IAF backed BrahMos-NG program draws attention of many countries

BrahMos Aerospace Russian Indian joint venture has started groundwork on development of BrahMos-NG cruise missile after it identified land for new proposed plant near Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India for the new missile production that will enter trial by end of 2023 but is already getting attention from many rivals and friendly countries who are keen on monitoring the process of the programs.

Indian Air Force is the sole backer of the program that will see the first supersonic cruise missile in the segment that can hit Mach 3.5 speeds at the same time can be adapted on all platforms without any requirement for structural modifications or strengthening of the launch platform which has caught attention of many countries with few countries keen on getting more information on the program.

BrahMos-NG program caught the attention of few countries even when it was just at the concept stage since it can be adapted to existing fighter jets. Earlier this year Tejas mock up aircraft was displayed with two BrahMos-NG missiles at Aero India 2021 showing what Mini BrahMos could do.

IAF already has operationalised BrahMos-A which is a 2.5 tons cruise missile but it requires structural modifications on Sukhoi-30MKI due to which it has limited export.

1.5 tons BrahMos-NG offers flexibility to be adapted on any platform and can pack enough punch due to its Mach 3.5 speed and kynetic energy to destroy heavily fortified land targets or a 3000-6000 tons warship that many South Asian countries have been sending feelers to India even before it was ready for trials.

BrahMos-NG is a category first after BrahMos-A to offer over Mach 3 speeds in Air Launched Cruise Missile segment and BrahMos-NG has potential to disturb Sub Sonic Air Launched cruise missile market that is vulnerable to intercept by Modern air defense system that’s what makes BrahMos-NG more exciting and interesting to many countries.

Government of India to take a call on Private Players entry in UAV domain soon

After awarding orders worth crores to Indian private startup companies for swarm and cargo drones including for the anti-drone technologies, a panel formed by the Government of India is looking into requests made by several private sector companies that may allow companies to enter High or Medium Altitude Long Endurance (HALE or MALE) class of unmanned aerial vehicle program that till now as being exclusively remained with the public sector companies in the country.

Government of India and Ministry of Defence Panels believes that most of the technologies required for developing a fleet of MALE and HALE Class UAVs already exists in the country and access to the technology to the private companies through Transfer of Technology will come as a major boost to the non-existing locally manufactured UAVs in the country that still depends on imported UAVs from Israel and the United States for its security needs.

Larsen & Toubro, Tata Advanced Systems, and NewSpace have proposed several UAV programs that could get a central nod in the next few years including some of the ambitious programs like that of the Unmanned wingman concept and solar electric stratospheric Unmanned Aerial System. Clearance for the development of Smaller Kamakazi suicide drones is already underway and development is progressing well.

Rolls Royce Flies World’s ‘Fastest Electric Aircraft’ Marks Big Milestone In Aviation Industry

Rolls Royce’s fully electric plane, ‘Spirit of Innovation’, has completed its maiden flight. The company had announced this aircraft in 2019 as part of the Accelerating the Electrification of Flight program, an initiative partly funded by the UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute and government.

This all-electric aircraft is a major breakthrough in the aviation industry, which would fully eliminate the use of fossil fuel in air transport.

The Spirit of Innovation is designed in a way that it is capable of achieving maximum energy efficiency. It has a single electric motor rated at 400 kilowatts, which is powered by the highest power density battery pack ever assembled for an aircraft.

Owing to these characteristics, the aircraft can reach a speed of up to 482 kilometers per hour. For this reason, Rolls Royce claims that this is the fastest electric plane in the world. Rolls Royce also plans to develop this technology to create a larger aircraft with an electric propulsion system, which can be used to transport passengers.