DRDO Chairman G. Satheesh Reddy on Thursday stated that air-to-air missile Astra, Software Defined Radio, Pinaka munitions and Land Attack Cruise Missile are state-of-the-art systems developed by DRDO which can very well be utilised by the Indian armed forces to take on any adversary. After the Defence Acquisition Council’s approvals for defence systems, mainly made in India, worth Rs 3,9000 crore the DRDO Chief said, “Armed forces and industry will be immensely benefitted with the manufacturing of these indigenous systems.”
ASTRA
ASTRA is a Beyond Visual Range (BVR) class of Air-to-Air Missile (AAM) system designed to be mounted on fighter aircraft. The missile is designed to engage and destroy highly manoeuvring supersonic aircraft. The missile has all weather day and night capability. The missile is being developed in multiple variants to meet specific requirements. The ASTRA Mk-I Weapon System integrated with SU-30 Mk-I aircraft is being inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF).It can be launched in autonomous and buddy mode of operation with features for Lock-On-Before Launch (LOBL) and Lock-On After Launch (LOAL).
Software Defined Radio (SDR)
SDR is a secure indigenous system with legacy communication support and secure digital voice/data communication for naval application with 3 channel (2V/UHF band and 1HF band), 4-channel (2V/UHF band and 2L-band) for Tactical Communication and single channel operation in V/ UHF (Manpack role) and UHF band (Handheld role).
Pinaka
Pinaka is all weather, indirect fire, free flight artillery rocket system. It provides a unique capability to accurately deliver a devastatingly lethal and responsive fire against a variety of area targets such as exposed enemy troops, armored and soft skin vehicles, communication centers, air terminal complexes, fuel and ammunition dumps. The Pinaka weapon system consist of Rocket, Multi Barrel Rocket launcher, Battery Command Post, Loader cum Replenishment Vehicle, Replenishment Vehicle and Digicora MET Radar.
Long Range Land Atta ck Cruise Missile
Presently, lead in projects have developed, demonstrated and matured critical cruise missile technologies such as aerodynamic configuration, vertical launch using solid booster, thrust vector control system, booster separation, in-flight wing deployment, in-flight engine start and long range way-point navigation system. Seeker development and testing by DRDO laboratories are demonstrated and is at a high level of readiness. Thus, it is important to take up the proposed development of fully indigenous long range land attack cruise missile that greatly enhances the operational capability of services.