Medium range missile has successful twin strikes

 https://twitter.com/writetake

Bengaluru, June 30: India on Thursday successfully test-fired the Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) for the first time from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), off Odisha coast.
The missile, jointly developed by Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), was test-fired from LC-III (Launch Complex) of ITR situated in Chandipur at around 8.15 am. The MRSAM is being developed for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Interestingly, the missile was test-fired for the second time today, successfully. 

Full report, here: http://bit.ly/292xBBY

Orange to add teeth to India’s gen-next weapon systems

By https://twitter.com/writetake

Future missiles and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) being developed by India will be tested for their Radar Cross Section (RCS) measurements at the recently-opened facility codenamed Project Orange (open range) in Dundigal near Hyderabad.
Orange is a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) project operated by Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Research Centre Imarat (formerly RCI). It is being developed as a national facility for RCS measurements, which is capable of enhancing the stealth features of India’s gen-next weapon systems.
Giving exclusive details to OneIndia, an official said that Orange is capable of measuring RCS over a wide frequency band for various platforms. The facility was recently opened by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.
“Orange can be used to test platforms currently in use by defence forces and those futuristic weapon systems under development. The facility presently covers frequency ranges in far field scenario and is capable of providing RCS measurements as well as onboard antenna characteristics,” the official, requesting anonymity, said.
The capacity of the pylon is capable of addressing the requirements of scale models, dummy mockups, operational light aircraft and even heavy fighter such as a Su-30MKI.
Many home-grown technologies incorporated
“The RCS measurement and calibration technique for the test range is based on RCI's two-decades-plus expertise in this domain. In addition to RCS measurements, the RF imaging capability of the range is capable of diagnosing the hot spots (prominent scattering centres) on a platform,” he said.
Read the full report here: http://bit.ly/2088dRH

Nirbhay missile set for critical low-altitude trial; Sukhoi to chase

By https://twitter.com/writetake

Kochi, Oct 14: A Sukhoi (Su-30MKI) fighter will be on chase duties when the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) undertakes a crucial flight trial of the home-grown sub-sonic cruise missile, Nirbhay.
Top military sources have confirmed to OneIndia on Wednesday that the third flight trial of Nirbhay will be scheduled on October 16 from Launch Complex-III of Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur (near Balasore) off Odisha coast.
As this piece goes live, the final Flight Readiness Review (FRR) and Launch Authorization Board (LAB) meeting is underway.
An official said that this time the scientists are preparing the missile for a low-altitude flight, a challenging task. The missile will be likely to be brought down from around 4.8 km to 20 m.
"This time we are using a Sukhoi as a chase aircraft as it has long-endurance and can capture the flight parameters till the end,” an official said.
The current launch will be crucial for DRDO after the Modi government brought in changes on the top with a new Director General (Dr Selvin Christopher) and Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister (Dr G Satheesh Reddy) taking charge.
The trial will be also a litmus test for ADE’s recently-appointed Director M V K V Prasad.

Read the full report here: http://bit.ly/1Laq6HV

Dr Satheesh takes over as SA to RM; chants Make in India mantra

A routine report on the above post here, bit.ly/1MpnkOJ

MI2Watch: Tippu’s land gives birth to missile self destruction device

 By Dr Anantha Krishnan M

https://twitter.com/writetake

Photos: A Veeramani

Bengaluru, Feb 27: A desi missile safe destruction programme developed by Mysuru-based MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise) Kaynes Technology is currently under evaluation. 

Christened ESAFS (Electronic Safe Arm and Fire System), the devise helps the self destruction of a missile, during its testing and actual operational phases. Missile(s) that veer off from its intended trajectory can be brought down immediately with the help of ESAFS. The company is in the field of defence for the last eight years.

ESAFS is now under evaluation at DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat (RCI) laboratory in Hyderabad. RCI is one of the leading labs under DRDO’s Missile Complex.

In an exclusive interview to OneIndia (during the just-concluded Aero India 2015), Lt Col Sharath Bhat (Retd), Senior Vice President, Business Development, Kaynes Technology, said that ESAFS, is a real-time, dual-redundant and fault-tolerant on-board devise.

ESAFS can pick up signals that are unauthorised or unrecognised in nature. It consists of two identical controller cards and one power supply card for distributing power supply requirements of both controller cards.

* Shock compliant system

* Most-preferred supplier to BEL

* 30 per cent of products exported

* Bluetooth bulb sheds light

[Make in India Watch [#MI2Watch] is a series on OneIndia focusing on the aerospace and defence might of India's private and domestic industries. It will also aim at capturing the voices of leaders spearheading various projects.]

Read the full report on OneIndia, here: http://bit.ly/1zmcfVZ

MAN TO WATCH | DRDO picks smart nav brain GSR as RCI chief | Young missile scientists upbeat

   When a journalist writes a report appreciating scientists, self-styled defence experts and the know-all defence writers term it as a PR piece. Because, in India only the bad and the ugly sells, with good having no takers. Still, when an extremely talented and promising man gets a crucial elevation in his career, he must be hailed -- the write way. Hence, this short piece.

   Yesterday, the DRDO announced the appointment of navigation scientist G Sateesh Reddy as the director for its Hyderabad-based Research Centre Imarat (RCI) -- a top lab that's part of India's elite Missile Complex. He took over last evening and will assume office today. Probably it is after many years, DRDO chose a gifted youngster to head a critical lab. The youngest man to be crowned as an Outstanding Scientist (OS) in DRDO, Sateesh has already caught the eye of the top brass in MoD, DRDO, ISRO, CSIR, Defence PSUs, Army, Navy among others.

   Tarmak007 interacted with Sateesh couple of times while chasing stories and the young man came as a simple soul. He will never beat around the bush, will never speak off the record, will never share info without clearance. But, when he is cleared to speak, he can be better than the best of Physics teachers around. He will explain every technology bit by bit, so that the journalist is not at sea and the reader hence saved the next day morning! In Hyderabad, often you would hear: "Ask Sateesh."

   Has his mentor Dr Kalam had any influence on him? Well, at some stages, one could see a touch of Dr Kalam in him. His intra-personal skills are very much Dr Kalam-like. Insiders tell this blog that it was Dr Kalam who broke the news of Sateesh being appointed as the RCI boss, during his recent visit to the lab.

   Always surrounded by young scientists, Sateesh comes to you as a new-generation leader, carrying his people forward. The comments on the Tarmak007's FB page and the number of times the post being shared on Indian Army Fans' FB page -- are just glimpses of his popularity among youngsters. "He is extremely spiritual, always helpful and approachable all the time," says a young scientist working with him.

   Well, the blogger is sure that GSR is the man to watch for India ahead. While his career is sure to jettison ahead, it will be interesting to see how his out-of-the-box ideas will influence India's missile programmes.

   He needs to be given time, and they say even if he is blind-folded, he would deliver! 

   Well, let's wait and see...
 

   All the best, GSR!
 

   Tarmak007

 To read FB comments here: 007

--------------------------------------------------------------

(Official DRDO release below | Unedited)

  

Navigation Scientist to steer the course of Missile
Laboratory Research Centre Imarat, DRDO
 
Sri G. Satheesh Reddy, Outstanding Scientist has been appointed as Director, Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad w.e.f. 01 May 2013. A B.Tech (ECE) Graduate from JNTU Ananthapur and has completed M.S. (By Research) in Electronics and Communication Engineering from JNTU, Hyderabad. Joined DRDO in July 1986 and has been serving in RCI right from the inception of the establishment and gained vast experience in the areas of Avionics and Missile Systems.

A leading Navigation expert with more than two and half decades of experience and has enormously contributed towards development in critical areas of Inertial Systems, Embedded Computers, Real Time Software, Guidance and Control technologies along with associated Avionics systems. Played a pivotal role in envisioning the futuristic requirements and Accelerated the focussed R&D in decisive technologies.

RCI established in 1988, a brainchild of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam established in 1988 with Dr Kalam as founder Director and with Mission of being a premier institute for developing frontier technologies in collaboration with academic institutions and industry, to foster human resources for professional excellence and to organize for induction and production of the guided missile systems for the armed forces. RCI, the premier institute of DRDO is the Avionics system hub for Missiles, Aircrafts, UAVs, Helicopters and other Strategic and Tactical Systems in our country.
 
RCI has been delivering all the Programmes and Projects of Missile Complex with Avionic Sub-systems of Navigation, Onboard Computers, Mission software, Power Supply Systems, Control Systems, Seekers alongwith Electrical and Mechanical Integration and state-of-art test facilities of Electro Magnetic Interference/Compatibility and Environmental Testing. The Laboratory was earlier headed by famous personalities like Lt Gen (Dr) V.J. Sundaram, Sri K.V.S.S. Prasad Rao and Dr V.K. Saraswat.  Mr. Satheesh Reddy, was born to an agricultural family and belongs to Mahimalore Village, Atmakur Mandal of Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh. He studied in the Mahimalore village itself upto 10th class and pursued Intermediate in V.R. College, Nellore.

For his Technological achievements and vital contributions to the field of Aerospace Engineering, various professional bodies/societies across the world have honoured him as Academician and inducted him into their Institution. He is a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (FNAE), The Institution of Engineering and Technology (FIET), United Kingdom, Institution of Engineers (India) (FIE), Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers (FIETE), Andhra Pradesh Academy of Sciences (FAPAS) and an Associate Fellow of the  American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AFAIAA), USA, Royal Institution of Navigation (AFRIN), London, Full time Academy Member of the prestigious Russian Academy of Navigation and Motion Control (FMANACUD) and also a Senior Member of IEEE.

Recognizing his innovative efforts in the country, he has been conferred with many awards and has been felicitated extensively throughout the country. Some of the important honours and recognitions are Young Scientist Award for Modeling of Inertial Sensors, AGNI Award for Excellence in Self Reliance as a Team Leader for the year 2006, DRDO Scientist of the Year Award for the year 2010 Outstanding Engineer Award by the Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FAPCCI) for the year 2011, B.V. Baliga Memorial Award by the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers (IETE) for the year 2012, Prof Yashwant Rao Kelkar Yuva Puraskar was awarded by the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in recognition of his efforts for making our country self-reliant in the area of Navigation Systems for Defence applications, DRDO Performance Excellence Award has been conferred twice for contributions towards successful BRAHMOS and DHANUSH Missions, Path Breaking Research/Outstanding Technology Development Award has been conferred twice and presented as a Team member for successful Air Defence (AD) and AGNI Missions, Systems Society of India VIKRAM Award for contribution to Real life Systems of National Importance for the year 2012, Aeronautical Society of India Dr Biren Roy Space Science and Design Award for contribution to Aerospace and Navigation Sciences for the year 2012, Astronautical Society of India ASI Rocketry Award for contributions to Rocket Sciences and related technologies for the year 2010.

Sri Satheesh Reddy is the Vice Chairman of the Aeronautical Society of India, Hyderabad and Founder Vice President of the Sensors Research Society, India.

K-15 SLBM is a beast loaded with gen-next tech: Scientists

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore: The scientists at Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Missile Complex in Hyderabad are an inspired lot, thanks to successful test (14h one) of the 750-km range submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), K-15. The missile (codenamed B-05), was tested for its full range from a submerged pontoon, off the coast of Vishakapatanam on January 27, 2013.

Sources in the Missile Complex tell Express that K-15 was launched from an underwater vehicle with an approximate depth of 50 meters. But, what adds more teeth to the killer missile is the array of gen-text technologies that are embedded onboard, a majority of features till kept under wraps. “The medium range missile, with a capacity to be launched from multiple platforms has so far undergone many trials. It is primarily employed against land targets. The missile is incorporated with very-high accuracy navigation systems with completely different and specific schemes, that can steer the vehicle towards the target with single-digit accuracy,” sources said.

The scientists have designed special alignment techniques with most modern algorithms which are specific to underwater missions. “We have used most modern computing and actuating systems for the missile. It has a two-stage booster, with one being employed under water and the other above the surface. The underwater dynamics are totally different from the aerodynamic environment. Here the hydro-dynamics come into picture and you got to take into account factors like water pressure, wave speed, its direction and many more,” sources said.

The K-15 missile is a ballistic one, but travels through the atmosphere all through the mission. It is being controlled and guided all through by onboard guidance computer system. The missile now enters probably its most-critical phase, when it will be integrated with India’s first home-grown N-powered submarine INS Arihant, which is warming up for its maiden sea-acceptance trials.

“We will have more number of trials on the naval platform, but parallely the missile will get into the production mode. Once the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) goes live next year, all our future missions will have pin-point navigation support,” sources said.

Speaking to Express from Hyderabad, Defence Research Development Laboratory (DRDL) Director and K-15 Programme Director A K Chakrabarty said his team had a challenging job on hand. “When you execute underwater missions, the rules of the game changes. While launching the missile (from a submarine) nothing should happen to the platform, considering it's a manned one. Hence, it was a huge challenge to our designers,” Chakrabarty said.

Over 200 scientists and officers from five DRDO labs, including DRDL (Hyderabad), Research Centre Imarat (Hyderabad), Advanced System Laboratory (Hyderabad), R&D Engineers (Pune) and Interim Test Range (Balasore) are involved with the K-15 project. More than 50 per cent of scientists who worked on the project are said to be youngsters holding Sc-B and Sc-C ranks in DRDO.

Copyright@The New Indian Express

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RCI brain Kannan selected for AeSI's Swarna Jayanthi Award

By M A Athul

The AeSI has selected Mr Muthukrishnan Kannan of RCI for the prestigious Swarna Jayanthi Award for his outstanding contributions valuable contributions in the development of Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) of various class for missiles, aircrafts, ships and submarines. He has been the group head of INS division since 2010. He has also headed the INS team for BrahMos Cruise Missile and was the project lead for Indigenous Navigation Systems for Naval Ships.

In his present designation as Group Head, INS division he plays a pivotal role in many ongoing projects such as development of Ring Laser Gyro (RLG) based INS+GPS+GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System) systems. The technology is used in Agni-iii, HAL Tejas, and Shaurya missile. He was also responsible for development, testing, performance evaluation and delivery of INS for Brahmos Missiles.

As a systems developer Kannan was responsible for the Development, testing, Performance Evaluation and Delivery of Navigation System for AD (AD-1 and AD-2 are being developed as intercept ballistic missiles with a range of 5000 kilometers) Mission as well as the Prototype System Development and Flight Performance Evaluation of the system. He was also involved He was the project leader for “Indigenous Navigation System for Naval War ships i.e. a system purpose is also to serve as a Master INS system for ship-launched versions of missiles.

Kannan passed B.E in electronics and communication from Madurai Kamraj University and M.E in avionics from Anna University and joined RCI (Research Center Imarat) on June 1997 with the designation a “scientist B”. He has been in RCI ever since. He became a “C” scientist in 2000, D grade scientist in 2004 and an E grade scientist in July 2008. The distinguished scientist also has a plethora of publications to his credit. A few of them are Quick Reaction Strap down INS for Brahmos, INS+GPS integrated system for canisterized missiles, Micro machined Accelerometer Systems. Some of his commendable achievements are the designing and development of the first DTG based integrated INS+SATNAV scheme & system (for Programme AD), which turned out to be the precursor for the other versions of Integrated INS+SATNAV systems developed for all the other strategic and tactical missile programmes of DRDO. Another achievement was the development of DTG based Quick Reaction INS for the Indo-Russian Joint Venture BrahMos missile project. He was also involved in periodic re- calibration of BrahMos INS.

Kannan Muthukrishnan has also received Agni award for excellence in self reliance for the year 2008 for contributions towards development of Navigation system for Air Defense (AD) missile as well as well as award of RCI for the year 2010.He is also a life member of Astronautical Society of India and Sensors Research Society.

athulmenath55@yahoo.com

(The writer is a first year PG student of Defence and Strategic Studies with Madras University currently on a 2-months’ internship with Tarmak007. His write-ups need not be news-breaks and in-depth in nature; hence should be seen as an ab initio effort by a budding defence journalist. The views expressed by Athul need not be that of Tarmak007.)

Made in India: Anti-satellite (A-SAT), all-composite, intelligent missiles next target: Avinash Chander

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore: Thursday's 5,000-km-plus sky part of Agni-5 missile might have put India among a select-group of countries having ICBM-capabilities. But, the icing on the cake is the confidence shown by DRDO's tech-gurus in developing systems which were denied to India. With Agni-5 turning a blockbuster, DRDO has set its eye now on bigger and bolder missions.

During a telephonic interview with Express from Wheeler Island, Avinash Chander, DRDO's Chief Controller (Missiles and Strategic Systems) and Agni-5 Project Director was as cool as a cucumber, despite the smashing hit. “Our next aim is to put satellites to orbit at very short notice using missiles. We can launch low-cost micro-satellites into the orbit with a payload of 60 kg. It can be used for intelligence-gathering purpose and  launched within few hours of notice,” Avinash said.

According to him, the next big challenge for DRDO is to master the MIRV (Multiple independently-targeted re-entry vehicles) and MaRV (Manoeuvring re-entry vehicles (MaRV) technologies. “Our next aim is maneuvering warheads for long-range missiles. We want to develop intelligent missiles with highly-accurate warheads for future. Missiles that could counter an incoming missile, by predicting its trajectory is the key,” Avinash said. He said that DRDO is hovering around the idea of developing missiles with anti-satellite capabilities too.

He said the scientists are already on a mission mode to develop an all-composite missile for the future. “A full composite missile with a high-degree of precision. We are moving faster and now we have the technologies to boot. We will have missiles with less radar cross sections soon. The user is part of our thought-process right from the word go. The user has become an integral part and hence the ownership has gone up many folds with all our new projects,” Avinash said.

Among the new technologies used onboard Agni-5 are Ring Laser Gyro-based Inertial Navigation System (RINS), Micro Inertial Navigation System (MINS), high speed onboard computer based on power-PC design, light-weight composite motors and 100 per cent home-grown software. “The INS worked in dual redundancy configuration. Agni-V uses a three-stage propulsion system and it has onboard less cabling, multi-sensors among others. Around 80 per cent of Agni-5 is made in India, making it a truly value-for-money-weapon,” Avinash said.

Copyright@The New Indian Express 

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Tracking Agni-V was like watching a 20:20 thriller: Scientists | Missile Complex in Hyderabad erupts in celebrations

By Anantha Krishnan M
Express News Service

Bangalore: Scientists in Hyderabad's Missile Complex tracked every moment of Agni-5's 20-minutes flight with bated breath on Thursday. Scientists who couldn't make it to the Wheeler Island, watched the missile's historic test-flight with prayers. “We were naturally tense as each one of us knew what systems were onboard the missile. It was like watching a 20:20 match. We didn't get up from our seats,” a scientist with ASL said.

Sources tell Express that up to the last command (release of the payload) of Agni-5 was monitored through various internal networks of DRDO. “The radars positioned at various parts of India (part of the Air Defence project) too helped us track the missile. We couldn't have asked for more seeing Agni-5 doing exactly what we wanted,” sources said.

Hyderabad houses all the major labs of DRDO involved directly with India's missile programmes with ASL, RCI and DRDL leading the pack. “It was a great sign to see that the missile met all mission parameters. We are waiting for our team members to return and the celebrations will continue for a long time for sure,” a navigational expert with RCI said. Sources said that inside the Missile Complex posters congratulating the Agni team have up at many places.

At the Hyderabad airport, the Agni team members were taken by surprise when hundreds gathered to welcome them soon after they landed from Bhubaneswar at 8.50 pm. “This was something that we haven't experienced before. We were lifted like heroes and offered garlands, bouquets and sweets,” a senior DRDL official said.

Sources said that DRDO brought all the non-officer cadre staff from Bhubaneswar to Hyderabad in two AN-32 aircraft. “This was a special gesture as we wanted all the DRDO team members to be back in Hyderabad on the same day to be with their families and celebrate,” sources said.

Copyright@The New Indian Express

Helina ready for full-range ground-based trials in Pokhran | MoD-team evaluating PARS 3 & Spike |

 Rare grabs of Helina's ground-based & chopper trials.  Photos: Special Arrangement

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore/Hyderabad: Helina, the helicopter version of anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) Nag, being developed indigenously for Rudra – the Advanced Light Helicopter's Weapon System Integration version (ALH-WSI) -- will undergo full range trials next month. During this lock-on-after-launch (LOAL) mode trials, to be conducted from a ground-based launcher, Helina's capability to establish  full range in excess of 7 km will be tested. (In the LOAL mode, the gunner can correct the course of the missile mid-way after it is fired, update the target position and lock on to it through a two-way RF data link.)

Around 60 scientists, including 12 directly associated with the project, are gearing up at various critical labs of the Missile Complex in Hyderabad for this crucial ground trials, to  to be held at the Chandan firing ranges in Pokhran. Sources claim that this could be the last trials for the air-to-ground missile Helina from a ground launcher. "We will have guided flight tests from Rudra against a tank-size later. Integration of the Helina's Fire Control System (FCS) on Rudra is planned during the second half of 2012," sources said.

Helina  has been taken up as a fast-track mission mode project by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) to extend the range of Nag from 4 km to in excess of 7 km. The Rs 55-crore project started in 2008 April, will initially help Army Aviation form one Squadron of Rudra choppers with Helinas in LOAL configuration.  So far two missiles have been fired from ground launchers over a range of 4.2 km (K K Ranges in Ahmednagar, near Pune). At Pokhran, one Helina was fired from the out-board weapon station location on Rudra for the first time. The chopper was hovering at an altitude of approximately 25-meter above ground.

A stand-alone FC for Helina has been developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad and proven during the ground firing.  The two-way data link has also been developed for the first time by RCI in association with  Astra Microwave, Hyderabad.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) sources told Express that, they as the system and other armaments integrators for Rudra, are part of a Ministry of Defence-appointed team,  which is currently evaluating MBDA's PARS 3 missile and Rafael's Spike. "The team has visited the Rafael facility and witnessed the trials. They will now head for MBDA installation. The final call will be taken by the Defence Procurement Board, based on the team's recommendations," sources said.
HAL says that the pilots' report of Helina's Rudra trials have been sent to DRDL. "These are crucial inputs that will help the DRDL to fine-tune the missile. Services want proven platforms first and hence PARS 3 and Spike were short-listed. Helina will continue as an alternate and parallel ATGM programme as we are very keen to have an indigenous missile onboard," HAL sources said.

|To be continued | Copyright@The New Indian Express |

(CRACKING INDIA'S MISSILE CODE is an exclusive series currently on in The New Indian Express. In the days ahead, you will get to read a mix of news-breaks and tech-upgrades on current and futuristic missile programs of India, in addition to some human-interest pieces. Email your thoughts on this long-range series to anantha.ak@gmail.com and point out factual errors, if any, that might have crept in despite my best efforts.)

PART-X

SUNDAY SPECIAL: India's young air defence bravehearts say yeh dil maange more!

PART-IV

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore/Hyderabad: They eat, sleep and breathe technology which is definitely rocket science for you and me. A Sehwag's double ton and Aishwarya's baby girl could in all probability be passed off as an India-at-a-glance-moment in their lives. Focused, fearless and feet firm on ground, they probably don't care for the Twitter tribe and the Facebook fellows. Presenting the perfect united colours of India, these young guns of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) are currently the pillars of India’s Programme Air Defence (AD).

Hand-picked by the current DRDO chief V K Saraswat in the late 90s, these go-getters in their mid-30s come as a package consisting of networking and software specialists, control and guidance gurus, RF and navigation experts, hardware and propulsion mavericks, including warhead wizards. Though their bases are distributed over a number of DRDO labs across the country, for the first time ever a media house was given access to interact* with a group of AD brains recently. (*Conditions apply!)

Programme AD is the Indian version of Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) shield – a mastery perfected by countries like the US, Israel, France and Russia. With the goal of developing a BMD, India has made late, yet significant progress since its formation, demonstrating tech and systems capabilities. So far, five successful ballistic missile intercept flight trials were held, resulting in the destruction of the 'incoming targets.' The first flight trial was held in 2006 November.

"Given our nation’s policy of No-First-Use, an effective missile shield is mandatory to protect our country from any ballistic missile attacks. We started afresh and all our ideas were first put in place. We were very young when we were specifically recruited for Programme AD by (Dr) Saraswat and he believed that fresh talent will have out-of-the-box ideas," says Guruprasad, hailing from Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh.

There are close to 100 scientists working on Programme AD and most of them have joined DRDO as Scientists in B, C & D levels -- now holding very key positions. "What makes all the difference is the freedom at which we all work. AD is a very complex programme and highly technology-cum-software intense mission. We constantly upgrade our knowledge levels and undertake lifetime surveys on weapon systems," says Bhagyalakshmi, from Tanjavoor in Tamil Nadu.

Amidst the pressures of delivering AD systems to protect the nation, these youngsters said that they had to literally start from the scratch. “There was hardly any open literature available when we began and that didn't let us down. Our families know that we are working for a sensitive national programme and support us to the core. To me, this made all the difference,” says Shallab from Rohtak in Haryana.

All the ideas for Programme AD are deliberated upon at the System Engineering Committee (SEC) meet. "The threat perception varies from one country to another and your design has to be based upon the threat scenario you perceive. We cannot simply copy any other design," says Dheeraj Gupta from New Delhi.

Despite the bad branding the DRDO got over the years, Team AD seems to have stayed as closed-knit unit, undeterred by the carpet bombing by the media. "There's a lot of tech-bonding and we don't care much about what's being told about us. We are not too much into social network sites either, and there's a reason why we are not there," says Pooja from Shimla, among the first few who joined the AD mission. "Our friends working abroad want to get back and they constantly write to us. The times are changing and we know where we are heading for," she adds with a rare sense of confidence written all over her face.

(All names changed owing to security reasons. Permission was denied to shoot the young AD scientists, for not wanting them to be identified.)

(CRACKING INDIA'S MISSILE CODE is an exclusive series currently on in The New Indian Express. In the days ahead, you will get to read a mix of news-breaks and tech-upgrades on current and futuristic missile programs of India, in addition to some human-interest pieces. Email your thoughts on this long-range series to anantha.ak@gmail.com and point out factual errors, if any, that might have crept in despite my best efforts.)

Winds of change? DRDO wakes up from slumber; calls young troops to Hyderabad for an inspiring event

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Hyderabad: Milking the reverse brain-drain syndrome and pushing the out-of-the-box-philosophies being propagated to keep the fresh blood in sterile condition, the think-tank of India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is organising a three-day Young Scientists' Meet (YSM) in the land of nawabs and kebabs – Hyderabad. This first-of-its-kind-event will be held from December 18-20 at Ramoji Film City and at Research Centre Imarat (RCI), a DRDO facility.

It's hard to believe that DRDO has finally woken up from slumber and decided to brand its employees -- especially youngsters – with a feel-good get-together filled with  freedom of expression. With the motto 'Together We Grow,' the YSM will give DRDO top-brass a rare insight into the minds of its younger troops. “You can't ignore them and they are DRDO's saviors. They hold the baton to the future and YSM is just the beginning of a series of new initiatives we are lining up,” DRDO chief Dr V K Saraswat tells The New Indian Express.

So what will the young guns do at the backyard of Charminar? Well, for a change they will talk and their bosses will listen. They will chart out a trajectory for DRDO studded with new hopes and horizons. They will speak fearlessly. They will pick up the threads of sharing, bonding and self-belief. They will probably scream in unison: Yes, We can!

An idea mooted by the Human Resources Department at DRDO HQ in Delhi will finally take wing when close to 250 young scientists from various disciplines and from 52 labs will flock together sinking their designations, but soldering their desires. “We are confident that the event will be a smashing hit as we have never done something like this before. Scientists in the B,C and D levels will make use of this opportunity to display their inner might,” says S.K. Ray, Director, RCI.

DRDO ran a contest for YSM's logo and it caught-up with the imagination of scientists nation-wide. “We will be forming different teams and each team will be provided with an idea on which they will have to interact within themselves and start making a report which will have to be presented on the last day of the event. We are also looking at improving their communication skills, co-ordination and adaptability,” says G Krishna Rao, Director, Planning and Production, RCI.

Currently, Team YSM is scrutinising innovative ideas, out of which six will be given a 10-minute slot to make presentations, while the rest will go into the poster segment. “Observers will note the ideas which can be of used for DRDO's futuristic development. We are also making our chief controllers available for the youngsters during YSM,” Rao said.

Missile Man Dr A P J Abdul Kalam will officially release the YSM logo during his visit to RCI on December 9. “The YSM has drawn tonnes of inspiration from Dr Kalam. His thoughts and ideas are leading lights to all of us and we are delighted to implement his vision during YSM,” says Anil Kumar Meena, a young RCI scientist from Rajasthan.

(Copyright@The New Indian Express)

An Outstanding Scientist (OS) in DRDO at 48!

Future Perfect: G. Satheesh Reddy, DRDO's young missile scientist.

Are we witnessing the impact of HR reforms in DRDO, following the revamp announced by A.K. Antony in 2009? Insiders say that the much-needed change is slowly setting in. Result: Youngsters are getting their due, finally.

As a result, a promising missile scientist from RCI -- G. Satheesh Reddy -- is being promoted as an Outstanding Scientist (OS), recently. While there are many in DRDO with the OS status, what makes this promotion unique is the fact that Satheesh is only 48, thereby making him probably the youngest scientist to get the coveted OS status.

His technological achievements, eminence and innovative applications of engineering gave him the rare distinction to pick up this rare honor at the age of 48 years. He was earlier conferred with DRDO Scientist of the Year Award in 2010 and also the Fellowship of Indian National Academy of Engineering Fellowship (FNAE).

He has already made remarkable contributions towards indigenous design, development and production of advanced Navigation Systems for various defence applications. Insiders in DRDO say that the man has been playing a leading role in giving youngsters exposure to some of the most critical programs. "Satheesh has worked with Dr Kalam and was fortunate enough to have watched his working style from very close quarters. It is a good sign that DRDO is recognizing the talent of the second and third line of leaders. This will certainly help check the brain drain to a great extent," say sources.