DRDO multi-calibreguns undergoing trials: VijayKumar Saraswat

[ILLUMINATO]

DRDO is developing
'multi-calibre guns' which can
load and fire both small and
large bullets to meet the
requirements of Army, a top
official said today. ".. the Army is to now go for a
different variety of guns and
ammunition. So, they are
planning to go for, what is
called, multi-barrel guns... and
that we are doing already," DRDO chief Vijay Kumar
Saraswat told reporters here. The guns were being
developed by DRDO's lab at
Aerial Delivery Research &
Development Establishment
Armament in Pune and they
were "undergoing trials," he said after inaugurating 'DRDO
Research and Innovation
Centre,' its collaboration with
Indian Institute of Technology-
Madras (IIT-M). He said the proposed Defence
Technology Commission (DTC)
was under the government's
consideration. "Lot of
discussions have taken place in
the constitution, empowerment and as well as
the functions of this
commission. And it is awaiting
the approval from the
government. So, as soon as the
approval comes, we will institute it," he said. DTC's basic role will be to
increase the self- reliance index
(SRI) in defence technology in
the country and to create a
synergy between production,
R&D and delivery of the systems to the user in a timely
and cost effective manner,
Saraswat, the Scientific Advisor
to the Defence Minister, said. To a query on the marketing
arm of DRDO, he said, "We have
already constituted its
functionalities and the charter.
It will have some parity with
the Antrix. But it will have some differences also, because
we have a very large user in
terms of the armed forces,
whereas Antrix has users who
are civilians. So, there will be
some differences." He said that some of DRDO's
commercial items were facing
competition from the
marketing efforts of multi
national companies in the field. "..the companies which got the
technology from DRDO do not
have the same amount of
resources for marketing. So,
now that is one big handicap
for the product," he said.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

I knew the prototype is out there. I doubt it'll get produced, but I just wanna see a pic.

 

[BlueDot_in_Space]

I knew the prototype is out there. I doubt it'll get produced, but I just wanna see a pic.

I hope it is produced, if not for the army, then para military, cisf, police, coast guard etc.

 

[Skull and Bones]

Is it going to be this?

 

[Tangent]

...why does DRDO 'leaks' this type of news when the armed forces get to brink of frustation and seek overseas vendors.
Why didn't they proposed this when every kid in the planet knew that IA is not very happy with INSAS? Why didn't they provide the 'expertise' then ??

 

[Paan Singh]

DODO must be scrapped and private sector must be in

 

[Abingdonboy]

I'd like to atleast see a pic of the prototype and not the same old blurry pic taken from a tiny displahy at some defence expo years ago.



I really don't understand why there is so much secrecy wrt the entire F-INSAS program, I have spoken to some of my freinds/sources in this field and they tell me there is an iron veil over the entire project with outsiders being kept as far away as possible. There is surely no need for such secrecy.



And it will be interesting what happend with this rifle as the IA is already at the closing stages of selecting a next-gen foreing AR that will start arriving early in 2014.

 

[Sergi]

Mr. Saraswat need to take some rest. Guy is talking too toooo much.

We know about the prototype since 4/5 years. If that multi caliber would have been anywhere near final product Army would not have flotted the RFI for new Multiclaiber assault rifle.

 

[EzioAltaïr]

The only way that this news can make sense (with regard to the earlier news of 5 overseas vendors), is if the media conveniently avoided the mention of DRDO as a participant in the trials (unlikely, but still, food for thought).

DRDO is developing
'multi-calibre guns' which can
load and fire both small and
large bullets to meet the
requirements of Army, a top
official said today. ".. the Army is to now go for a
different variety of guns and
ammunition. So, they are
planning to go for, what is
called, multi-barrel guns... and
that we are doing already," DRDO chief Vijay Kumar
Saraswat told reporters here. The guns were being
developed by DRDO's lab at
Aerial Delivery Research &
Development Establishment
Armament in Pune and they
were "undergoing trials," he said after inaugurating 'DRDO
Research and Innovation
Centre,' its collaboration with
Indian Institute of Technology-
Madras (IIT-M). He said the proposed Defence
Technology Commission (DTC)
was under the government's
consideration. "Lot of
discussions have taken place in
the constitution, empowerment and as well as
the functions of this
commission. And it is awaiting
the approval from the
government. So, as soon as the
approval comes, we will institute it," he said. DTC's basic role will be to
increase the self- reliance index
(SRI) in defence technology in
the country and to create a
synergy between production,
R&D and delivery of the systems to the user in a timely
and cost effective manner,
Saraswat, the Scientific Advisor
to the Defence Minister, said. To a query on the marketing
arm of DRDO, he said, "We have
already constituted its
functionalities and the charter.
It will have some parity with
the Antrix. But it will have some differences also, because
we have a very large user in
terms of the armed forces,
whereas Antrix has users who
are civilians. So, there will be
some differences." He said that some of DRDO's
commercial items were facing
competition from the
marketing efforts of multi
national companies in the field. "..the companies which got the
technology from DRDO do not
have the same amount of
resources for marketing. So,
now that is one big handicap
for the product," he said.

Use Space Bar and Enter once in a while.

 

[skysthelimit]

Question
Is there significant difference in range & stopping power between the 7.62 and 5.56 mm cartridges that it makes sense to go to all this rigmarole for a multi-calibre rifle? I mean, to switch between the two, the soldier will have to field strip his rifle - how often are they likely to have such an urgent requirement for a higher/lower calibre gun?

 

[EzioAltaïr]

Question
Is there significant difference in range & stopping power between the 7.62 and 5.56 mm cartridges that it makes sense to go to all this rigmarole for a multi-calibre rifle? I mean, to switch between the two, the soldier will have to field strip his rifle - how often are they likely to have such an urgent requirement for a higher/lower calibre gun?

Yes, there are significant differences.

No, he won't field strip the rifle. The rifle will be customised prior to the mission. If the soldier is going outduring a conventional war, he'll carry 5.56mm version, for CoIn he'll carry 7.62 version. If the mission is a mix of both, he may either carry the 6.8/6.5mm, or the squad will have a mix of 7.62 and 5.56. No soldier will have to field-strip his rifle.

 

[skysthelimit]

Yes, there are significant differences.

No, he won't field strip the rifle. The rifle will be customised prior to the mission. If the soldier is going outduring a conventional war, he'll carry 5.56mm version, for CoIn he'll carry 7.62 version. If the mission is a mix of both, he may either carry the 6.8/6.5mm, or the squad will have a mix of 7.62 and 5.56. No soldier will have to field-strip his rifle.

But won't it be cheaper to have 2 different rifles instead of having one with interchangeable barrels?

And why do we need a higher calibre for Counter-Insurgency ops?

 

[EzioAltaïr]

But won't it be cheaper to have 2 different rifles instead of having one with interchangeable barrels?

Like what we have right now? Ak-47s and INSAS? AFAIK, the guns are quite different, and aren't compatible with each other. Meaning if a soldier needs 5.56 he needs and INSAS, and 7.62 he needs an AK. The IA will have to buy 2 different guns for each soldier.

With one type of gun firing multiple rounds, they buy one gun per soldier, and various barrels. So the multi-caliber solution is cheaper.

And why do we need a higher calibre for Counter-Insurgency ops?

5.56 was designed to injure not kill. An injury causes demoralisation, burden on enemy's money and medical supplies, and enemies are busy evacuating the injured.

Because of those reasons, countries like India, USA, UK, etc jumped at the 5.56mm option and adopted it quickly.

But India's main enemy right now is terrorists and militants, who don't care if they die or live, injure or not, etc. So 7.62 for CT and CoIn Ops.

 

[subincb]

The problem is not with DRDO, the army doesn't request for developing arms. even after DRDO develops army changes requirement to what is available outside India. DRDO cannot make after RFI or RFP is out. Army should be made accountable for not making GSQR in time like the BMP replacement. And if DRDO is not developing in time after GSQR and required time then some heads should roll in DRDO

 

[EzioAltaïr]

The problem is not with DRDO, the army doesn't request for developing arms. even after DRDO develops army changes requirement to what is available outside India. DRDO cannot make after RFI or RFP is out. Army should be made accountable for not making GSQR in time like the BMP replacement. And if DRDO is not developing in time after GSQR and required time then some heads should roll in DRDO

The problems with everyone. DRDO for announcing stuff, and delaying it for months, years, etc.

The army, for not trying to work with DRDO, like choosing to use the basic the INSAS model and criticising it, instead of using the upgraded ones a try, saying there's problem but not upgrading GSQR, etc.