 billion at that time. By June 2009, however, reports of DAC approval mentioned Rs 45,000 crore, or about $9.23 billion total and $1.3 billion per ship. As a basis of comparison, India’s July 2006 order for 3 more Talwar Class frigates amounted to Rs 5,114 crore, or between $400-550 million per ship.

The 2nd area of uncertainty involves ship design. By soliciting tenders from so many foreign firms, and insisting on improved stealth requirements, India is implicitly creating the option of having Project 17-A ships use a very different base design than the Project 17 Shivalik class frigates. That question will not be resolved until a foreign shipbuilding partner is chosen and ratified, and possibly not even then.

The 3rd area of uncertainty revolves around the program’s industrial arrangements, though current reports indicate that a resolution is close. Typical Indian contracts involve some number of ships built by the manufacturer, and others built at Indian shipyards like Mazagon Docks Ltd external link (MDL) in Mumbai, or Garden Reach Shipyard Engineers external link (GRSE) in Kolkata. On the other hand, in 2006 Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta specifically referred to force modernization problems stemming from both constraints on defense budgets, and Indian shipyards’ record of slow delivery. He added that:

“It is not necessary that we will take this route [of using MDL or Garden Reach], adding that the other Indian shipyards may step up warship production to meet the projected force levels.”

That multi-shipyard option would disappear, and new complications would be introduced, if these ships use modular construction. That approach would involve a series of 300-tonne ship “blocks” that are fully equipped, and must fit together so precisely that pipes, wiring, and other components all align exactly when they’re joined. MDL and GRSE are the only shipyards with the depth of experience to pull that off – but neither has ever used modular construction.Which leads to India’s final option: build some of these ships at foreign shipyards, as the government is doing with its July 2006 “Improved Krivak class” frigate order. The Navy would prefer to have MDL and/or GRSE workers learn by working at a foreign shipyard with experience in modular construction, then bring those important skills back to India to build additional ships. The alternative would involve trying to learn a completely new shipbuilding method, while trying to build important Navy ships, and having the Navy foot the bill for any mistakes.Based on past history, and the experience of other countries, India’s Director of Naval Design Rear Adm. Badhwar is clever to be cautious. Mistakes using the new modular method would be extremely expensive to fix. The level of rework required could easily turn the Indian shipyards’ purported 100% cost advantage into a deficit, while creating project delays that would extend for months – and might even be measured in years.Despite these risks, it appears that India’s government intends to move forward with a dual-build strategy at MDL at GRSE, using modular construction, without any work or co-build efforts performed in foreign shipyards. 

COUNTERMEASURES AND SENSORS :-

These frigates are mounted with MR-760 Fregat M2EM 3-D radar, an air search radar, HUMSA (hull-mounted sonar array) and ATAS / Thales Sintra towed array systems, BEL Aparna fire control radar and BEL Ajanta weapons control radar to counter attack the enemy.

WEAPONS AND PROPULSION SYSTEM :-

Shivalik is fitted with a mix of indigenous Russian, Indian, and Western weaponry and sensor systems. The weaponry systems include the Russian Shtil surface-to-air missile systems, Klub anti-ship cruise missiles, and Israeli Barak-I missile defence system.The Satpura frigate has weaponry worth INR1bn including vertical-launch missiles, surface-to-air missiles, and anti-submarine systems."Shivalik is fitted with a mix of indigenous Russian, Indian, and Western weaponry and sensor systems."Shivalik Class frigates are driven by combined diesel and gas (CODOG) propulsion system. Two Pielstick 16 PA6 STC diesel engines deliver 7,600shp at 1,084rpm each and two GE LM2500 gas turbine engines deliver33, 600shp at 3,600rpm.

CARRYING HELICOPTERS :-

The frigates can carry two advanced helicopters. The Shivalik carries two HAL Dhruv or two Sea King mk42B and the Satpura carries two K-31 Kamov helicopters.

INS ARIHANT ( INDIAS NUCLEAR CAPABLE SUBMARINE )

 INS ARIHANT: -

"INS Arihant is India's first nuclear-powered submarine."

when declining operational availability of its conventional submarine fleet has put the Navy in dire straits, it has some reason to cheer.Informed sources told that the construction of a second Arihant-class nuclear submarine, to be named INS Aridaman, is moving fast at the Shipbuilding Centre (SBC) in Visakhapatnam. It is slated for launch by this year-end or in the first quarter of next year.“The boat, under outfitting now, is headed for a year-end launch. Meanwhile, hull fabrication is on for the third Arihant-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine,” the sources said. “Unlike surface vessels, submarines are fully outfitted before launch, which makes it a prerequisite for its weapons to be tested and ready well in advance.”

The first submarine of the class, INS Arihant, launched in July 2009, has just completed its harbour acceptance trials and is set to undergo the crucial sea acceptance trials in February.“This will be followed by weapon trials before the submarine is formally inducted into the Navy, hopefully in 2013, when the country will attain the much-desired nuclear triad,” the sources said. Concurrently, nuclear-powered submarine INS Chakra, borrowed on a 10-year lease from Russia mainly for training purposes, will be inducted in the latter half of 2012.Troubled by the eroding strength of its conventional underwater arm, the Navy's ‘blue water' aspirations remained in the realm of wishful thinking, with the force failing to add even a single submarine to its inventory in the last decade.With the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) programme to indigenously design and build nuclear-powered attack submarines gaining momentum after years of indecision and disorientation in the 1990s, the goal, claimed the sources, was within reach now.

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma said last year that once commissioned, INS Arihant would be deployed on ‘deterrent (combat) patrol.' Although it would be home-ported in Visakhapatnam, the submarine, armed with nuclear-tipped K-15 or B-5 ballistic missiles and having a range of about 750 km, would offer effective deterrence against enemies.Arihant, India's first indigenously built nuclear submarine, cost $2.9bn. It was jointly developed by the Indian Navy, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at the naval dockyard in Visakhapatnam. Russian designers assisted in building the vessel.Other companies involved in the development of the submarine are Tata Power, a division of Tata Group and Larsen & Toubro (L&T), a technology, engineering, construction and manufacturing company.

Arihant was launched for sea trials on 26 July 2009 and is due to be commissioned in 2011.

 The trials are being conducted at a concealed test area called 'Site Bravo'. During harbour acceptance trials, the nuclear power plant and auxiliary systems of the submarine will be tested for stability."Arihant has been developed as part of the military modernisation programme undertaken by India."The most crucial part of the trials will be the firing of the reactor. Once the reactor is fired all systems on board are tested on the inherent power of the submarine.Arihant will be taken for a series of high-speed runs during the sea acceptance trials and its various components will be tested at different depths, temperatures and pressure.The final phase of the trials will include weapon trials. During these trials actual firing of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) will take place from the platform.The crew of Arihant will be trained on the 12,000t Akula-II submarine. The submarine will be taken on lease from Russia in 2010 for ten years. Apart from the Akula-II submarine, six Scorpene attack submarines will also be acquired by the Indian Navy between 2012 and 2017. 

DESIGN :-

Arihant's design is based on the Russian Akula-1 Class submarine. It weighs 6,000t. At a length of 110m and breadth of 11m, Arihant is the longest in the Indian Navy's fleet of submarines and can accommodate a crew of 95. It can reach a speed of 12kt-15kt on surface and up to 24kt when submerged.Arihant will be able to stay under water for long periods undetected due to the nuclear-powered 80MW pressurised water reactor (PWR). The PWR was developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre with assistance from a Russian design team.The submarine's exterior is uneven and the hull is placed on a mat covered with tiles. The tiles help in absorbing sound waves and provide stealth capability to the submarine. Compared to conventional submarines, the conning tower of Arihant is situated near the bow instead of the centre.The central part of the submarine's body consists of the outer hull and an inner pressurised hull. The starboard side consists of two rectangular vents that draw in water when the submarine submerges into sea.The Indian Navy and the DRDO together designed the submarine. Once the design was finalised detailed engineering was implemented at L&T's submarine design centre using 3D modelling and product data management software.Tata Power designed the control systems for the submarine. Walchandnagar Industries, a company specialising in execution of heavy engineering projects, designed parts of the steam turbine.

PROPULSION SYSTEM :-

The propulsion plant housing the reactor is 42m long and 8m in diameter. The complete propulsion plant along with the primary, secondary, electrical and propulsion systems occupy half of the submarine. To reduce the weight of the plant, light water and enriched uranium was used as opposed to non-enriched uranium used in land-based reactors.

MISSILES LOADED :-

Arihant will be capable of carrying all types of missiles and will have underwater ballistic missile launch capability. It will carry 12 K-15 SLBMs that can be launched even under ice caps. K-15 missiles are 10.4m long and have a diameter of 1m. The 6.3t missiles can carry a 5t nuclear warhead targeted 750km away. The K-15 missiles, however, will be replaced later by the 3,500km range K-X missiles.Apart from the K-15s, the submarine will carry a range of anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles and torpedoes.

CONTROL AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM :-

Arihant is fitted with a combination of two sonar systems – Ushus and Panchendriya. Ushus is state-of-the-art sonar meant for Kilo Class submarines. Panchendriya is a unified submarine sonar and tactical control system, which includes all types of sonar (passive, surveillance, ranging, intercept and active). It also features an underwater communications system.