Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment to
begin trials of Bharat Power Pack on Arjun Prototype
CVRDE that has been developing a 1,500-horsepower indigenous Bharat Power Pack engine for India’s future main battle tank since 2010 onwards now plans to test the engine after integrating it with one of the older Arjun MBT Prototype after completion of various ground based trials of the main engine along with the Turbocharger that was developed by GTRE sometime in next year.
Bharat power pack will also replace the current 1,400 horsepower
Euro Power Pack based on an MTU Series 880 engine acquired from Germany for the
Arjun Mk1 and Mk1A Main Battle Tanks series that are in production or in the
active service. Bharat power pack engine comes with transmission and includes a
cooling system, air filtration, preheater, Turbo charger, electrical system,
and power management and can be further customized for desert or high-altitude
operations depending on the user requirements.
Bharat power pack is a compact, light, efficient, state of the
art, purpose-built diesel engine that runs on DHPP high speed diesel A with 50
ppm BS-IV that allows it to operate at altitudes of up to 16,400 feet and
temperatures as low as -20° Celsius and as high as 52° Celsius. Bharat power
pack with ECU changes can also be used on the amphibious vehicle and can also
be adapted to power the next generation infantry fighting vehicle.
Bharat power pack has a wet weight of 2,200 kg (Including
Coolant /Oil) that makes it a little heavier than other modern power packs that
are usually around 2000kg for the same horsepower (HP) generation but the
production variant will likely see reduced weight after several improvements
that are being planned before it enters production, idrw.org was told that for
a 50-tons future main battle tank (FMBT) that it plans to power, the weight
won’t be an issue. Bharat power pack is also two-thirds the size of the MTU
Series 880 engine used to power Arjun MBTs thus can fit in smaller compact
space.
ITCM to be tested tomorrow, Program enters Crucial junction
DRDO is all set to test long troubled Indigenous Technology
Cruise Missile ITCM, a derivative of Nirbhay Cruise Missile with the
indigenously developed Manik engine for the first time for a range of 750 kilometers
from the Integrated Test Range tomorrow if weather permits even though launch
window has been kept open from October 6th to 8th.
ITCM is an all-weather, subsonic cruise missile that was
earlier called Nirbhay that has been under development for the last decade and
saw limited success and were inducted in limited numbers due to warlike
situation on the Line of Actual Control last year with China.
ITCM is called as an improved variant of Nirbhay that now
features indigenously developed engine, propulsion, and navigation systems.
Clearance and success of the Land variant of ITCM will clear the path for the
development of the Naval and Air Force variant of ITCM that already has been
under development.
Nirbhay Program had to be relaunched as ITCM Program after it
failed to fix all the technical issues of the missile. ITCM and its predecessor
Nirbhay has been trouble maker for DRDO after seeing the long success with
indigenous missile programs that has made India self-sufficient in missile
technology. ITCM program already has seen two recent failures. The program is
now at the crucial junction, any more failure might see the program put under
fresh reviews and risks being closed down.
Indian Airforce gives glimpse of stealth cruise missile on
Rafale?
Ever since the Narendra Modi government first announced its
decision to buy 36 Dassault Rafale fighters from France in 2015, much has been
written on what capabilities the aircraft will bring the Indian Airforce. In
addition to its highly advanced radar and sensors, the Rafale brings the Indian
Air Force a new generation of air to air and air to surface weapons. Prominent
among the air to surface weapons is the Scalp cruise missile.
On Monday, the Indian Airforce tweeted rare images of a Rafale
carrying the Scalp cruise missile. Giving the caption “When you know how to be
Smart and Pretty—Ways of the World”, the Indian Airforce shared images of a Rafale
and a Netra airborne early warning aircraft firing flares, which are used to
distract infrared homing air to air or surface to air missiles. Three of the
images showed a Rafale carrying what appeared to be a Scalp missile on its centreline
pylon.
The aircraft was also carrying two external fuel tanks and
what appeared to be four MICA air to air missiles.
Last Chance for India to Grab UK’s Retired C-130J
Royal Air Force UK is set to retire its entire fleet of
Lockheed Martin C-130J tactical transport aircrafts by 2023. Numbering at 14
these tactical lift aircrafts represent an attractive proposition for any second-hand
buyers especially India.
These 14 C-130J aircrafts were the latest and newest stretch
variants of new generation C-130 aircrafts in its inventory, and these were set
to be in service till 2035 at least. Most importantly these 14 aircraft have
been upgraded in a US $10 million for Centre Wingbox Replacement Programme.
If India buys these 14 C-130J and upgrades them as per
requirement of Indian Airforce these aircraft could be well used for next 20
years at least for tactical airlift. IAF has 12 C-130J Super Hercules and is
planning to buy more. if these 14 are bought from RAF, then IAF inventory will
touch 32 C-130J.
Light Utility Helicopter back in Ladakh before delivery starts
in 2022
The fourth Prototype of Indigenous light utility helicopter LUH
is back at the Daulat Beg Oldie DBO airstrip near China to demonstrate its high-altitude
operations capacity this time with an extended Tail Rotor that will inch it
towards the Final Operational Clearance after it received the Initial
Operational Clearance from the Indian Army earlier this year.
Army Aviation Corps had requested HAL for an extended Tail
Rotor for the Army version in the Final Operational Clearance variant that will
go under production soon and delivery planned by end of next year, HAL plans to
deliver 6 LUH each for Army and Airforce by end of 2022.
The LUH is a 3 tons class new generation single engine
helicopter indigenously designed and developed by the Rotary Wing Research and
Design Centre of HAL with features suitable for operations in the diverse
operating conditions unique to India. The LUH will replace the aging fleet of
Cheetah & Chetak helicopters operated by the Services.
The LUH is powered by a single turboshaft engine Ardiden 1U
with Dual-channel FADEC (full authority digital engine control) from Safran
Helicopter Engine (SHE) that will be replaced in near future by Hindustan Turbo
Shaft Engine (HTSE-1200) engine developed by HAL.
