BENGALURU: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is working on equipping the proposed Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) with fifth generation features like stealth and supercruise.
Speaking at a curtain raiser for the 10th Aero India seminar, K Tamilmani, distinguished scientist & director general (aeronautics) at DRDO, said they will also consider a more powerful engine for the aircraft as the existing one may not be able to power the plane’s advanced requirements.
He said the organisation would be developing different versions of the cruise missile Nirbhay, including a low-altitude launch version for the Navy.
DRDO is also looking to build a rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for the Navy which has applications like sea surveillance. This could also have civil applications like traffic management, he added. But the challenge in this project was to build smart systems that would enable the UAV to land on a moving ship.
A 20-member team is working on the project, which is expected to take off in the next 5-6 years, Tamilmani said. “We are going to launch in future a high-altitude UAV called HALE which will fly much longer,” he said. “With the technology generated through all these programmes I think India has now matured in terms of technology,” he said, adding that the DRDO was also looking at engaging the private sector.
Organisation Lost Over 200 Scientists
DRDO downplayed the recent exits from the organisation, including the removal of its chief Avinash Chander last month. Tamilmani said the opportunities in DRDO are as attractive as those in similar private firms, and that only 35 people left the organisation last year.
DRDO has over 7,500 scientists, and in the last few years, it has lost over 200 scientists in grade B and C, putting it under severe pressure to hire more people.
Su-30, LCA Simulators at Air show
Top officials of DRDO said there would be Su-30 (Sukhoi-30) simulators and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) simulators at their stalls in Aero India 2015. One of the LCA (MK-II) simulators would be for general public viewing while another LCA MKIII simulator will be reserved for pilots and VIPs visiting the stall.