Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) : News and Updates
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I thought this was shelved. I guess not. We need an Indian counterpart to the SDM. The PG-HSLD is the closest to achieving that, so I guess it makes sense.
It's not new. The project started around the early 2000s when the Army said they needed a cannon launched ATGM for the Arjun. The project started when V. K. Saraswat was the DRDO chief.
New missile for Arjun Tank...
Project got stalled when the Army started trialing an Israeli LAHAT CLGM. The LAHAT missile failed the trials & the DRDO CLGM kickstarted again. DRDO is now close to completing the trials of the CLGM, they are also making a man-portable version of the CLGM called the SAMHO.
The launcher for the man portable version is the Soviet/Russian 9K111 Fagot ATGM launcher that the Army has plenty of.
In 2014, VEM Technologies showcased a new version of the SAMHO/CLGM. This version carried an active radar seeker, like the SANT, instead of the SAL seeker. Not sure if they are still working on this. VEM also displayed IIR seekers for this missile.
In 2017 we saw the SAMHO again with the 9K111 Fagot ATGM launcher.
The SAMHO/CLGM is different from the MP-ATGM of course. the MP-ATGM is IIR guided & is a member of the Nag ATGM family.
Recently BDL started developing their own ATGM.
So we are in various stages of developing/deploying a number of ATGMs. Let me list them:
1. BMP(NAMICA) mounted Nag ATGM: IIR guided ~4-7.5 km range (Army)
2. Helo launched Dhruvastra: IIR guided & TVC ~ 7-10 km range (Airforce)
3. Helo launched HELINA: IIR guided & JVC ~ 7-10 km range (Army)
4. Helo launched SANT: MMW seeker ~20 km range (Airforce & Army)
5. Man-portable MP-ATGM: IIR seeker ~2.5 km range (Army)
6. Tank fired CLGM: 120 mm dia with SAL seeker ~1.5-5 km range (Army/Arjun tanks)
7. Tank fired CLGM: 125 mm dia with SAL seeker >5 km range (Army/T-90 tanks)
8. Man-portable SAMHO: SAL seeker ~1.5-5 km range (Army)
9. Unknown version of CLGM: MMW seeker version of the CLGM. Not much else is known. (probably Army)
10. BDL's ATGM (probably named AMOGHA-3): 3rd gen IIR guided fire & forget missile. Development started a month or so back not much info available. (Army)
It's raining ATGMs. Most of them are being tested. 3 of them (Nag, Dhruvastra & HELINA) should be entering service this year. 5 more (MP-ATGM, SANT, SAMHO & CLGM-120mm/125mm) should enter service with in 1.5-2.5 years. That leaves the MMW guided CLGM & BDL's AMOGHA-3, their fate is yet to be decided.
Hopefully we will develop other tactical missiles (like MANPADs) with similar extended families. Right now, there are at least 2 MANPADs under development.
On a side note, the NAG has one hell of a roar.
In case we get a light tank around a 105mm gun, then we may see a CLGM in this category as well.
Btw, SAMHO is meant for the Arjun, it's not portable.
Cannon Launched Missile Development Programme(CLMDP) | Defence Research and Development Organisation - DRDO, Ministry of Defence, Government of India
The SAMHO Anti Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) being developed under Cannon Launched Missile Development Programme is designed to be launched from the MBT ARJUN tank gun. The cannon launched guided missile SAMHO is intended to destroy modern and future Main Battle Tanks protected with explosive...
Plus it appears SAMHO will be modified for use on the T-90. So 6 and 7 are the same and 8 doesn't exist. Also, it's likely that the IA won't show interest in a missile equipped with SAL. Although their new RFI doesn't mention it, they are more likely to be interested in one with IIR since they mention 3rd gen. Also the fact that they want BLOS and NLOS capabilities with 8Km range. Possibly a case of DRDO not keeping up with the times.
Anyway there should also be derivatives of some of these missiles for anti-personnel and anti-structure use, even for use from fixed wing aircraft, like the MLPGM.
And, while there's the BDL+DRDO AMOGHA 3, in the same category as Nag, BDL is also working with Tonbo on a portable version with an uncooled IIR seeker. It's likely we will see other competitors in the private sector emerging in the MPATGM category, including foreign made ones, like the ATGM5 with L&T.
SAL stands for Semi-Active Laser. The seeker looks for laser illumination and strikes the point of irradiation, basically whatever the laser is pointing at gets hit. The laser in this case could be mounted on the tanks or drones or with infantry. The SAL seeker is not the source of the laser, therefore its not an active seeker. But it can't be called passive either as the seeker uses laser range finders to trigger its proximity fuses. Hence the title "semi-active".
SSPK stands for Single Shot probability of kill. SSPK of 1 would mean an absolute certainty of the missile striking the target and destroying it, & SSPK of 0 would mean absolutely certainty of the missile missing the target. SSPK of 0.8 means the missile has 80% chance of killing the target. This doesn't mean the missile will miss 20% of the time, but that the missile won't completely disable the target. SSPKs are measured by using one laser designator and one target that does not use countermeasures. Obviously real would usage will be different. Targets will use counter measures, there will be multiple designators & multiple missiles will be fired. SSPK of 0.8 is pretty good.
Possible. Do we have any new updates on the proposed DRDO-L&T light tank ? It was supposed to be ready very quickly, I forget the development time quoted.
Surely the Fagot launcher based version is not meant to be used by tanks. That is clearly a man portable version. Although it hasn't been seen in public since 2017. You could make a case that the project has been dropped in favour of the MP-ATGM.
There is some confusion with the name of the project. It was initially called CLGM. Then the Fagot launcher based SAMHO came along. Now both the tank & man-portable versions are called SAMHO.
This is very possible. But the SAL based ATGM does offer about twice the range of the IIR based. But you are right they seem to want to go for BLOS & NLOS ATGMs. Those requirements will probably be met by Spike NLOS ATGMs. DRDO being DRDO will also throw in their hat into the race. How long it will take them to make a BLOS/NLOS ATGM remains to be seen.
I forgot the MLPGM even existed.
Haven't heard much about that recently.I was thinking they can use a version of the SANT for drone based targeting. It seems something to that effect is being developed. Not sure if it is SANT based though.
I was wondering if the BDL's AMOGHA-3 was meant for foreign markets. We don't have the specs yet, but it does seem to overlap with the MP-ATGM. The MBDA-L&T partnership for ATGM5 manufacturing in India is definitely targeting the export market. If they can land an order from the Army the great, but if not they will manage with exports.
Nothing concrete. The last I heard they were experimenting with a new light turret design and a T-90 turret, both on the K9.
Possibly only for the purposes of testing. Unlike the ones used on ICVs, like Nag, CLGMs have to be as light as portable ATGMs. Nag is a gigantic 200mm missile. They may have found it easier to test the SAMHO on a launcher they are familiar with and is available in abundance.
It's under Make 1 though. We may see the entry of other foreign players through tie-ups.
Range is subject to the design though, like the French MMP weighs as much as the MPATGM but has twice the range. An uncooled seeker helps a lot. We may see the new Tonbo missile with MMP-class features as well.
I forgot the MLPGM even existed.
I was thinking they can use a version of the SANT for drone based targeting. It seems something to that effect is being developed. Not sure if it is SANT based though.
View attachment 20604
The seeker is apparently the same. The airframe seems to have been designed keeping in mind the higher speed and G performance of fixed wing aircraft. The warhead may change depending on the target, since SANT is obviously anti-tank, whereas MLPGM could be general purpose.
In this image, the MLPGM looks basically like the SANT, with its wings moved to the aft of the airframe, which makes it more suitable for fixed wing aircraft.
My guess is the same. It's likely that since MPATGM will be under a massive production order, the IA may not allow its exports for many years. So BDL decided to make this one for export using some of the MPATGM's technologies.
Although, with ATGM5 and Tonbo's offering, I don't think MPATGM will win if the IA looks towards DRDO's competitors. I'm looking forward to this competition.
Special forces may be interested though. It's the only 5th gen ATGM available with Indian production right now. Dunno what Rafael has planned with Spike LR-II in India.
Indian turret or the Belgian 105mm turret ? I don't like the idea of using the T-90's 125mm smoothbore on a light tank. Though there will be obvious logistical benefits to that & the Russians have done that with the Sprut.
Edit: Found the newspaper clipping about the DRDO-L&T light tank. Sandeep Unnithan reported in July 2020 that for a project cost of INR200 crore 3 prototype tanks will be delivered within 18 months. It will feature the German 1000 hp engine as seen on the K9 & a Belgian 105mm main gun turret. L&T can produce about 100 tanks a year at the Hazira plant.
Assuming the project was sanctioned then (possible given the LAC situation then) we are still 5-6 months away from receiving the first 3 prototypes. Also a lot of critical parts are European, this a good idea ? Given our experiences with the Germans & their H&K Mp5 ?
Possible. But why display it, gives off the impression of a portable ATGM being developed.
You never know DRDO has scuttled many deals with the promise of developing similar systems at home. In some cases they have failed & in many cases they succeeded.
I wonder how much does the cooling system weigh. Without it the MP-ATGM's range will increase, but surely it can't be doubled.
It is good to see DRDO focusing on PGMs. Previously all their focus went into strategic systems only. In the scenarios we face today PGMs are as important as strategic systems.The seeker is apparently the same. The airframe seems to have been designed keeping in mind the higher speed and G performance of fixed wing aircraft. The warhead may change depending on the target, since SANT is obviously anti-tank, whereas MLPGM could be general purpose.
In this image, the MLPGM looks basically like the SANT, with its wings moved to the aft of the airframe, which makes it more suitable for fixed wing aircraft.
Yep AFSOD/Para SF are MBDA-L&T's most likely customer. Depending on the price ATGM5 may be used by regular forces too. Also any news on the Carl Gustav RCL upgrade. SAAB offered to upgrade the IA's RCLs & offered OFB license production of the newest version of the weapon. IA was interested in that, but that was a while back.
Apparently the latest version of the Carl Gustav can fire guided missiles. Wonder if that can be used to bring some standardization in IA's arsenal of shoulder fired guided/unguided munition.
IA's requirement is a bit interesting. One contract for the Sprut, for 45 tanks. I guess it will be used in Ladakh. The other is a tender for 350 tanks and it's OEM tie-ups with Indian partners.
Likely not intended to send any hidden message.
It was more due to lack of capability. It's only been a few years since a string of successes were achieved in seeker tech. Spin-off from our BMD program. Our previous attempts were really bad. Nag was supposed to enter production in the early 200s.
The SFs are now using the latest CG M4s. A deal for the infantry must be stuck inside the MoD. Nothing new there.
DRDO develops Advanced Chaff Technology for Indian Air Force
Key highlights:
· The technology to safeguard fighter aircraft from hostile radar threats
· Given to the industry for production in large quantities
· Indian Air Force begins process of induction following completion of successful user trials
· Raksha Mantri terms it another step of DRDO towards ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’
Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an Advanced Chaff Technology to safeguard fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) against hostile radar threats. Defence Laboratory Jodhpur, a DRDO laboratory developed the advanced Chaff material and chaff cartridge-118/I in collaboration with High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), a Pune based laboratory of DRDO, meeting qualitative requirements of IAF. The Indian Air Force has started the process of induction of this technology after completion of successful user trials.
In today’s electronic warfare, survivability of fighter aircraft is of prime concern because of advancement in modern radar threats. To ensure survivability of aircraft, Counter Measure Dispensing System (CMDS) is used which provides passive jamming against Infra-Red and radar threats. Chaff is a critical defence technology used to protect fighter aircraft from hostile radar threats. The importance of this technology lies in the fact that very less quantity of chaff material deployed in the air acts as decoy to deflect enemy’s missiles for ensuring safety of the fighter aircraft. The technology has been given to the industry for production in large quantities to meet the annual rolling requirement of the Indian Air Force.
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has lauded DRDO, IAF and the industry for indigenous development of this critical technology, terming it as one more step of DRDO towards ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’ in strategic defence technologies. Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy congratulated the teams associated with the successful development of this advanced technology that will further strengthen the Indian Air Force.
DRDO develops Advanced Chaff Technology for Indian Air Force
Key highlights: · The technology to safeguard fighter aircraft from hostile radar threat
pib.gov.in
@Gautam @Chain Smoker @randomradio
At 0:32,nthe backside poster is having few pics in it. Are we developing any sensor fused weapons like CBU 97? Is it an actual project or just representational image.
The image in the poster is of a CBU-105 that we bought from US since 2010. I don't think there is any sensor fused AT weapon in development right now.
I am also in an impression that we dont have such inhouse program for a sensor fused weapon, a ridiculously comolex & difficult technology to master. But rest all two items in that puc are definitely DRDO products, that third one from bottom may be a DRDO pod. If that pod is an indian design, then there is no reason for DRDO to put an imported gear in that pic.
And thank you @Gautam for correcting the name of that weapon.
Yesterday one such tender was released
It will have boom configuration.
3rd one from bottom is the Israeli Litening targeting pod. The one at bottom is the MBDA ASRAAM. The only Indian item of that poster is the DRDO SAAW.
Which Indian drone has weapon bay & advanced nozzle design ? The Ghatak UCAV & the CATS Warrior UCAV. Remember the HAL test pilot Retd. Group Captain H.V. Thakur said in Aero India 2021 that the Warrior will fly in 2022. Who put out that tender ? DRDO lab or HAL ? That can tell us a lot. Do you have a pdf ?
@Chain Smoker that is a very comprehensive tender. It looks like the Ghatak program. But the tender is from ADE, Ghatak is being developed by ADA.
They intend to build a airframe, assembly jigs, advanced nozzles, weapon bay doors, landing gear etc. A significant amount of attention is being paid to significant signature management. Advanced nozzles and paints for thermal management. Intake design, weapon bays, nozzle design & coatings for RCS management. The RCS will be tested with X-band radars. The drone will also carry significant amount of weapons & fuel. A lot of test are lined for centre of gravity measurements in unloaded, unsymmetrically loaded & fully loaded conditions.
Overall the project will end after 2 years of beginning date. The end product will be an armed stealth drone powered by a turbofan engine. Sounds a lot like the Ghatak UCAV. The Ghatak was supposed to have its 1st flight 2-3 years from now. Did ADA & ADE join forces for the Ghatak project ?
They intend to build a airframe, assembly jigs, advanced nozzles, weapon bay doors, landing gear etc. A significant amount of attention is being paid to significant signature management. Advanced nozzles and paints for thermal management. Intake design, weapon bays, nozzle design & coatings for RCS management. The RCS will be tested with X-band radars. The drone will also carry significant amount of weapons & fuel. A lot of test are lined for centre of gravity measurements in unloaded, unsymmetrically loaded & fully loaded conditions.
Overall the project will end after 2 years of beginning date. The end product will be an armed stealth drone powered by a turbofan engine. Sounds a lot like the Ghatak UCAV. The Ghatak was supposed to have its 1st flight 2-3 years from now. Did ADA & ADE join forces for the Ghatak project ?