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Indias Rustom MALE UAV: A Step Forward - Or Back?
India has not been left out of the global UAV push. The country operates Israeli Searcher tactical UAVs, and Heron Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) UAVs, placing an additional Heron order in 2005. It has also undertaken development programs for a smaller UAV, the Nishant. With its Rustom program, however, India hopes to offer a UAV in the Heron/ Predator/ Watchkeeper class of MALE UAVs.
It had also hoped to begin to change a culture and tradition of wholly state-owned development of military hardware, which has not always performed well, or served Indias needs. A recent award has selected a winner, and moved the project forward. It may also serve as a reminder that bureaucracies are very difficult to change
Rustom translates as warrior, and may remind some readers of the great hero in Persias classic The Shah-nameh. Reports indicate that Indias UAV is named after a more contemporary personality, however: Rustom Damania, a former professor of IISc, Bangalore, who led the National Aeronautical Laboratories light canard research aircraft (LCRA) project in the 1980s. The LCRA is reportedly the initial basis for the DRDO ADEs 1,100-1,800 kg UAV design, which aims for a maximum altitude of 35,000 feet and a range of 300 km/ 240 miles.
In some ways, Rustoms naming is also a fine encapsulation of Indias defense industry struggles. Given the sensitive nature of defence projects, private firms have generally been limited to step-and-fetch roles as component suppliers or sub-contractors on projects designed and managed by state-owned agencies or firms such as DRDO, NAL, HAL, BEL, et. al. Many of those projects have fared poorly, leaving India with gaps in critical defense capabilities that then had to be filled by buying foreign equipment as a temporary measure. Which would frequently become permanent mainstays for Indias forces.
In 2002, India took the first steps toward changing its procurement model. It opened up defence equipment production to private sector companies, and even allowed up to 26% foreign direct investment in such ventures. In 2006, Indias DRDO Rethinking the Way it Does Business covered changes in government statements, and even grudging DRDO admissions that more private sector involvement was necessary, if Indias industry was to develop and deliver the equipment a rising power needs. Subsequent moves by the government on a number of fronts, from aircraft to tanks, are opening up a far larger role for global defense firms in supplying Indias needs.
The problem is that bureaucracies are entirely uninterested in changing their long-standing and comfortable models, especially if those changes promise reduced future roles for those bureaucracies. Domestic development remains largely the bailiwick of existing agencies and bureaucracies. In those competitions so far, Indian firms partnered with experienced foreign suppliers like Thales, IAI, et. al. continue to lose to state-owned Indian firms whose overall record in the sectors under competition is shallower, and arguably adds development risks to these projects.
That appears to have been the case with Rustom.
DRDO intended to move away from its traditional model of developing and finalizing the system itself, then handing the designs and technology over to a production agency. Instead, they would introduce concurrent engineering that involves the producing firm, and initial design efforts also take into consideration production issues. This production agency development partner (PADP) was whittled down from 23 firms to 4 finalists: Larsen and Toubro Ltd. (L&T), Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. and a joint bid from state-owned firms Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Bharat Electronics.
The accompanying maritime patrol radars and electro-optical systems were expected to come from Israel, whose systems equip current UAVs and aircraft. The engine is also expected to come from a selection process, rather than being a product of new R&D.
So far, thats an improvement. Unfortunately, Rustoms reported contract structure is a fine illustration of the time and performance blindness that has crippled so many indigenous Indian efforts. LiveMint describes an agreement that involved INR 4 billion investment in prototypes and trials, over a decade or more. All in a field where major new designs are being fielded, now, in 2 year cycles and where the capabilities India seeks already exist in several fielded platforms. One hopes that is a reporting error.
The Rustom development contract also contains no guarantee of an order from the armed forces once it is complete. Thats normal in India, and not unusual in many countries that used staged-gate approval processes for weapons. Whats unusual is the combination of no commitment plus partnership financing requirements, which is a poor fit for the private sector. The HAL official who confirmed these arrangements for LiveMint asked the logical question: If there is no assurance of an order [and such a high investment target], why should the private industry come forward and invest? Yet some firms did make that offer, in conjunction with experienced foreign partners. They lost to HAL, whose history of aviation production does not extend to UAVs of this size and complexity.
What is clear, is that Indias efforts to build up its private sector defense industry beyond a mere conduit for foreign firms industrial offset programs is off to a slow start. N.S. Sisodia, director general of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, is typically diplomatic in his survey of the broader situation. He is also correct:
The process does take a little time. There are efforts made in DPP (the defence procurement procedure) to involve private industry. But I think much more can be done.
Contracts & Key Events
April 25/10: State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) win the bid to design and build Rustom. The award marks the 3rd large Indian defence project in which private firms have lost out to public sector rivals, after the Saras light passenger plane and the Armys tactical communication system project. That trend is causing some questioning of the governments sincerity regarding its pledges to advance private Indian defense firms. Larsen & Tourbo aerospace and defence VP M.V. Kotwal, whose firm bid on all 3 contracts, is quoted by LiveMint:
This is a disappointment for us since we had been told that the projects would be open for participation by the private sector on a competitive basis . Otherwise we would not have spent the time and efforts in preparing for the bids. Detailed plans for execution had also been presented as required
That last statement alludes to DRDO chief controller of R&D Prahladas statement that HAL-BEL gave us a clear road map for manufacture as the reason for their victory. LiveMint.
Nov 16/09: DRDOs Rustom technology demonstrator crashes at the Taneja Aerospace Air Field near Hosur, during its 1st flight. The taxiing and takeoff went as planned, but due to misjudgment of altitude of the flight, the on-board engine was switched off through ground command
Thats not generally a good thing. On the flip side, DRDO says the shortened flight was useful for establishing more confidence in the UAVs aerodynamics, redundant flight control, engine and datalink. Defense News.
Aug 6/09: Indias Tata Group signs a wide-ranging joint venture agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries, the builders of Indias Searcher and Heron UAVs. The agreement finalizes a commitment made in February 2009 by IAI CEO Itzhak Nissan and Tata Sons Chairman Ratan N. Tata.
Under the terms of the MoU, the new Company will develop, manufacture and support a wide range of defence and aerospace products, including missiles, UAVs, radars, electronic warfare (EW) systems and home land security (HLS) systems. The new company will also perform offset work for IAI and other defence and aerospace programs in India. domain-b.
May 15/09: Larsen and Toubro Ltd. (L&T), Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd., and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. bid to develop Indias Rostam MALE UAV. The 4th bidder is a joint effort by state-owned defence equipment makers Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL).
The Defence Research and Development Organisations (DRDO) Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) is testing a technology demonstrator. Once a vendor is selected, ADE and that vendor will design an enhanced version; a selection is expected later in 2009.
ADEs tender expects that the cost of producing one set of 5 Rustom vehicles with 5 sets of spares, plus payload and ground handling/control equipment, would be around INR 2.5 billion (just under $50 million). India Defence.
Sept 22/08: The first low-speed taxi tests of ADEs Rustom technology demonstrator take place.
Additional Readings
DID Indias DRDO Rethinking the Way it Does Business.
India Defence (March 12/09) DRDOs Rustom UAV To Roll Out Soon
India’s Rustom MALE UAV: A Step Forward - Or Back?
India has not been left out of the global UAV push. The country operates Israeli Searcher tactical UAVs, and Heron Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) UAVs, placing an additional Heron order in 2005. It has also undertaken development programs for a smaller UAV, the Nishant. With its Rustom program, however, India hopes to offer a UAV in the Heron/ Predator/ Watchkeeper class of MALE UAVs.
It had also hoped to begin to change a culture and tradition of wholly state-owned development of military hardware, which has not always performed well, or served Indias needs. A recent award has selected a winner, and moved the project forward. It may also serve as a reminder that bureaucracies are very difficult to change
Rustom translates as warrior, and may remind some readers of the great hero in Persias classic The Shah-nameh. Reports indicate that Indias UAV is named after a more contemporary personality, however: Rustom Damania, a former professor of IISc, Bangalore, who led the National Aeronautical Laboratories light canard research aircraft (LCRA) project in the 1980s. The LCRA is reportedly the initial basis for the DRDO ADEs 1,100-1,800 kg UAV design, which aims for a maximum altitude of 35,000 feet and a range of 300 km/ 240 miles.
In some ways, Rustoms naming is also a fine encapsulation of Indias defense industry struggles. Given the sensitive nature of defence projects, private firms have generally been limited to step-and-fetch roles as component suppliers or sub-contractors on projects designed and managed by state-owned agencies or firms such as DRDO, NAL, HAL, BEL, et. al. Many of those projects have fared poorly, leaving India with gaps in critical defense capabilities that then had to be filled by buying foreign equipment as a temporary measure. Which would frequently become permanent mainstays for Indias forces.
In 2002, India took the first steps toward changing its procurement model. It opened up defence equipment production to private sector companies, and even allowed up to 26% foreign direct investment in such ventures. In 2006, Indias DRDO Rethinking the Way it Does Business covered changes in government statements, and even grudging DRDO admissions that more private sector involvement was necessary, if Indias industry was to develop and deliver the equipment a rising power needs. Subsequent moves by the government on a number of fronts, from aircraft to tanks, are opening up a far larger role for global defense firms in supplying Indias needs.
The problem is that bureaucracies are entirely uninterested in changing their long-standing and comfortable models, especially if those changes promise reduced future roles for those bureaucracies. Domestic development remains largely the bailiwick of existing agencies and bureaucracies. In those competitions so far, Indian firms partnered with experienced foreign suppliers like Thales, IAI, et. al. continue to lose to state-owned Indian firms whose overall record in the sectors under competition is shallower, and arguably adds development risks to these projects.
That appears to have been the case with Rustom.
DRDO intended to move away from its traditional model of developing and finalizing the system itself, then handing the designs and technology over to a production agency. Instead, they would introduce concurrent engineering that involves the producing firm, and initial design efforts also take into consideration production issues. This production agency development partner (PADP) was whittled down from 23 firms to 4 finalists: Larsen and Toubro Ltd. (L&T), Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. and a joint bid from state-owned firms Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Bharat Electronics.
The accompanying maritime patrol radars and electro-optical systems were expected to come from Israel, whose systems equip current UAVs and aircraft. The engine is also expected to come from a selection process, rather than being a product of new R&D.
So far, thats an improvement. Unfortunately, Rustoms reported contract structure is a fine illustration of the time and performance blindness that has crippled so many indigenous Indian efforts. LiveMint describes an agreement that involved INR 4 billion investment in prototypes and trials, over a decade or more. All in a field where major new designs are being fielded, now, in 2 year cycles and where the capabilities India seeks already exist in several fielded platforms. One hopes that is a reporting error.
The Rustom development contract also contains no guarantee of an order from the armed forces once it is complete. Thats normal in India, and not unusual in many countries that used staged-gate approval processes for weapons. Whats unusual is the combination of no commitment plus partnership financing requirements, which is a poor fit for the private sector. The HAL official who confirmed these arrangements for LiveMint asked the logical question: If there is no assurance of an order [and such a high investment target], why should the private industry come forward and invest? Yet some firms did make that offer, in conjunction with experienced foreign partners. They lost to HAL, whose history of aviation production does not extend to UAVs of this size and complexity.
What is clear, is that Indias efforts to build up its private sector defense industry beyond a mere conduit for foreign firms industrial offset programs is off to a slow start. N.S. Sisodia, director general of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, is typically diplomatic in his survey of the broader situation. He is also correct:
The process does take a little time. There are efforts made in DPP (the defence procurement procedure) to involve private industry. But I think much more can be done.
Contracts & Key Events
April 25/10: State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) win the bid to design and build Rustom. The award marks the 3rd large Indian defence project in which private firms have lost out to public sector rivals, after the Saras light passenger plane and the Armys tactical communication system project. That trend is causing some questioning of the governments sincerity regarding its pledges to advance private Indian defense firms. Larsen & Tourbo aerospace and defence VP M.V. Kotwal, whose firm bid on all 3 contracts, is quoted by LiveMint:
This is a disappointment for us since we had been told that the projects would be open for participation by the private sector on a competitive basis . Otherwise we would not have spent the time and efforts in preparing for the bids. Detailed plans for execution had also been presented as required
That last statement alludes to DRDO chief controller of R&D Prahladas statement that HAL-BEL gave us a clear road map for manufacture as the reason for their victory. LiveMint.
Nov 16/09: DRDOs Rustom technology demonstrator crashes at the Taneja Aerospace Air Field near Hosur, during its 1st flight. The taxiing and takeoff went as planned, but due to misjudgment of altitude of the flight, the on-board engine was switched off through ground command
Thats not generally a good thing. On the flip side, DRDO says the shortened flight was useful for establishing more confidence in the UAVs aerodynamics, redundant flight control, engine and datalink. Defense News.
Aug 6/09: Indias Tata Group signs a wide-ranging joint venture agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries, the builders of Indias Searcher and Heron UAVs. The agreement finalizes a commitment made in February 2009 by IAI CEO Itzhak Nissan and Tata Sons Chairman Ratan N. Tata.
Under the terms of the MoU, the new Company will develop, manufacture and support a wide range of defence and aerospace products, including missiles, UAVs, radars, electronic warfare (EW) systems and home land security (HLS) systems. The new company will also perform offset work for IAI and other defence and aerospace programs in India. domain-b.
May 15/09: Larsen and Toubro Ltd. (L&T), Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd., and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. bid to develop Indias Rostam MALE UAV. The 4th bidder is a joint effort by state-owned defence equipment makers Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL).
The Defence Research and Development Organisations (DRDO) Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) is testing a technology demonstrator. Once a vendor is selected, ADE and that vendor will design an enhanced version; a selection is expected later in 2009.
ADEs tender expects that the cost of producing one set of 5 Rustom vehicles with 5 sets of spares, plus payload and ground handling/control equipment, would be around INR 2.5 billion (just under $50 million). India Defence.
Sept 22/08: The first low-speed taxi tests of ADEs Rustom technology demonstrator take place.
Additional Readings
DID Indias DRDO Rethinking the Way it Does Business.
India Defence (March 12/09) DRDOs Rustom UAV To Roll Out Soon
India’s Rustom MALE UAV: A Step Forward - Or Back?
