The Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defence, Government of India is currently working on the development of an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), a new concept in military operations, according to P. Sivakumar, Scientist `H’, Director, CVRDE.
Talking to newspersons on the sidelines of InoVIT 2015, the State Level Science Contest for School Children on the VIT University campus here on Saturday, Dr. Sivakumar said that the UGV would be capable of carrying out surveillance and mine detection, besides operating in nuclear and bio-chemical area.
“We are developing the technologies and have completed all trials. We are asking the Army what it wants”, he said.
The CVRDE Director further added that the DRDO is in the process of developing indigenous technology for Army tanks, repair vehicles and surveillance.
Self-propelled gun
One of the semi-indigenous equipments developed recently by the DRDO is the Arjun Catapult, a self-propelled gun which can fire an object at a distance of 27 km. This has been developed by integrating an imported Russian gun on the chassis of the Arjun Main Battle Tank (MBT) Mark-I. Forty such guns are to be developed by the DRDO, he said.
The DRDO has also developed a totally indigenous Carrier Command Post Track (CCPT) vehicle which provides details about a firing operation.
Work is to be commenced soon on an indigenous Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle (ARRV) which is to be developed in association with the Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), Bangalore. This vehicle will go and carry out the necessary repairs whenever a military tank develops snag and is struck somewhere.
Dr. Sivakumar said that the DRDO has formulated the plan for the Next Generation Main Battle Tank. It is currently in the process of developing the engine, active and protective systems, electrical and control systems, and the technology for the tank. “If the Army gives its quality requirements, we will go ahead and develop the prototype”, he said.
Asked about the progress in the development of Arjun MBT Mk-II, the DRDO official said that following the pointing out of shortcomings in its features, 53 improvements were made in the design in the first year of the development of the tank, and 85 improvements in the second year.
The maximum trial is over. Following a problem in the missile, the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune developed an indigenous missile, and the Army has approved it in principle.
The quality evaluation by the Directorate General of Quality Assurance is going on, while the maintenance evaluation has started. The entire evaluation would be completed within six to nine months, he said.
