Indigenous defence units respond to innovation challenge; 22 projects in prototype development stage.

Drone kill system, software defined radio sets, infantry training weapon simulator, terminally guided munition and medium range precision kill system are five projects approved by Army for industry to design, develop and innovate solutions for making prototypes for each of them. An assurance of order will be given after successful prototype development by indigenous vendor, said the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

“Multiple measures to expedite the ongoing Make II projects (through indigenous industry) have resulted in tangible outcomes. 22 out of 43 Make II projects are now in prototype development stage, which is 66 per cent of projects by cost (₹18,000 crore out of ₹27,000 Crore),” the Ministry said. The Ministry informed that 17 out of 43 projects have been initiated through suo-moto proposals received from the industry, which has generated enthusiasm and confidence in the Indian defence industry for participation in the “Make procedure”.

The Army has issued project sanction order (PSO) for development of prototype of Frequency Man Packed Software Defined Radio (HFSDR) under Make II to 14 developing agencies as the force plans to procure 300 of radio sets for long distance communication and to replace existing HF sets, which have limited data handling capability and obsolete technology. State of the art, light weight HFSDR will facilitate blue force tracking with map-based navigation using GIS, thereby increasing real time situational awareness, said the Ministry.

The Ministry said that innovation of the drone kill system has been reserved for MSMEs and start-ups and PSO has been issued to 18 developing agencies for procurement of 35 sets under the Make II scheme. Drone Kill System, elaborated the MoD, is a hard kill anti drone system against low Radio Cross Section (RCS) Drone/ Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), being developed to function in all types of terrains, both during day and night.

HBL