SOURCE: SATYAJEET KUMAR/ FOR MY TAKE / IDRW.ORG
For Decades China was believed to have a relatively small nuclear arsenal compared to other nuclear-armed states, with estimates ranging from around 280 to 320 nuclear warheads. However, China has been steadily modernizing its nuclear weapons, including the development of new types of nuclear missiles and submarine-launched nuclear missiles.
Like other nuclear-armed states, China’s nuclear weapons program has been a source of concern and tension in international relations. The country has faced criticism for not being more transparent about its nuclear capabilities and for not participating in arms control negotiations, such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG.
Fabrication of the country’s first Indian Unmanned Strike Air Vehicle (IUSAV), a “flying wing” stealth design adopted for carrying out ground strikes over contested airspace will begin in late 2025 and rollout of the prototype likely will happen by early or mid-2026 as per information in latest media reports.
DRDO-GTRE plans to have a certified Kaveri Dry engine by 2025 that will be cleared for production and once the engine is certified decks will be cleared for the development of the IUSAV prototype. idrw.org has been told that IUSAV and AMCA programs are crucial next-generation platforms that will work in tandem as manned and unmanned platforms for revolving aerial warfare.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG.
Chennai-based Garuda Aerospace which for the first time had showcased its Vajra Stealth Drone for at the Defence Expo 2022 earlier this year has revealed more information about its upcoming drone. Vajra Stealth Drone will have a range of 160km and can carry a 5kg payload in its internal weapons bay. It is also equipped with an Anti Radar Navigation system that doesn’t require ground communication.
Equipped with a Lidar Camera that can be used to carry out digital 3-D scans for foliage penetration, dense forest and mountain areas. Lockheed Martin Canada CDL Systems developed Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) software solutions for defence and commercial applications that will be used on the Vajra Stealth Drone.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
2023 will see the development of a lot of weapons systems that will be rolled out from DRDO programs, HAL and other associated defence programs.
idrw.org has compiled a list of missile systems that are in the advanced stages of development and are expected to make their debut in 2023.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
As the world enters the remaining days of 2022, India has enjoyed a stellar year in terms of evaluating missile systems that have raised its bar on the world stage. Nevertheless, India is not finished yet, and 2023 will see more missile tests and the going to unveil of newer missile defence systems that have been in development for some time
idrw.org has compiled a list of missile systems that are in advanced stages of development and are expected to make their developmental flight debuts in 2023.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Indian Army has issued Necessity (AoN) for the procurement of 52000 HHRS, 2600 Base Stations, and 1040 Repeaters. According to AoN, Hand Held Radio Sets (HHRS), Digital Base Stations and Digital Repeater Stations based on DMR Tier II are envisaged to be light-weight, ergonomic and easy to handle.
HHRS sets will be supported in both Analog and Digital Operations with industrial-grade secrecy of AES 256 encryption. The system will have a provision to support third-party encryption. The system will be capable of providing seamless communication in an IP repeater network.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
India has made plans to equip its upcoming AEW&C MkII which will be based on the Airbus A321 platform with Directed IR Countermeasures (DIRCM) system that is designed to protect aircraft against heat-seeking ground-to-air missiles.
Israeli Elbit Systems and Indian Bharat Electronics are in talks for local production of the Directed IR Countermeasures that will be integrated into aircraft structure and as a system comes with integrated advanced fiber laser technology together with a high frame rate thermal camera and a small, highly dynamic mirror turret.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
In 2021, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and New Space Research & Technologies signed an agreement “to explore cooperation for joint development and manufacturing of various products and systems in the area of unmanned systems, swarm technology and space systems.
One of the programs was to use old Kiran MK-II intermediate jet-powered trainer aircraft to convert it into CATS OMCA (optically-manned combat aircraft). Retired IAF captain Harsh Vardhan Thakur who is an experimental test pilot with HAL, in recent Twitter interaction, confirmed that Naval-LCA might also become OMCA like Kiran Mk-II.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Indian Army is looking to procure 300 units of Tactical Load Haulers for which it has issued an RFI (request for information). Tactical Load Haulers should be capable of operating in desert/ mountains/snow/ dirt tracks/ uneven surfaces.
Tactical Load Haulers should be able to operate in the temperature range between minus 20 degree Celsius to plus 45 degree Celsius and be rugged to operate in deserts/ mountains/snow.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Jayant Patil, Executive Vice President of Defence & Aerospace, Member of the Board of L&T Heavy Engineering in an interview with ET Now has claimed that the company is developing Large drones that can stay in the air for 3 days (72 hours) at a time.
Larsen and Toubro (L&T) are putting on its own money at least 15% of its cash earnings in various underwater and aerial drones for defence use. At Defexpo 2022, L&T displayed a rotary-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that has a range of 100km and 4 hours.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Japan’s government is set to raise defence spending by 1 trillion yen ($7.34 billion) to around 6.5 trillion yen in the next fiscal year as part of efforts to earmark 43 trillion yen for the five-year defence build-up plan against rising Chinese aggression in the region. Japan also has pointed out that it will expand its defence and maritime cooperation with several south-east Asian countries and India in particular.
According to the latest media reports, Japan has proposed to jointly develop unmanned aerial vehicles that can be used for the surveillance of the Indian Ocean Region and the South China sea with India.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
India’s upcoming fourth division of the Indian Armed forces after the Indian Army, Indian Air force and Indian Navy to be called Indian Rocket force will stay independent of the three divisions and will get in its arsenal from Indian Army like its Smerch and Pinaka MBRLs and also Pralay ballistic missile missiles as a starter but it has been decided that it won’t get in its arsenal India’s Nuclear-tipped ballistic missile.
Strategic Forces Command (SFC), which is responsible for the handling of nuclear weapons and Nuclear- capable ballistic missiles will remain active and in charge of the country’s nuclear arsenal. SFC will remain in charge of all Short-medium-Intermediate-range ballistic missiles that can be armed with nuclear weapons.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
India will carryout increments of AL-31F engines with performance parts that have been locally manufactured in the country replacing some of the high-end components that require frequent changes. India’s BEL, HAL and Midhani are carrying out the certification of the engines with components that will last much longer and will replace some of the Russian-designed ones not only enhancing the life of the engine but also improving its performance.
India already has complete Transfer of Technology (ToT) of the AL-31F engines that are used to power the Su-30MKI fleet that is likely to remain in active service till 2045 n beyond due to which such initiatives were taken to fix some of the prolonged technical issues and deficiencies in the engine.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) entered into a Collaboration and Marketing Agreement with JSR Dynamics Pvt Ltd (JSR), a Nagpur-based Start-up company in 2020, is helping the company to develop a Miniature Ground Launch Decoy (MGLD) that will be offered to Indian Armed forces when it completes its development.
BEL has procured six units of MGLD airframes from the company and is incorporating its technology to develop the prototypes of the system to be used for developmental trials of the system.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
India has issued Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) for a launch of a missile in the Bay of Bengal for the period from 04-06 Jan 2023 as per information provided by Twitter user Damien Symon@detresfa_.
The designated area for the NOTAM is 475km in length which indicates it might be a test of the established missile system. speculation is that it might be a test of the Air Launched BrahMos Cruise missile.
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