DRDO DEVELOPS NEW LASER WEPONS FOR INDIA

India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed a laser-based weapon that will impair vision temporarily to control unruly crowds such as Kashmir’s stone-throwing mobs. The non-lethal military gadget would be supplied to para-military forces in Jammu and Kashmir within three months, a senior DRDO official said.

When turned on, the gadget, called laser dazzler, sends out radiation to immobilise individuals or crowds without causing permanent injury. The green rays can throw a wave of agony nearly 250 metres away.

AK Maini, who heads the DRDO’s Laser Science and Technology Centre, told HT hand-held laser dazzlers with a range of 50 metres would be supplied to paramilitary forces by October for feedback on performance.

He said a vehicle-mounted weapon system for engaging mobs at nearly 250 metres would be ready by the end of next year. What makes the laser effective is that it doesn’t have to be aimed and shot, it moves like a large circle with a spread of almost 20 metres. It will allow security forces to disperse crowds without inflicting life-threatening injury. Maini said the system was different from Western gadgets that employed millimetre wave technology to repel crowds by targeting different parts of the body.


He explained, “It’s not a stun gun. The laser dazzler targets only the eyes. It could be the perfect solution to de-escalate aggression such as the kind caused by Kashmir’s stone-throwing mobs.”

The DRDO is also working on a laser-based ordnance disposal system to detonate explosives from a safe standoff distance. Also in the pipeline are vehicle and airborne laser systems to engage hostile targets such as aircraft and missiles. These technologies may take up to two years to mature. (From hindustantimes)

Move aside Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, India's DRDO is trying to develop its own set of Star Wars-like weapons. From laser dazzlers to control rioting crowds to high-powered lasers to destroy incoming missiles, DRDO is working on a slew of directed energy weapons (DEWs).

"Lasers are weapons of the future. We can, for instance, use laser beams to shoot down an enemy missile in its boost or terminal phase,'' said DRDO's Laser Science & Technology Centre (LASTEC) director Anil Kumar Maini, talking to TOI on Monday.

Incidentally, DRDO chief V K Saraswat himself has identified DEWs, along with space security, cyber-security and hypersonic vehicles, as focus areas in the years ahead. "LASTEC has the mandate to develop DEWs for armed forces,'' said DRDO's chief controller (electronics & computer sciences) R Sreehari Rao.

While conventional weapons use kinetic or chemical energy of missiles or other projectiles to destroy targets, DEWs decimate them by bombarding with subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves at the speed of sound. Apart from the speed-of-light delivery, laser DEWs cause minimal collateral damage.

DRDO, of course, often promises much more than it can deliver. But even the defence ministry's recent "technology perspective and capability roadmap'' identifies DEWs and ASAT (anti-satellite) weapons as thrust areas over the next 15 years, as was first reported by TOI.

The aim is to develop laser-based weapons, deployed on airborne as well as seaborne platforms, which can intercept missiles soon after they are launched towards India in the boost phase itself. These will be part of the fledgling ballistic missile defence system being currently developed by DRDO.

The US, incidentally, is already conducting tests of high-powered laser weapons on a modified 747 jumbo jet, the ALTB (airborne laser testbed), which direct lethal amounts of directed energy to destroy ballistic missiles during their boost phase.

It will, of course, take India several years to even conduct such tests. For now, LASTEC is developing "a 25-kilowatt'' laser system to hit a missile during its terminal phase at a distance of 5-7 km. "All you need is to heat the missile skin to 200-300 degree and the warhead inside will detonate,'' said Maini.

LASTEC is also working on a vehicle-mounted "gas dynamic laser-based DEW system'', under project Aditya, which should be ready in three years. "But Aditya is just a technology demonstrator to prove beam control technology. Ultimately, we have to develop solid-state lasers,'' said Maini. (From Times of India)

According to some military experts, the overall level of India's laser weapons is still at the early stage. The laser-based weapon "laser dazzler" emerged in the 1980s, which were used to spot snipers and impair their vision. China also displayed its T-99 tanks with a laser-based system in its 50th anniversary military parade in 1999, which is said to be capable of impairing tank aimers' vision over one thousand meters away and causing possible damage to tanks' aiming system.

Military experts also point out US and former Soviet Union conducted experiments of the laser anti-ballistic missile technology during the Cold-War era.The current laser anti-ballistic technology of US ranks the leading position in the world. Meanwhile, US and Russia have shifted their focus to solid-state directed energy weapons with higher effectiveness, smaller size and lighter weight.

DRDO'S LASER WEPONS FOR INDIAN DEFENCES

The state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has unveiled its futuristic technology plans which involve high-powered lasers for combating incoming missiles as well as other areas of homeland security.

The DRDO’s Laser Science & Technology Centre (LASTEC) has indicated that it has been developing Directed Energy Weapons (DEWS) for the Indian Armed Forces and that it will be a crucial exercise along with space security, cyber-security and hypersonic vehicles.” LASTEC has the mandate to develop DEWs for armed forces,” said DRDO’s chief controller (electronics & computer sciences) R Sreehari Rao.

XDRDO’s LASTEC is building up these technologies to compliment the efforts of the Indian Armed Forces to modernise themselves and achieve their future technology roadmap. The idea is to develop laser-based weapons, deployed on airborne as well as seaborne platforms, which can intercept missiles soon after they are launched towards India in the boost phase itself.

Elaborating on the potential of DEWS, LASTEC indicated that while conventional weapons use kinetic or chemical energy of missiles or other projectiles to destroy targets, DEWs decimate them by bombarding with subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves at the speed of sound. The collateral damage is also reduced with this method.

These futuristic technologies will also be incorporated in the Ballistic Missile Defence system being pursued by India. While all these laser-based technologies will take time to develop and be deployed, the DRDO along with LASTEC has mapped out the future course of action in these areas.

Scientists at the DRDO’s LASTEC have already completed work on a hand-held version of the laser dazzler with a range of up to 50 meters and a 25 kilowatt laser system capable of destroying enemy missiles is estimated to be completed in five years time. However, given the poor performance of the DRDO in developing crucial equipment in time, it remains to be seen if the DRDO can actually deliver. The process will involve sourcing the raw materials for high-powered lasers, manufacturing the parts and perfecting radar tracking that will allow continuous focusing on a missile cone besides other critical factors.

For starters, LASTEC is ready with hand-held laser dazzlers to disorient adversaries without collateral damage with a 50-metre range. As for the DRDO LASTEC’s future “laser” agenda, it is developing crowd-control dazzlers mounted on vehicles to dispel rioting mobs with 250-metre range. This will take two more years.

Other crucial ventures include Laser-based ordnance disposal system, which can be used to neutralise IEDs and other explosives from a distance. The trials are expected in 18 months time. Besides that, there are air defence dazzlers to take on enemy aircraft and helicopters with 10 kilometres range and will be ready in 2 years.

Finally, there is a 25-kilowatt laser systems to destroy missiles during their terminal phase with 5 to 7 kilometres range and a 100-kilowatt solid-state laser systems, which will be mounted on aircraft and ships to destroy missiles in their boost phase itself. These two systems will take five years and ten years respectively to be ready.

LASTEC scientists are also working on a vehicle-mounted “gas dynamic laser-based DEW system” under Project Aditya but it will just be a technology demonstrator to prove beam control technology. The future will be solid-state lasers which are more efficient, smaller and lighter.

DRDO,S 84MM LIGHT WEGHT ANTI TANK SYSTEM

The antitank capability to the infantry is greatly provided by the shoulder fired 84 mm RL weapon. This however does not fully meet the man-portable requirement due to its excessive weight of 16.5 kg. This necessitated the development of a light-weight equipment for achieving ease of operation and man-portability without compromising on the existing capabilities.

Using state-of-the- art composite technology and light weight engineering material, DRDO has developed a light-weight weapon (84 mm Mk III) weighing only 10.5 kg and thereby achieving a weight reduction of six kg. The barrel has been made of ‘hoop over binding’ of carbon-epoxy composite over thin steel liner (rifled). Aluminium mounting brackets for the sighting system, firing mechanism and furnitures are attached to the barrel by winding with glass rovings. The brackets are positioned by use of special purpose machine.

Thus the technology of a composite gun barrel has been developed for the first time in the country. The Mk III weapon fires the existing in-service ammunition. The weapon has already been offered for user trials.

INDIA TEST AUTONOMUS UNMANNED ARIEL VEHILE(AURA)

Deep inside a non-descript building in Bangalore’s Vimanapura area, Indian military scientists are working hard to define the country’s first unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), one of India’s least known government-sponsored defence programmes. Still classified and “off the books”, the programme is steeped in conceptualizing a robotic drone aircraft that can autonomously seek, identify and destroy targets with on-board guided weapons.

According to information made available for the first time, the project has a typically evasive name – AURA, for Autonomous Unmanned Research Aircraft. But the working title of the drone aircraft itself leaves nothing to the imagination – Indian Unmanned Strike Aircraft Programme (IUSAP). In other words, a pilotless bomber.

The AURA programme is currently under the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), and led by aerospace scientist Biju Uthup, who has worked with the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Tejas) programme in several capacities. Sources reveal that the AURA team is currently conducting a detailed feasibility study of possible parameters under which the aircraft will finally be built. The plan is to develop the IUSAP as a tactical stealth aircraft built largely with composites, and capable of delivering laser-guided strike weapons.

Air Marshal (Retd) Tej Asthana, India’s first Strategic Forces commander says, “We must encourage the programme, and ensure that it stays as Indian as possible. We cannot import UCAVs. It is important for us to have a programme like this to get us in line with the best in the world.”

The AURA programme is, to be fair, still only a concept, and therefore well behind a large number of global combat drone programmes that are either fully operational or near, the most famous of them being the American MQ-1 Predator hunter-killer drone that has garnered a fearsome name for itself as America’s weapon of choice along the Durand Line.

“It would have been prudent if we had started a programme like this 20 years ago,” says Air Marshal (Retd) Padamjit Ahluwalia, who once headed the Air Force’s sword arm Western Air Command. “This is an aircraft that will use artificial intelligence for actual weapon delivery. It is a great thing that it is indigenous, because believe me, no country that has this technology will give it to us. We must make sure we get the sensors and weapons bang-on.”

The parameters of the IUSAP, like range, cruising altitude and sensor/weapon specifications are still unknown, and probably still undefined. Another element that will need thorough working out is the degree of autonomy such an aircraft can be given. For instance, all attack decisions on the American Predators operating in Pakistan are taken by ground controllers.

Former Air Force Chief, FH Major says, “We could have the finest autonomous pilotless vehicles. But that last minute decision to go for the target, abandon or reframe a mission will be difficult for a UCAV. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have huge scope.”

India currently operates unarmed Israel-built drones restricted to surveillance and intelligence-gathering duties, and has ordered a limited number of Harop loitering "kamikaze drones" from the same source. For the AURA programme, there are several challenges still ahead apart from the flying vehicle itself. These include on-board electronics, sensors, guidance systems, and of course, strike weapons that can be used on the platform.

With government funds to be spent on the AURA programme, there are seasoned skeptics as well. Former Air Force Chief, S Krishnaswamy, who flew combat missions in the 1965 Indo-Pak war, “Such research is definitely necessary, but the more we venture into unknown areas the greater the risk of time and cost overruns. We should ask ourselves if such a systems fits in with our requirement at this time. There should be safeguards to ensure it doesn’t turn into another joke like the Light Combat Aircraft.”

India’s premier defence agency DRDO is developing an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), which it has named ‘Aura’.

Three DRDO laboratories – the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), the Aeronautical Development Establishments (ADE) and the Defence Avionics and Research Establishment (DARE) – have joined hands to design and develop Aura.

The flight control system and data link packages of Aura will be designed and developed jointly by ADE and Defence Electronic Application Laboratory, Dehradun, according to Technology Focus, a bi-monthly journal published by DRDO.

The unmanned aircraft will fly at altitudes of 3,000 feet with payloads. It will have short take-off and landing capability on prepared runway, the journal said, elaborating on the combat drone’s key features.

Earlier in September, P S Subramanyam, project director and chief of ADA, had said that all technologies required for the UCAV had been identified, and the most important of them were its flying wing and stealth technology.

The combat drone, which will be able to detect and identify targets, and even fire weapons at them, will be controlled with command and control centres (CCC) spread across the country, DRDO Chief, V K Saraswat had revealed last year.

Meanwhile, the capability of the advanced Laser Guidance Bomb kit ‘Sudarshan’, which has been designed to improve the accuracy of air-to-ground bombing by Indian Air Force, has been enhanced.

“The development of the (LGB) kit has matured to the level of guiding the bomb within 10 m CEB (Circular Error Probability) from its otherwise 400 m to 1000 m fall-off the target.

“Indian Air Force has shown keen interest in buying hundreds of these kits. The extension of kit’s capability to further increase its range using global positioning system
(GPS) INS is going on,” the Technology Focus reports.