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DRDO, MBDA to Jointly Develop Maitri Quick Reaction Missile
Daily News & Updates
Dated 19/3/2007
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DRDO's premier missile laboratory - the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) - and European missile house MBDA will jointly develop a new-generation low-level, quick-reaction missile (LLQRM) system, known as 'Maitri', for the Indian Navy and Air Force.
The project is said to be worth $500 million and is to be signed in May between the Hyderabad-based DRDL and MBDA. It is retry to revive the work done under the unsuccessful Trishul LLQRM project, which had been all but scrapped last autumn following repeated rejections by Army and Air Force officials for failing to meet required parameters.
Scientists are preparing a feasibility study to launch the Maitri program, the formal clearance for which is expected to be given by the Defence Ministry in the next two months, DRDL sources said.
Defence Ministry sources here said the government is in talks with MBDA to finalize the development deal. They said that the DRDL in July persuaded the Defence Ministry to revive the Trishul work, and talks were held between Israel's Rafael and MBDA on a possible partnership.
French Embassy diplomats here would not comment on whether MBDA was collaborating on the Maitri project, but said France and India have cooperated on missile programs for decades.
A delegation from the French Defense Ministry, led by Francis Lureau, chief executive of French arms-procurement agency Délégation Générale pour l'Armement, will hold talks here this week with officials from the Defence Ministry and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Defence Ministry sources said the government wants to model the Maitri government-to-government research and development (R&D) partnership after the one formed with Russia for the BrahMos missile program, where the two governments guarantee the funding and pledge that technology is not transferred to a third country.
However, DRDL sources said the Indian government would fund the Maitri program. The R&D effort is expected to be completed in three years.
The plan calls for MBDA to develop the active homing-head system, thrust vector control systems and missiles, while the software, command-and-control system and system integration will be carried out by the DRDL.
DRDO scientists here said that another DRDO agency, the Electronics & Radar Development Establishment, Bangalore, will develop two indigenous radars for the Maitri project. These would be new-generation variants of 3-D central acquisition radars, which can track 150 targets simultaneously at a distance of 200 kilometers. The naval variant would be called the Revati and the Air Force version would be called Rohini.
DRDL scientists also said they will sign another pact with MBDA to develop a dedicated active seeker-head system for the indigenous Astra beyond-visual-range missile, which is being developed in Hyderabad.
http://www.india-defence.com/reports/2946
Daily News & Updates
Dated 19/3/2007
Printer Friendly Subscribe
DRDO's premier missile laboratory - the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) - and European missile house MBDA will jointly develop a new-generation low-level, quick-reaction missile (LLQRM) system, known as 'Maitri', for the Indian Navy and Air Force.
The project is said to be worth $500 million and is to be signed in May between the Hyderabad-based DRDL and MBDA. It is retry to revive the work done under the unsuccessful Trishul LLQRM project, which had been all but scrapped last autumn following repeated rejections by Army and Air Force officials for failing to meet required parameters.
Scientists are preparing a feasibility study to launch the Maitri program, the formal clearance for which is expected to be given by the Defence Ministry in the next two months, DRDL sources said.
Defence Ministry sources here said the government is in talks with MBDA to finalize the development deal. They said that the DRDL in July persuaded the Defence Ministry to revive the Trishul work, and talks were held between Israel's Rafael and MBDA on a possible partnership.
French Embassy diplomats here would not comment on whether MBDA was collaborating on the Maitri project, but said France and India have cooperated on missile programs for decades.
A delegation from the French Defense Ministry, led by Francis Lureau, chief executive of French arms-procurement agency Délégation Générale pour l'Armement, will hold talks here this week with officials from the Defence Ministry and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Defence Ministry sources said the government wants to model the Maitri government-to-government research and development (R&D) partnership after the one formed with Russia for the BrahMos missile program, where the two governments guarantee the funding and pledge that technology is not transferred to a third country.
However, DRDL sources said the Indian government would fund the Maitri program. The R&D effort is expected to be completed in three years.
The plan calls for MBDA to develop the active homing-head system, thrust vector control systems and missiles, while the software, command-and-control system and system integration will be carried out by the DRDL.
DRDO scientists here said that another DRDO agency, the Electronics & Radar Development Establishment, Bangalore, will develop two indigenous radars for the Maitri project. These would be new-generation variants of 3-D central acquisition radars, which can track 150 targets simultaneously at a distance of 200 kilometers. The naval variant would be called the Revati and the Air Force version would be called Rohini.
DRDL scientists also said they will sign another pact with MBDA to develop a dedicated active seeker-head system for the indigenous Astra beyond-visual-range missile, which is being developed in Hyderabad.
http://www.india-defence.com/reports/2946
