DRDO sanctions 7 new projects for key military assets to private sector

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India's premier defence research organisation DRDO has awarded seven new projects to private entities to develop key military assets including underwater launched unmanned aerial vehicle and long-range remotely operated systems.

The projects were cleared under the defence ministry's Technology Development Fund scheme to boost domestic defence manufacturing.

The project for underwater-launched unmanned aerial vehicles is aimed at developing versatile marine battlefield accessories which can be deployed in multiple combat roles, officials said.

The objective is part of a larger framework of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and maritime domain awareness (MDA), they said.

The project has been awarded to Sagar Defence Engineering Pvt Ltd, Pune, according to the defence ministry.

The other projects are development of ice detection sensor for aircraft, manufacturing of radar signal processor, long-range remotely-operated vehicles for detection and neutralisation of underwater objects The long-range remotely-operated vehicles will be dual-use systems that will enable detection, classification, localisation and neutralisation of underwater objects while keeping the key assets away from the suspected operational area, the ministry said.

The work has been awarded to a start-up, IROV Technologies Pvt Ltd, Kochi.

The other projects are development of radar signal processor with active antenna array simulator, development of Indian regional navigation satellite system-based timing acquisition and dissemination system and indigenous scenario and sensor simulation toolkit.

The toolkit project involves development of an indigenous system for simulator training of pilots in realistic scenarios. This will help in full mission planning and large force engagement, the ministry said.

The project has been awarded to start-up, Oxygen 2 Innovation Pvt Ltd, Noida.

"Providing impetus to Aatmanirbharta, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has awarded seven new projects to industries under the Technology Development Fund scheme for various requirements of the armed forces and aerospace and defence sectors," the ministry said.

"These project sanctions are a testimony to the continuing endeavour of DRDO in nurturing Industries, especially MSMEs & start-ups, in defence and aerospace domains," it said.

"The indigenous development of these technologies will strengthen the military industrial ecosystem," it said in a statement.