DRDO eyes robotic soldier, mule |VK Saraswat

Chennai: India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is in the process of building robotic soldiers and mules as a part of its unmanned fighting systems of the future, said an official Sunday. "We are working on building soldier robots that can work like a human soldier. Such a robot needs data base, artificial intelligence to carrying out its activities and the DRDO is planning to build such a robot," V.K. Saraswat, scientific advisor to defence minister and director general, DRDO, told reporters here. After inaugurating new facilities inside the Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) campus, he said the DRDO was also planning to design a robotic mule that could replace a real one used by soldiers in mountainous terrain.

The DRDO has already developed Daksh, a remote-controlled robotic vehicle, for detecting and destroying dangerous objects like bombs and has been approved by the Indian Army for induction. The army will start trials of DRDO's main battle tank Arjun Mark II from next October, said P. Sivakumar, director, CVRDE. He said the army had ordered 124 units of the upgraded Arjun tanks. According to him, the CVRDE would be completing the supply of Mark I version of Arjun tanks by March 2012. "We have supplied 110 units out of the total 124 units that were ordered," he said. The Indian tanks were far cheaper, costing around Rs.21 crore each, as compared to Rs.56 crore each of American battle tanks of a similar nature.

"If there are more orders then the cost would come down further," added Saraswat. According to Sivakumar, the CVRDE was planning to source the battle tank engines and transmission systems from BEML Ltd. Presently, the engines and transmissions were imported. Queried about the commercialisation of the technologies developed by the DRDO, Saraswat said the annual revenue was currently around Rs.30 crore and it was growing. He earlier inaugurated the new technology centre, jointly set up by the CVRDE and BEML, a suspension testing facility for Arjun tank and combat veronics technology centre.

The centre will address the design and development of defence products and aggregates including research and development products. According V.R.S. Natarajan, chairman and managing director of BEML, the two organisations are now working together with a foreign firm for building and supplying 155 mm, 52 calibre tracked gun. BEML supported the CVRDE in development of Arjun tank sub-systems, documentation and other activities. The new centre is being set up for better and faster coordination between BEML and CVRDE. BEML will depute 18 engineers to work at the new centre.

Source:-http://www.facenfacts.com

 

Tank Ex,the Future MBT for India?

                  Tank ExTank Ex or the MBT Ex (known as ”Karna”),India’s Ambitious Defence Project to Build a Battle Tank after the MBT Arjun,has been a subject of Major Controversy. The Tank,developed to cater to the Army’s original requirement of a 40-ton Tank armed with a 105mm gun,is now under further Research & Development as theArmy,supposedly,changed its requirement to a 120mm gun armed heavier tank, capable of going toe-to-toe with the American Abrams tank, which Pakistan, was about to acquire from the United States in the 1980s. Intended to provide a solution for upgrading the Indian Army’s aging T-72M1 fleet,the Tank EX has been developed by integrating a modified low silhouette chassis of in-service T-72 tank and a re-engineered Arjun MBT turret.                                              

Broadly similar to the British Chobham,this main battle tank uses Kanchan heavy composite armor. The Tank Ex appears to be an ideal solution for upgrading the Indian Army’s vast and aging T-72M1 fleet.The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) states that the new generation “Karna” tank  can withstand a nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) attack.extankBeing much lighter than the Arjun MBT, which weighs 58.5 tons,the Tank Ex is still heavier at 47 tons   than the T-72M1 (41 tons).The Tank-Ex has a 1000 hp power plant (as on the Combat Improved Ajeya) giving a power to weight ratio of 21 hp/ton for a weight of 47 tons. This represents an improvement over the T-72M1’s 20 hp/ton with a weight of 41 tons and an 780 hp power plant.

The Tank Ex utilizes the Arjun MBT’s 120 mm rifled gun firing unitary APFSDS and HESH semi combustible cartridge case ammunition. A total of 32 rounds are carried as compared to 39 in the Arjun and 45 two piece ones in the T-72.  A global positioning system is provided for accurate navigation.The Tank Ex retains the T-72 attributes of speed and agility with a maximum speed of 60 km/hr (on road) and 40 km/hr (cross country).While the gradient climbing at 30 degrees it remains in line with all variants of the T-72 like the B(M). The Tank Ex is better at trench crossing.(2.6 metres as compared to the T-72M1’s 2.28 meters).Vertical Obstacles 0.85 metres tall can be surmounted, same as the T-72M1.Shallow fording is quoted as 1.2 metres. 

                                                 

The DRDO recently, successfully test-fired the advanced Israeli LAHAT anti-tank missile known for its lethality & long range,to be fitted on the New Tank Ex. Even when the above details of the Tank Ex seem to be noteworthy,Indian Army’s Director General of Mechanised Forces(DGMF) Gen. Dalip Bhardwaj said on 5 July 2008 that the army had rejected Tank-EX. This was part of an announcement that there would be no further orders for Arjun tanks, and the army would be inviting participants from various countries to discuss future tank developments.Although the reasons for such a statement was unclear,Many believe the statement was fueled by the ”difference of views & Opinions” between the Army & the DRDO.20110305-Indian-Army-Main-Battle-Tank-EX-Wallpaper-02-TN[3] The DRDO has made it clear that unlike the MBT Arjun,The Tank Ex may be Exported to Other Countries along with New DRDO missiles and weapon systems.”Our technology and the weapon system are competitive. There is tremendous export potential …but we have to first make sure we have real output in terms of numbers and quality.Once that happens and once we are satisfied… I think in few years from now India would be in a position to export systems to friendly countries.The impact of Agni-V launch has given us confidence… we are not dependent on any nation as far as missile technology is concerned. There was a time when missile technology controlled regimes throttled our progress. But today we are in a position to not only manufacture for ourselves but ready to go from being a purchaser to exporter.”says DRDO chief VK Saraswat.

Source:- http://www.tejwebworld.com

DRDO focusing on 'non-contact' warfare | VK Saraswat

The Defence Research andDevelopment Organisation (DRDO) is focusing on the futuristic'non-contact warfare' concept, for which it is working on newarmament technologies like the Indian Unmanned Strike Air Vehicle(IUSAV) and Unmanned Main Battle Tank (UMBT), DRDO chief VK Saraswatsaid here on Saturday. "Future war is going to benon-contact warfare, where the soldiers coming into physical contactwith the adversary is going to be lesser. There will be more use ofrobotics to hit the enemy with minimal casualties. The IUSAV and UMBTare the futuristic requirements for our Armed Forces," Saraswat,who is the Director General of DRDO and Scientific Advisor to DefenceMinister, said. The IUSAV, currently in design stage,is an advanced unmanned stealth aerial vehicle which would conductsurveillance, deliver weapons and come back. It would be controlledfrom a remote location from the actual site of action, withoutgetting detected by enemy radar.

"This unmanned vehicle will bepowered by our Kaveri engine. We have plans for modified unmannedground vehicles. We have the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Daksh,which currently has ground surveillance features and would havede-mining facilities and a gun fitted onto it," he said. He further said that the DRDO was alsoplanning an UMBT on similar lines of IUSAV and ROV Daksh, "We are also developing theimproved version of indigenously built MBT Arjun which is being namedas MBT MK-II, having better gun control system, improved thermalsighting system, better display system for the tank commander andoperator," the DRDO DG said.

He was speaking on the sidelines of thevaledictory function of Post Induction Training School (POINTS)-17,an initiative of DRDO to impart integrated training to the newlyinducted scientists at DIAT (Deemed University), Girinagar, Pune.
Source:-http://www.sakaaltimes.com/

FMBT to focus on weight reduction of battle tanks, says DRDO chief VK Saraswat

MK-II variant of Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun has entered into the user trial phase and DRDO is looking at the Futuristic Main Battle Tank (FMBT) project aimed at reducing the weight of the battle tanks, said DRDO chief V K Saraswat, who was in the city to attend the valedictory function of Post Induction Training School (POINTS) - 17 at the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) at Girinagar in Khadakwasla.

Talking to the reporters Saraswat said, "The trials of MK-II variant MBT Arjun are expected to be complete within a year after which we will be in a position to produce 300 to 400 units for the Army." On being asked about FMBT he said, "The idea is to reduce the weight of the tank. Developed nations such as the United States of America and Israel have been working on reducing the weights of battle tanks. Heavy weights of tanks affect their maneuverability. We are therefore looking to reduce the weight of FMBT to 50 tonnes each."

Commenting on the Indian Operating System (OS), Saraswat said that Indian OS is relevant in the time of cyber warfare and the DRDO has set a time-frame of three years for the project to materialise. About 250 outstanding senior faculty members from important Institutions such as IITs, IISc, NITs, DIAT and other institutes of national importance along with scientist faculties from various DRDO labs/establishments and Armed Forces have delivered customised lectures during this POINTS - 17 programme, a press release issued by Press Information Bureau said.

Source:-http://archive.indianexpress.com/

DRDO to develop robotic soldiers for Army

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has planned to build robotic soldiers and mules, as part of unmanned fighting systems for the future, according to a senior official from the organisation. Speaking to reporters after inaugurating a new research facility being set up with BEML at Avadi, on the outskirts of this city, V K Saraswat, scientific advisor to the defence minister and director-general, DRDO, said, “We are working on building soldier robots that can work like a human soldier. Such robots need a data base; artificial intelligence to carry out activities. DRDO is planning to build such a robot.”

It has also planned to design a robotic mule, to replace the real ones, used by soldiers to carry heavy luggage in mountainous terrain, said Saraswat.

DRDO had already developed Daksh, a remote-controlled robotic vehicle for detecting and destroying dangerous objects like bombs. Daksh was approved by the Indian army for induction, he said. The army will start trials of the DRDO designed and build Arjun Mark-II battle tank from next October, said P Sivakumar, director, CVRDE. He said the army had ordered 124 units of the Mark-II and more were expected “We will be completing the supplies of the Mark-I version by March 2012. Already, 110 units are supplied, out of the 124 ordered,” he said. The Indian tanks, he said, were far cheaper at Rs 21 crore as compared to Rs 56 crore each for an American battle tank of similar nature. CVRDE will source the battle tank engines and transmission systems from BEML. At present, these are being imported.

On commercialisation of the technologies developed by DRDO, Saraswat said revenue through this was around Rs 30 crore a year and growing. The offset clause is in an evolving stage, having been raised in some cases to 50 per cent from the earlier 30 per cent. Under this rule, a foreign vendor has to procure equipment worth at least 30 per cent of the order value from India in case the latter exceeds Rs 300 crore.

Saraswat said the offset was at 50 per cent in the case of the Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft tender.

Source:- http://www.business-standard.com/