Arms manufacturing has reached to a new height this year. Several new private firms are getting into the manufacturing field and government owed firms have also given some remarkable weapons and arms to the Armed Forces. Make in India initiative has left a deep impact over the defence field.
DRDO has been listed on the top of several arms manufacturing firms. It has been in the arms manufacturing for many years and has given some of the best arms to Indian Armed Forces. DRDO has given some best arms this year, which are as follows.
- NAG Anti-Tank Missile – The missile is manufactured by DRDO under Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme. The missile cleared final developmental trails in Indian army and has been sent for mass manufacturing. The missile can be fired from its carrier or Dhruv or LCA helicopter. The range of the missile is 4 kms on land and up to 10 kms in the air version.
- Varunastra Torpedo – Another hit by the DRDO, it is manufactured for the Indian navy. It is an anti-submarine torpedo, which can run at a speed of 40 knots having operational range of 40kms. Varunastra Torpedo is inducted in the Indian navy in June this year, having 95% indigenous material. It can be fired form Rajput and Delhi class destroyers and all future destroyers.
- HAL Tejas – HAL Tejas is also named as Light Combat Aircraft. It is manufactured jointly by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and ADA, which is a branch of DRDO. The project of aircraft manufacturing was initiated in 1980s, but the delay extended the project. The aircraft can carry out many functions and a squadron of it has been inducted in the Indian Air Force.
- MRSAM – Medium Range Surface to Air Missile is the missile made by a joint venture of the India and Israel and is expected to enter the services in 2017. The missile was successfully tested in June 2016. The main aim of the manufacturing the missile is to avert all kinds of incoming Arial threats in the medium range.
- BARAK -8 – A joint project of Israel Aeronautics Industries and DRDO manufactured Long Range Surface to Air Missile. The missile is capable of targeting and destroying aircrafts, UAVs, anti-ship missiles and cruise missiles. The missile has a flight ceiling of 16 kms and can attain a speed of 2 mach. The trails of the missile have been reported to be completed in December this year.
- Rustom 2 – UAV Rustam II is the enhanced version of the Rustam UAV. It is Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV produced by DRDO. It has a range of 1000 kms and can attain a speed of the 225 kmph. It has endurance time of 24 hours and can perform surveillance operation along with carrying weapons on the flight.
Conclusion
This year was very crucial for the technology enhancement, digitisation and modernisation. Apart from DRDO, many other firms have given their best in manufacturing arms. ISRO, HAL etc. have raised the name of India on international platform for releasing some of the best technologies. The indigenous manufacturing has also attracted several foreign companies to work in joint venture with Indian firms or arms manufacturing firm to set up their manufacturing unit In India. The way is bright ahead and will bolster India’s military power.
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