Indian Armed Forces

[Kunal Biswas]

guy from the left holding INSAS rifle? the flag on their shoulder patch is Indian. what sort of rifle the guy from the second right is holding? doesnt look AK.

Its a grenade Launcher, for smoke grenades & teargas..

[oorials]

notice the tata sumo in the background !

I'm guessing this is a paramilitary force, CRPF possibly.

[Kunal Biswas]

Most Powerful Conventional Explosive Indigenously Developed For Indian Armed Forces!!

Move over RDX! That’s passé for the needs of the Indian Armed Forces. The DRDO is developing a powerful explosive, - the CL-20, that can substantially reduce the weight and size of the warhead while packing much more punch. In fact, the RDX is not the standard explosive in use with the Indian Armed Forces; the warheads are mostly packed with HMX, FOX-7 or amorphous Boron.

Scientists at the Pune-based High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) have already synthesized adequate quantity of CL-20 in the laboratory. “It is the most powerful non-nuclear explosive yet known to man,” says Dr. AK Sikder, Joint Director, HEMRL, who heads the High Energy Materials Division. The compound, ‘Indian CL-20’ or ICL-20, was indigenously synthesized in the HEMRL laboratory using inverse technology, he added. “The HEMRL has taken India to an elite club of countries with advanced capabilities in the field of Energetic Materials,” said Shri Manish Bhardwaj, a senior Scientist with the HEMRL. In fact, the CL-20 is such a fascination for the HEMRL that a larger-than-life size model of the compound occupies the pride of place as one enters the portals of the main building of the DRDO's premier lab in Pune.

CL-20, so named after the China Lake facility of the Naval Air Weapons Station in California, US, was first synthesized by Dr. Arnold Nielson in 1987. CL-20, or Octa-Nitro-Cubane, is a Nitramine class of explosive 15 times as powerful as HMX, His/Her Majesty Explosive or High Melting Explosive or Octogen. The HMX itself is more than four times as potent as the Research Developed Explosive or Royal Demolition Explosive or Cyclonite or Hexogen, commonly known as RDX.

“CL-20 offers the only option within the next 10-15 years to meet the requirements of the Indian Armed Forces for Futuristic Weapons,” said Dr. Sikder. “CL-20 -based Shaped Charges significantly improve the penetration over armours,” he said, adding that it could be used in the bomb for the 120-mm main gun mounted on the MBT-Arjun. “But the costs of mass production of ICL-20 are still prohibitive,” said Dr. Sikder. Compared to Rs.750 per kilogram it takes to produce RDX in the factory today, the HMX is worth about Rs.6,000 per kg while a kilogram of CL-20 costs a whopping Rs.70,000 per kg.

“We have a tie up with industry partner for intermediate commercial exploitation of ICL-20,” said Dr. A. Subhananda Rao, Director, HEMRL. About 100 kgs of ICL-20 has been produced by HEMRL in collaboration with the Premier Explosives Limited (PEL). The CL-20, which looks like limestone or grainy talcum powder, is being manufactured by the PEL factory at Peddakanlukur village in Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh. The Rs.60 crores Hyderabad-based company bagged the DRDO’s Defence Technology Absorption Award, 2007 worth Rs.Ten Lakhs, presented by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on May 12, 2008, their most prestigious award, claimed company sources.

“The advantage with the CL-20 is its Reduced Sensitivity,” said Dr. Sikder, enabling easy handling and transportation of the lethal weaponry. In fact, the HEMRL is concentrating on the Reduced Shock Sensitivity (RSS) explosives, such as RSS-RDX, which costs about Rs.1,500-2,000 per kg, and RSS-HMX. “There is a whole array of low sensitivity material or Insensitive Munitions we are working on,” said Dr. Rao. “The world around there is a lot of R&D being pumped into what are called the Green Explosives, as also the advanced Insensitive Munitions (IM) and RSS explosives,” added Dr. Sikder, which reduces the chances of mishap and loss to M4, - Men, Money, Materials and Machines.

http://chhindits.blogspot.com/

[Kunal Biswas]

ISRO-built comsat HYLAS launched successfully

An advanced communication satellite HYLAS (Highly Adaptable Satellite), built by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on a commercial basis in partnership with EADS-Astrium of Europe, was successfully launched on November 27 by the European Ariane-5 V198 launch vehicle. The launch took place from the Guyana Space Centre at Kourou in French Guyana.
Bangalore-headquartered ISRO said in an official release that about 35 minutes after its lift-off, HYLAS separated from Ariane-5 launch vehicle after reaching its intended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). ISRO's Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan, near Bangalore in Karnataka, received radio signals transmitted by HYLAS and the satellite's health is normal.“HYLAS satellite developed for Avanti Communications, UK consists of 10 high power transponders that use eight in Ka and two in Ku band frequencies. The satellite is designed to deliver high-speed broadband services through its spot beams over Europe. The satellite is expected to be operated from 33.5 deg. W longitude for European coverage,” an ISRO official said.

http://tarmak007.blogspot.com/

[Kunal Biswas]

DRDO Officially Names AURA For The First Time

Here's the first time that the DRDO has referred to India's top secret stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) programme by its official name, AURA, a name that remained unknown until it was revealed for the first time on Livefist earlier this year. This appears in the latest edition of TECH FOCUS, the DRDO's technology journal, this one focusing on the Indian UAV programme. Read the rest of it here.

http://livefist.blogspot.com/

[Kunal Biswas]

MAG REPORT: AMCA Moves Forward, Navy Interested, Tech Partnership Talks On With Saab




http://livefist.blogspot.com/

[Kunal Biswas]

Extended Range Sudarshan LGB Kit On

The development of the kit has matured to the level of guiding the bomb within 10 m CEP from its otherwise 400 m to 1000 m fall-off the target. The extension of kit’s capability to further increase its range using global positioning system (GPS) INS is on.

http://livefist.blogspot.com/

[Kunal Biswas]

Team Tejas ready for fireworks in Goa; drop tank separation, missile test on cards

India’s Tejas Light Combat Aircraft is ready to undergo another round of crucial sea trials in Goa. Sources tell AVIATION WEEK that this time the testing will involve the firing of a missile and the jettisoning of a drop tank. The trials are set to take place this week at Naval Air Station Hansa, Dabolim, in Goa. Tejas successfully completed earlier sea trials in September as part of its Out of Station Flight Test Plan.Pilots from the Bengaluru-based National Flight Test Center will perform the weapon trials this time. In addition to firing a Russian-made R-73 air-to-air missile, the pilots are scheduled to test the safe drop tank separation from the aircraft. Tejas can carry 5,000 liters of fuel, including 1,200 each in drop tanks [and] 2,400 in wings and fuselage. It can also carry two outboard R-73 missiles and two mid-board beyond visual range (BVR) Derby missiles from Israel.

http://tarmak007.blogspot.com/

[Kunal Biswas]

Why Derby?

Why Not R-77?

[Kunal Biswas]

Breaking on Tarmak007: India set to unveil Agni-II Prime; Tessy's proud baby hits the launchpad
















AGNI & THE PUTRI: The Agni-II launch in May 2010 (Pic 1). Its improved variant A2 Prime's scheduled launch in December will be a significant moment for Project Director Tessy Thomas (Pic 2) -- India's first woman scientist to head a critical missile project. Hectic activities are currently on at Wheeler Island for the launch.

India is preparing for the first launch of an upgraded version of the Agni-II missile. Known as the Agni-II Plus, Agni-II Prime or A2, this nuclear-capable missile is developed by India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
This surface-to-surface missile can hit targets at ranges between 2,500 km and 3,000 km and is seen as a new warhead that would bridge the gap between Agni-II and Agni-III missiles, which have ranges of 2,500 km and 3,500 km, respectively.
Sources tell Aviation Week that the Agni-II Prime will be an improved platform in terms of accuracy, distance and strength. With the stage set for the A2 launch, all eyes are on Tessy Thomas, A2 Project Director (PD) for the DRDO.

http://tarmak007.blogspot.com/

[Kunal Biswas]

[COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]PHOTOS: Phalanx 20mm Close-in Weapon System On INS Jalashwa[/COLOR]
















http://livefist.blogspot.com/

[Kunal Biswas]

New Naval Officer-in-Charge, West Bengal

Commodore Brian A Thomas took over the charge of Naval Officer-in-charge (NOIC), West Bengal and Commanding Officer INS Netaji Subhash, today in Kolkata.

Cmde BA Thomas is a Naval Officer of vast experience. He was born on 01 Oct 1956. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Army War College (Mhow) and Naval War College (USA), he joined the Navy as a commissioned officer on 01 Jan 1978. Having graduated from the JNU he later did his M Sc in Defence Studies from the Madras University and also M Phil in Defence and Strategic studies from Ahlyabai Vihva Vidyalaya, Indore.

Cmde Thomas held important appointments such as Commissioning Executive Officer in INS Nireekshak and Matanga. He was also the Commanding Officer of INS Saryu.

Commodore BA Thomas has also held numerous senior staff appointments as Senior Instructor, Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, at the Army Headquarters in the Directorate of Perspective Planning and as the Principal Director, Special Operations and Diving at the Naval Headquarters.

Prior to taking this appointment, he was the Naval Officer-in-Charge, Andhra Pradesh.

http://chhindits.blogspot.com/

[clipper1973]

Livefist: First Photo Of Indian Navy Heron UAV In Flight?

Are those weapon hardpoints under the wings?

[VAMAN]

Thanks for the updates

[VAMAN]

The BrahMos missile takes off from India's main missile testing center in the eastern state of Orissa state, in Balasore district, 230 kilometers (144 miles) from Bhubaneshwar, India, Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010. India on Thursday successfully test-fired the supersonic cruise missile, designed to carry conventional warheads, jointly developed with Russia to fine-tune its ability to hit targets, the defense ministry said.