Most of such situations are dealt with lathi charge, tear gas, firing and end up in killing. To be in tune with new Govt. policy to deter such situations by inducing fear and using non- lethal techniques, Terminal Ballistic Research Lab (TBRL) of the DRDO has designed & developed Riot control ammunitions in four calibers for Police and law enforcing agencies.

These ammunitions have been developed for use with 7.62 mm SLR, AK 47, 9mm & .303” Rifles, which are currently being used by various such agencies in the country. This ammunition can be used by the service weapon without any modification and does not require any special training.

One of the main features of this ammunition is that it induces near similar sound effect as that observed during firing of the ball ammunition, thus creating fears and panic among the unruly mob. These ammunitions is already in use by various Police & Para-military Forces.

Salient Features

The main advantage of this bullet is that it is a non- metallic & non-poisonous bullet and therefore does not cause wound infections to rioters. Moreover, it is non- expanding after penetration and induces similar sound effect as that of ball ammunition hence, it creates same panic in the mob as that of service round.

It causes only superficial injuries at a distance of 60 m and beyond and recoil of the rifle is much less therefore no special training is required for operating the weapons by the soldiers. This ammunition available in four calibers: .303″, 7.62mm (SLR & Ak 47) and 9 mm and can be used by in-service weapons without any modification. Plastic ammunition can be tailored for specific lethality requirements just by reducing the charge.

Challenges Ahead

Existing ammunition is available in single shot mode of operation and has a lethal radius of 60m. The requirements posed by National Security Guard and J&K police are to use ammunition in automatic firing mode and should have lethal radius of 30m or less. To match these conflicting criterions TBRL has carried out new studies for the development of less lethal Plastic bullets which can be fired in auto mode.

There is one more interesting requirements from National Security Guards for sky marshals to prevent hijacking of aircrafts. In hijacking scenario, the bullet should be designed in such a way that it can kill the hijacker but should not damage the body of the aircraft.

Frangible Bullets

TBRL has come up with an innovative idea of developing frangible bullets using powder metallurgy technique. These bullets will be able to penetrate human tissues but will get fragmented into number of small pieces on impact on any hard target like, metallic objects, walls, concrete structures etc. Some preliminary tests have been carried out using metallic powder composition, which has shown encouraging results. In a span of 2-3years, plastic bullets with further improved lethality and enhanced automatic operations and frangible bullets for low intensity conflicts will be available for police and law enforcement agencies of the country.

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Composites on bridge Laying Tank, R&DE(E), DRDO

Sonar Domes. The domes made of FRP for the destroyers of the Indian Navy are being developed. The sound waves are attenuated much less while passing through such domes & resulting in better target detection apart from being cost effective.

Ceramic Armour. Most exciting in defence application is the successful development of composite integrated hull section of an armoured vehicle. It consists of ceramic tiles and rubber sandwiched between two fibre reinforced plastic layers. The ceramic tiles provide protection against ballistic/kinetic impact; the FRP provides covering & structural strength while rubber provides cushion for the ceramic tiles. The structure along with the armour is fabricated in one go with no joints using VARTM process. Such armour is 40% lighter than steel providing similar protection with much ease of manufacture.

Nano technology. Nano materials can improve material properties quite dramatically. As such R&DE (E) is working on nano silica filled epoxy resin blends and carbon nano tube in epoxy resins. Influence of addition of nano materials on flow properties is being investigated. Modified resins are being produced for processing glass epoxy composites by RFI technique. The nano filler modified composites have shown promising results.

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Amidst doubts about our defence readiness & imported heavy duty trucks & armour recovery vehicles being in news for the wrong reasons – it is quite creditable that our Army has been virtually self-reliant in combat engineering since long-thanks to the pioneering work by Pune based Research & Development Establishment (Engineering) or R&DE(E). While Ballistic missiles provide deterrence- war is fought by conventional systems. In any conflict the sappers or the engineers with their mines & bridges are the first to lead during advance & last to retreat on winding the show. Bridging the natural or manmade obstacles is one of the most important roles of the Sappers. Over the years R&DE(E) has developed many assault bridges to enable to our forces much needed mobility during wars where each moment counts. Notably it’s Sarvatra Bridge Laying Tank on T-72 chassis stand out magnificently amongst the peer group while providing cutting edge to our own forces.

Sarvatra trestle-cum-span bridge on Tatra truck Platform

Big is Beautiful. Sarvatra holds the place of pride amongst the largest mobile assault bridging systems in the world over and it was developed in record time using innovative design techniques & special materials. It is a wheel based universal bridging system to overcome obstacles of varied nature at remote/hostile locations and is capable of carrying heaviest of the tanks providing our forces & battle tanks a quick crossing over canals and rivers that come in their way. The Sarvatra Bridge system manufactured indigenously is qualitatively superior to its precursor – the imported bridge systems AM-50 bridge set.

Facts & Figures. Basically the Sarvatra is a trestle-cum-span bridge where a single span covers a gap of 15 meters and by multi-spanning it can go upto 75 meters with 4 m wide roadway having load carrying capacity of 70 tons. Each bridging system of 15m span consisting of a bridge superstructure, launching mechanism, hydraulic actuators and piers is mounted on 8×8 Tatra vehicle. The bridge can be launched/recovered from either end in 15 to 20 minutes each and the entire bridge of upto 5 spans of 75 m in less than 100 minutes. It is able to carry the heaviest of the tanks & can be launched even on very weak soil of our sub-continent. The pier system forms the bottom support for the superstructure.

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In reference to Admiral (Retd) Arun Prakash’s article ‘What the Armed Forces Expect from DRDO?’, which is an excerpt from his book ‘From the Crow’s Nest’, published in Indian Defence Review. Such prudent suggestions about making DRDO more relevant to the services could have come only from Admiral (Retd) Arun Prakash who perched high in Crow’s nest has had the privilege of sharp overview of the technology gaps confronting our armed forces. Some comments by way of supporting his views are-

(a) Symbiotic Scheme of things.Unless there is mutual trust, it is quite difficult for any defence system to be inducted into the services. The armed forces & DRDO must sit across the table and try to understand the limitations of the indigenous technology for the time being and produce limited number of Mark-I which should be upgraded to Mk-II when technology gaps are overcome on war footing rather than at snail’s pace. It is not possible to reach the level where those who started decades earlier in the first go. Arjun MBT can be one case in point but many lessons have been learn’t on both sides?

HUMSA sonar developed by DRDO

(b) Service Oriented. It quite admirable that the Admiral has admired three labs not only for bearing Naval prefix but also having Naval people working shoulder to shoulder with DRDO scientist for best results. May be DRDO rethinks about having at least one dedicated Lab for the Air Force. Till then in the Armament pyramid it can restore Air Armament Groups which had been disbanded decades back? For sure air power remains pre-requisite any operation on land or sea.

(c) ToT Route. Much of our bane has been due to the contours of transfer of technology not being defined clearly -which really turns out to be no more than screw driver assemblies. Tatra is classic example having remained fuel guzzling left hand drive even three decades of assembling at BEML? Similarly it is not much known if any worthwhile technology gaps have been bridged in our MiG assembly lines during the last about half a century? ToT should only be for the technologies which are not available-but if we could master cryogenic & gas turbines going steadily may be slowly has been worth it.

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For the sake of discussions we can broadly categorize the unguided air weapons under following heads-

Guns/Ammo
Rockets/Pods
Bombs/Tail Units
Special Purpose Weapons
Fuses
Miscellaneous

Aircraft Guns

Amongst the aircraft guns, GSh-23 appears to be the best on account of its simplicity, light weight, high rate of fire & its ammo being indigenously available. There is no point in purchasing new aircraft with Gatling guns & starting with the ammo development all over again? The development of an indigenous version of the elegant GSh-23 mm gun must be taken up post haste.

Rockets

As a first step- right caliber of the rocket from amongst 57, 68 & even 80 mm has to be chosen. About 30 years back 135 mm & 100 mm long range rockets were considered. But it would have been quite impossible to engage targets visually from 10 km range. Viable options are 57mm & 68 mm rockets.

Rocket 57 mm. There are large numbers of 57 mm UB-16 & UB-32 rocket pods with us. These pods do not have integral rocket distributors but it is a part of their aircraft. Same way the electronic distributor systems can be made integral to our aircraft under development like LCA & the new acquisitions. Else it is also possible to incorporate a distributor within the pods. It would be quite advantageous to standardize 57 mm rockets for our aircraft. The reverse engineering of these rockets was taken up by production & inspection agencies about 15-20 years back. If still not complete-it could be reverted to the defence research who have expertise in this regard. However, 57 mm caliber is quite small & may not prove much effective against modern targets.

68 mm Rockets.The 68 mm rocket successfully developed & produced can as well be standardized. However, the rocket pods must be productionised in quantity.

Iron Bombs

Old is not Gold. Bombs will always remain best means to deliver the power punch & break the enemy resistance. We have old

LCA Tejas with Armaments

Configuration. Best bet would be Mk82, 83 & 84 bombs in the 250 kg, 500 kg & 1000 kg categories. These can be both in cast & forged versions. Most of the NATO countries have standardized around these. The bombs can have both 14 inch & 250 mm lug pockets up to 500 kg weight class. Major advantages would be easy adaptation of laser kits & its export potential.The filling can be standard RDX/TNT/Al etc. To overcome problem of kinetic heating there can be thin ceramic spray on the internal ogival portion from the nose end till shoulder. The fuse pockets should be adaptable to various fuses –if necessary by incorporating threaded inserts.

Tail Units

Ballistic Tail Units. It would be desirable to have Ballistic Tail Units in Aluminum alloy instead of sheet metal –to reduce weight & to avoid corrosion etc. These need to be standardized for high speed profiles.

RTU’s. The Retarder Tails units with simpler but rugged safety para -locking mechanisms, reefed parachute system & fabric end covers should be standardized for the above three weight class of bombs.

Fragmentation Bombs

More than a decade back a 100 kg indigenous bomb which could have been easily converted into fragmentation bomb-was discarded unnecessarily. The same can be resurrected. FRP types with tungsten carbide balls are quite unnecessary & would have problem of ageing as well as in crutching. Another option is to have aerodynamically stable pre-fragments encased in the casing to enhance effectiveness.

Special Weapons

Stand-Off Bombs. In the present highly defensive environment over VA/VP’s –any stand off is a real bonus. Foldable wings over the bombs -opening out after release & the bomb delivery in loft/toss modes can add substantially to the range.

Concrete Penetrators. By highly optimized indigenous design it had been possible to increase explosive filling in concrete penetration war heads by two times in comparison with similar class available elsewhere. The design can be extended to the bombs etc to defeat hardened futuristic targets targets.

Our Specific Needs. We have to consider our geopolitical scenario & battle field environment to have required weaponry. We need to redesign weapons to engage targets in the deserts to the rugged mountains at formidable heights. Kargil experience –really a remarkable landmark in the aerial warfare anywhere can be valuable input in this regard.

Fuses

Universal Fuse. There is urgent need to go in for a universals common fuse with adequate safeties –like storage, handling, carriage, release, environmental, safe separation, velocity or acceleration etc. Both mechanical & electronic systems need to be integrated to realise greater reliability as well as higher safety levels. The fuse should work either in impact or preset delay modes.

VT Fuse. These can work either on Doppler or by means of intelligent software.

Fusing Components

(a) Lugs. Suspension lugs up to 500 kg class of weapons should be standardized both for the Russian as well as NATO suspension. By suitable profiling it is possible to have common lug for both. The lugs/lug pockets should have only one type of threading.

(b) Shear Wires/Clips & other fusing components can be supplied packed in sealed plastic covers with clear diagram about routing of arming wires & other items to serve as last minute aid- de- memoir.

(c) Loading/Unloading Trolleys. There is urgent need to modernize our ground handling equipment to cut down turn round time. At times it takes quite a long while to load a bomb & properly crutch the bomb on the aircraft?

Conclusion

There is urgent need to standardize our air armaments to achieve greater effectiveness while reducing the storage in our bomb dumps. Commonality of weapons will also substantially enhance our operational capability. We need to develop weapons specific to our geopolitical needs according to target specifications & not resort to imports based on glossy sales brochures which are mostly true only in parts? Possibly an in-house debate by serving & retired experts can be quite fruitful to spell out broad needs.

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1. Best way to acquire self-reliance in defence systems by now should have been gong the re-engineering way-which is not just copying or even intelligent copying –but more involved than original designing while being quite rewarding at the end. All nations including super powers indulge in copying of the concepts of effective weapon systems without any qualms. While we have been manufacturing/ assembling (?) MiG’s in India for the last half a century– we seem to have hardly acquired much expertise in aircraft development through transfer of obviously old technology. Had we gone the reverse engineering way as the Chinese are doing– we would not have got stuck up in the LCA for two or rather three decades & hunting for 126 MMRCA’a all over the world for the last one decade? Or even worse have been importing the trainer aircraft from smaller countries? Same is true for replacement of our ancient artillery systems, tanks, helicopters, naval systems & even easily available AK-56/47’s.

Reverse is not Adverse

Price paid for not reverse engineering?

Not Copyright

3. There may be patents but the way copying of weaponry goes on so brazenly –apparently norms of normal copy rights do not apply. From innocuous jerry cans to Tu-4 being copy of the B-29 to K-13 air to air missile ditto of the much acclaimed Sidewinder missiles of the sixties, German V-2 rocket being the inspiration of scores of rockets which eventually lead to the conquest of space-there are innumerable acclaimed copies.Kalashnikov assault rifle should hold place of pride if copying is sincerest form of flattery. Our neighbours have been very successfully re- engineering various missiles & aircraft of Russian origin & passing them on to our another another neighbor who mostly through screw driver technology reassemble & rename them showing their own reinvented products. Latest on the anvil MQ-9 – the Mk-II version of the highly effective Predator UAV – in advanced stage of copying.

Important Import Lobby

4. When everyone is doing why we should not feel proud of our own notable indigenization programs? There have been many successful programs like 75/24 Pack Howitzer, 105 mm Gun, Bofors Ammo, 68mm rocket etc. However Import lobby has been the biggest hindrance in our indigenization programs. Otherwise nothing explains scuttling of a successful production line of indigenized artillery rocket system on very flimsy ground of one its probabilistic parameter not conforming to its imported inspiration. Come on –nowhere in the world successful production will ever get disrupted- to facilitate import on such unconvincing ground? Plight of replacement of our ageing artillery guns is quite pathetic. Post Bofors there have been only smoking guns-from Singapore to SA. India has wherewithal, technology & expertise to develop and produce the gun-but it may not be allowed when imports can be substantial at 20,000 crores plus. But before taking up any indigenous program either the blessing of the Import lobby must be obtained or it should be kept at bay.

How to go about it

5. Best way out is to form Import Substitution Division in Joint Sector with DRDO, Directorate General of Ordnance Factories, Defence PSU’s, inspection & private sector. The expertise of retired defence technologists available in the country under the aegis of Institute of Defence Scientists & Technologists (IDST)can be availed to put best foot forward. The Services should work hand in hand with the re-engineering program giving the operational perspective for better redesigns. IDST can prepare panel of specialists in various disciplines

Priorities

6. With high end corruption being much in focus these days -time is rife to spearhead indigenous defence programs which had been in limbo. Re-engineering of successful weapon systems needs to be prioritized to give a jump start. To begin with challenging work of at least two weapon system each for the three services on the import list be taken up with deadline of two years from start to finish-working 24x7x365 basis. The programs must like successful Gun Development team at the Ordnance factories.

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Our armed forces had fought bare handed during the humiliation of 1962 Indian – China war & almost ditto four decades later in Kargil War too. There is acute shortage of manpower at officer’s level indicating that soldiering is no longer preferred career option for the bright & the brave. Idiotic tricks to cheat the heart out that all is well with defence will only boomerang on us.

The solutions are –

(a) firstly to increase defence allocations to 3% level in phased manner in the next five years. The Ministry of Defence must be restructured by involving service officers at decision making level within the ministry.

(b) Secondly modernization must take place with now or never zeal. Reverse engineering in the public private participation mode in a strictly time bound manner should be the first option. No worthwhile transfer of defence technology ever takes place through TOT route .If that were so we would have mastered the art of aircraft & gas turbine development by now-with so much love from foreign countries to spare?

(c) As corollary the import lobbies must be shown the backdoor-lest they make rentry. All concerned must introspect whether it has been in National interest to scuttle even successful production line on untenable premises of one probability function of an indigenized systems not conforming to the original range tables. No questions are ever asked for imported duds and its inflated costs.

(d) Thirdly all able bodied youth in the age band of 18-25 years must compulsorily get military training. NCC should be core credit course at undergraduate level throughout the country both for boys & girls. All Central & State government employees should be members of Territorial Army. Necessarily all bureaucrats must serve in the forward areas for a period of two years during their first ten years of service.

(e) The government needs to do much to raise the sagging morale of the services affected so adversely by involvement of its generals in land & supply scams. The retired & disabled service people demonstrating on the streets for justifiable pensions does not augur well. Courts castigating the powers for shortchanging the service people is also demoralizing.

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Indian Industry

While even middle level military powers posses strong defence production & sizeable export capabilities –Indian defence industry both in public sector & now in private domain have been severally handicapped apparently to perpetuate imports. It is quite paradoxical that inspite of being amongst the frontline nations with its robust industrial base, talented knowledge pool & having proven capability even to take successful shot at the Moon to discover water first time ever–we have to depend on imports for simple smoking guns from countries with much less facilities than ours. Indian entrepreneurs have done us proud the world over by taking up mega projects –be it steel, cement automobiles, Software’s or complex hardware. By this time we should not only have been self- reliant but also captured the defence market at least in the third world instead of importing third class duds.

Fighting with Imports & Import Lobby

No country can really win wars with imported weaponry-much less a nation nurturing super power ambition. We can recall how ship carrying imported spares & armaments was halted midway in the Suez Canal during the thick of 1965 war when we needed it most. Slightly lower ended but indigenously available weapon should always be preferred over the imported ones. It is another thing that while ineffective weaponry can get inducted based on its inflated published parameters & cursory tests-local efforts are tested for years in scorching deserts till they groan to failure or reach obsolescence during the 10-15 years long testing phase.

Unashamed Bashing

Defence Minister releasing DPP 2011

Restructuring DRDO

Eventually the Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) would be nodal to any initiative for our self reliance goal for defence systems–whether in public or private domains. There is urgent need to usher in much needed changes by in-house deliberations-may with the assistance of old time Directors & other experts who understand the strength & boundary conditions of defence research. Restructuring of DRDO based on the inputs of P Rama Rao Committee which apparently had not understood the underlying causes may even topple the slow but at least moving Apple Cart? Following appears to be the best options-

(a) Pulling out from under the Banyan Tree. As a first step DRDO has to be put onto on to a righteous course from its guided path by separating its burgeoning missiles programme which like banyan tree has over shadowed everything else-not allowing anything underneath. The missile & PGM’s development work can be clubbed with ISRO or Brahmos-for greater synergy and allowing breathing space for the development of conventional defence items like-rifles, guns, mines, bombs, fuzes, tanks, rockets, air & naval armaments etc.

(b) Clubbing Labs. Number of DRDO labs need to be reduced by hiving off research in areas which are not so crucial. Primary focus must be on weapon systems – while one lab each can be designated for the three wings of the Armed forces common items can be shared amongst these three. Combining development of the three services have resulted in setback to healthy progress of projects due to inadequate resources being allotted even in the labs.

(c) Navy & Air Force Labs. Naval & Air Armaments have not been given the right priority in the DRDO because these systems require specialized inputs. Best would be to designate Lt Gen equivalent officers in Service HQ to monitor the progress of R&D and production of Army, Naval & Air Weapon systems

(d) MBT/Rocket & Arty System. May be the tank & other major systems development & production can be done in the joint sector with DRDO, defence PSU’s & Private sectors pooling their resources.

(e) Service Element. For their own benefit –services would do well to send their bright, qualified & experienced officers on deputation to DRDO for a period of 5-6 years to progress important projects. The selected service officers must be at the helms of affairs in the DRDO to steer the projects to success.

(f) Political Will? Inspite repeated trials on 155 mm guns over the two decades-no decision has been taken to procure or produce it indigenously.

Ordnance Factories
The Ordnance Factories should concentrate mostly on explosives & filling operations while all manufacturing of hardware should be in the private sector of high repute. Old & worn out factories need to be closed down. The Defence PSU’s also need regrouping.

Ordnance Factories

The Ordnance Factories should concentrate mostly on explosives & filling operations while all manufacturing of hardware should be in the private sector of high repute. Old & worn out factories need to be closed down. The Defence PSU’s also need regrouping.

Quality Assurance

The defence inspection organization also needs to realign with the new challenges & restructure so that better quality is assured in the battle field.It is quite demoralizing when inspected rocket tubes separate out just after firing.

Private Path

It is time reputed industrial houses come forward with missionary zeal & accept challenge to develop & productionize new generation of tanks, 155 & higher caliber guns, long range rocket systems, neglected Naval & Air Armaments, fuzes –if required through collaborations. Path is not that easy due to likely lack of support beyond policy documents from the Government & also from the present Defence set up for obvious reasons. But ultimately private defence industries would only be able to overcome our import dependence.

Hand-holding

Successful design, development, testing & production of defence systems requires very mature inputs which go much beyond any text book knowledge- from the defence technologists who come of age after long innings of leaning from failures. As such there is much need to have national level talent pool of the retired –but not tired defence personnel & DRDO/Ordnance Scientists with adequate academic back ground as well as project experience to help the DRDO/Ordnance Factories & Industry. DRDO Scientist have already formed pool under the aegis of Institute of Defence Scientists & Technologists (IDST) which after some revamping can be of much use –in case they are able to contribute meaningfully (instead of being just another employment avenue for retiring scientists)-in this great national effort if it comes through? Bottle-Necks

As far as possible imports should be the last resort. Usual bottle neck of urgent requirement must be scrutinized by high power committee. GSQR’s should also be vetted for its viability. All bottle-necks need to be cleaned for any obstructions.

Reverse Engineering

Reverse engineering is quite rewarding in development of defence systems -but it needs to be done only by experts with long experience.

Expert Group

Finally, an expert group of non-government specialists should be constituted to give advice on offloading defence items and projects to the private sector and also to recommend closing down old factories and laboratories in the defence sector.

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