AMCA Engines, Indigenous IRST Manufacturing, VLS vs Navy's STLCM Missile, Rudram-3 Hypersonic or Ballistic?

HAL and BEL to manufacture IRST system for Su-30MKI in a Joint Venture

HAL & Bharat Electronics signed a deal for manufacturing of indigenous infrared search & tracking system for Su-30MKI under Make In India initiative. The long range dual band IRST will replace older Russian OLS IRST system being used in Sukhoi-30MKI.

The IRST will provide target tracking in the air & on the ground, through its camera, infrared & laser sensors, This will help pilot to track enemy assets and destroy them using pin point accuracy, it will in turn enhance the superiority of Indian Airforce.

India to choose 6^th generation engines for its future fighter jets

 French Safran recently offered to develop a 125kN thrust class engine for India’s ambitious fifth generation fighter jet AMCA, but UK also offered the co-development of new engines for AMCA after recent visit of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Now it is up to India, whether they want to go for French Safran Engines or UK’s Tempest Engines for its AMCA Fighter Jet.

Rolls-Royce & Safran are busy in developing a 6^th generation engines for FCAS & TEMPEST Fighter Jets, Next generation Engines require 120 to 145kN thrust with an afterburner with embedded electrical starter generator, that will maintain the power load of the 6th generation fighter jets.

If deal is finalised & transfer of technology is done, then this engine will not only be used in AMCA jets but it will certainly be used in Tejas MK2 jets & Navy’s TEDBF Program in coming future.

India to fast track its submarine torpedo launched cruise missile program

 Navy is planning to drop VLS for Project-75I & instead Navy wants to use submarine torpedo launched cruise missiles with 1500 kilometers range which can later on be used in Kalvari class submarines too, Navy has decide to go for Submarine Torpedo Cruise Missiles instead of VLS because right now there is not enough Brahmos Missiles with 450+ kilometers range, most of them are under development specially 800+ & 1500 kms range hypersonic Brahmos Missiles.

Submarine torpedo launched missiles will come in two variants: Anti Ship Variant STLCM with autonomous terminal guidance Radio Frequency seeker and 2^nd being  Land Attack STLCM with Electro Optical seeker with a sea skimming for avoiding detection by enemy radars and sensors.

Drdo will soon start testing of the ejection module of the SLCM, Navy along with DRDO will use Kalvari Submarines for initial tests, SLCM are used to eject missiles & help submarines in getting edge over enemy by remaining out of its range & detection.

Rudram-III : Is it an Air launched ballistic missile or Hypersonic missile?

Few weeks ago, schematic diagram of Rudram-III was made public, after which there were huge speculations on whether Rudram-III is a Ballistic Missile or it is actually a Hypersonic Missile, Hypersonic missiles travels at Mach 5 speed but Rudram-III can’t be termed as Hypersonic Missile even though it can attain a hypersonic speed as well.

Rudram-III has a Quasi-Ballistic flight which help it in achieving hypersonic speed and in turn helps the missile getting undetected by enemy radars, After the launch of the Rudram-III Missile, its single stage booster speeds up its velocity even more & second stage dual pulse motor helps missile in achieving low hypersonic velocity in final terminal stage of the missile.

Rudram-III if launched from Air such as from Fighter jets such as Sukhoi-30MKI makes it more unpredictable & undetectable than if it is launched from ground platforms, still it can’t be classified as Hypersonic Missiles of the category that many countries of the world are currently testing their hypersonic weapons.