India’s homegrown weapons prove their mettle in Operation Sindoor
Indigenous weapons also play a major role in India’s self-reliance in weapon production
Guwahati, May 21: Weapons and missiles developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) played a major role in making India self-reliant in production of weapons. This fact was proved once again during the recent conflict with Pakistan where indigenously manufactured weapons played a major role.
Official sources told The Assam Tribune that among the prominent productions of the DRDO is Akash, a short-range surface to air missile system to protect vulnerable areas and vulnerable points from air attacks. The Akash weapon system can simultaneously engage multiple targets in group mode or autonomous mode. It has built-in electronic counter-counter measures (ECCM) features. The entire weapon system has been configured on mobile platforms. The Akash Weapon System has been inducted and is operational with the Indian Air Force as well as the Indian Army.
Varunastra is a ship-launched, heavyweight, electrically propelled anti-submarine torpedo capable of targeting quiet submarines, both in deep and shallow waters in an intense countermeasures environment. Varunastra can be fired from all anti-submarine warfare ships capable of firing heavyweight torpedoes. Varunastra was inducted by the Indian Navy in 2016.
Brahmos is a universal long-range supersonic cruise missile system that can be launched from land, sea and air. Brahmos has been jointly developed by DRDO and NPOM of Russia.
The system has been designed with two variants for anti-ship and land-attack roles. The Brahmos weapon system has been inducted and is operational with the navy as well as the army and it was used during the recent conflict. A new Brahmos manufacturing unit has also been opened.
Panchi is a variant of Nishant (a launcher-based tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or UAV) with the capability of conventional takeoff and landing. Panchi is integrated with an all-composite landing gear and has improved flight envelope and endurance. Panchi carries a stabilized payload platform. It carries payloads like daylight camera, infrared camera and laser designator. It is powered with an indigenously developed rotary Wankel engine. It has state-of-the-art systems, capable of surveillance, reconnaissance, target location detection and artillery fire correction. Five flights of Panchi have been successfully completed proving the concept of conventional takeoff and landing. Data for aerodynamic, structure integrity and flight control studies have been generated and analyzed.
MSS Cluster is responsible for the design and development of state-of-the-art missiles and strategic systems required for the deterrence and defence of the country. The cluster comprises of five laboratories – DRDL, RCI, ASL, TBRL, ITR, and various others centres for testing, integration and analysis of the systems being designed. MSS cluster is working on technologies like aerodynamics and airframe design; solid, liquid, ramjet and scramjet propulsion; navigation, control, guidance and homing systems; on-board power supply, warhead systems, launch systems as well as the command and control systems for missile systems.
The vision of the cluster is to empower the nation with state-of-the-art indigenous systems and technologies for missile-based weapon systems deployable from under water to outer space.
The mission of the same is to design, development and leading-to-production of systems and technologies for missile-based weapon systems deployable from under water to outer space, ensuring product support, product upgrade and end-of-life replacement, establish critical infrastructure and facilities for design, testing and evaluation.
The 3D Surveillance Radar for the navy is a ship-borne radar that has digital receiver, programmable signal processor providing high resolution, accuracy, response and information availability. The radar can auto-track up to 150 targets, including tracking with IFF (MkXI) association. There are three antenna rotation rates (ARR) of 6, 12, and 24 RPMs. The radar has ECCM features.