Next launch of Nirbhay is scheduled in March/April 2016.....Two more to follow

[ni8mare]

Q: What is the update on Nirbhay programme?

A: The next launch of Nirbhay is scheduled in March/April 2016. Two more launches with different missions are planned during this year.......

Read more at: Private industries to play key role in future DRDO projects: DRDO D-G - Talkathon

https://twitter.com/x/status/703387777665146880

 

[PARIKRAMA]

Q: What is the update on Nirbhay programme?

A: The next launch of Nirbhay is scheduled in March/April 2016. Two more launches with different missions are planned during this year.......

Read more at: Private industries to play key role in future DRDO projects: DRDO D-G - Talkathon

https://twitter.com/x/status/703387777665146880

Very good news..

We need to demonstrate a low altitude flight of Nirbhay and then a terrain hugging feature.. Now with our IRNSS operational part online with 5 in orbit and 2 more to be launched in March we may see its full guidance system of inertial guidance system supplemented by IRNSS enabling a deadly combination based data update.

Some more pictures of what's inside Nirbhay
Credit to prasun K sengupta

Nirbhay terminal seeker

RINS

On board mission computer

On board avionics and subsystems

Nirbhay telemetry tracking
System 1

System 2

 

[Ankit Kumar]

Very good news..

We need to demonstrate a low altitude flight of Nirbhay and then a terrain hugging feature.. Now with our IRNSS operational part online with 5 in orbit and 2 more to be launched in March we may see its full guidance system of inertial guidance system supplemented by IRNSS enabling a deadly combination based data update.

Some more pictures of what's inside Nirbhay
Credit to prasun K sengupta

Nirbhay terminal seeker
View attachment 295617

RINS
View attachment 295612

On board mission computer
View attachment 295613

On board avionics and subsystems
View attachment 295614

Nirbhay telemetry tracking
System 1View attachment 295615

System 2
View attachment 295616

What about Terrain Contour Matching, isn't it very important for very low flying Cruise Missiles? Does Nirbhay has it ?

Chinese have delivered a TERCOM to Pakistan for their RAAD.

 

[PARIKRAMA]

What about Terrain Contour Matching, isn't it very important for very low flying Cruise Missiles? Does Nirbhay has it ?

Chinese have delivered a TERCOM to Pakistan for their RAAD.

Cruise Missile Navigation has evolved in this manner

• At first it was INS (Inertial Navigation System)
• Then Came TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching) along with INS
• GPS System
• DSMAC - Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation

The TERCOM system allowed pre recorded contour mapping along with onboard altimeter to enable terrain hugging features or low altitude flight. But due to limitations in data storage, all points are not normally mapped in the data.. Also, this is applicable for a pre planned route implying if the route is changed the data needs to be modified or else it cannot go terrain hugging at all.

See this for better understanding

As you see the mapped Terrain data is converted into Tercom map set and the radar altimeter compares that measured elevation profile with onboard tercom data set to make necessary corrections.

The GPS system uses the network of GPS satellites and an onboard GPS receiver to detect its position with very high accuracy. But only downside if the environment has jamming probability or in any manner there is an interference between the GPS receiver and the satellite it becomes useless.. Of course with advantage of faster processors, this feature gives a much more accurate methodology of Terrain hugging then TERCOM as GPS data can also have elevation level points which helps a far more accurate sense of missile path.. Thus it helps in any route and no necessity of pre planned route is there.

Once it is close to the target, the missile switches to a terminal guidance system to choose the point of impact. The point of impact could be pre-programmed by the GPS or Tercom system. The DSMAC system uses a camera and an image correlator to find the target, and is especially useful if the target is moving. (CM in AShM mode)

See this to understand

See how the onboard DSMAC flight unit senses the target position and compares it with onboard imaged scans in Binary Frames ..

@MilSpec @SpArK @AUSTERLITZ @Vauban @Taygibay

 

[Ankit Kumar]

Cruise Missile Navigation has evolved in this manner

• At first it was INS (Inertial Navigation System)
• Then Came TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching) along with INS
• GPS System
• DSMAC - Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation

The TERCOM system allowed pre recorded contour mapping along with onboard altimeter to enable terrain hugging features or low altitude flight. But due to limitations in data storage, all points are not normally mapped in the data.. Also, this is applicable for a pre planned route implying if the route is changed the data needs to be modified or else it cannot go terrain hugging at all.

See this for better understanding

View attachment 295622

As you see the mapped Terrain data is converted into Tercom map set and the radar altimeter compares that measured elevation profile with onboard tercom data set to make necessary corrections.

The GPS system uses the network of GPS satellites and an onboard GPS receiver to detect its position with very high accuracy. But only downside if the environment has jamming probability or in any manner there is an interference between the GPS receiver and the satellite it becomes useless.. Of course with advantage of faster processors, this feature gives a much more accurate methodology of Terrain hugging then TERCOM as GPS data can also have elevation level points which helps a far more accurate sense of missile path.. Thus it helps in any route and no necessity of pre planned route is there.

Once it is close to the target, the missile switches to a terminal guidance system to choose the point of impact. The point of impact could be pre-programmed by the GPS or Tercom system. The DSMAC system uses a camera and an image correlator to find the target, and is especially useful if the target is moving. (CM in AShM mode)

See this to understand


View attachment 295623

View attachment 295624

See how the onboard DSMAC flight unit senses the target position and compares it with onboard imaged scans in Binary Frames ..

@MilSpec @SpArK @AUSTERLITZ @Vauban @Taygibay

Oh, a huge thanks for a detailed one. The use of GPS TERCOM and DESMAC was a confusing one for me. The American TOMHANK has DESMAC, INS and GPS.

But where does Nirbhay stand in this ?

 

[PARIKRAMA]

Oh, a huge thanks for a detailed one. The use of GPS TERCOM and DESMAC was a confusing one for me. The American TOMHANK has DESMAC, INS and GPS.

But where does Nirbhay stand in this ?

INS and GPS
Notice this picture

Thats the navigation system

 

[Ankit Kumar]

INS and GPS
Notice this picture

Thats the navigation system

Yes that's known, bit wanted to ask is it enough ? Searched for Babur and Raad,both have DESMAC, INS, GPS, Chinese Navigation combined.

Also how does the lack of DESMAC or TERCOM and lack of triple correction from GPS/IRNSS/GLONASS affect the operations ?

 

[Armani]

One of the interesting aspects of the Nirbhay is that there shall be an air-launched version of the present variant. To be mounted on the Su-30MKI and could have a range between 1,100 and 1,500 kilometers. A quick look at the planned/projected Nirbhay development curve & variants :-

Nirbhay : Ground-launched (GLCM) version; ~1,200km range; launched from ground-based canisterized TELs

Nirbhay-A : Air-launched (ALCM) version; ~1,200+km range; only on Su-30MKI Flanker-H

Nirbhay-S : Submarine-launched (SLCM) version; ~1,200km range; can be mounted on any submarine with 533mm torpedo tubes, also can be fired from Arihant's silos if needed

Nirbhay-Sh : Ship-launched land-attack (LACM) version; ~1,200km range; can be fired from any cruise missile UVLS unit on modern IN warships. The rumored Project-18 destroyer is projected to have 32 dedicated cells for Nirbhay LACMs. In addition to the standard 16 AShM and upto 64 SAM cells.

Nirbhay-Mini : Air-launched (ALCM) version; ~750km range; for Rafale, Su-30MKI, Jaguar, Mirage-2000, even Tejas

 

[PARIKRAMA]

Yes that's known, bit wanted to ask is it enough ? Searched for Babur and Raad,both have DESMAC, INS, GPS, Chinese Navigation combined.

Also how does the lack of DESMAC or TERCOM and lack of triple correction from GPS/IRNSS/GLONASS affect the operations ?

Nirbhay missile is far smarter.. Look at this picture

Notice the guidance and control cabin

That part contains this

Now the simple question - Why Nirbhay requires a Seeker which is basically a Synthetic Aperture Radar+ High performance Imaging Radar Seeker+ optimised for land and sea targets+ pulse microwave+others

The reason being these systems essentially constitute a RF based active on board seeker which uses SAR sensors and imaging seeker+ optimised for dormant and moving targets along with altimeter = TERCOM+ DSMAC

See here

This early made TERCOM based systems much less flexible than more modern systems like GPS, which can be set to attack any location from any location, and do not require any sort of pre-recorded information which means they can be targeted immediately prior to launch.

The availability of compact fast computers and high-capacity storage, combined with the availability of global digital elevation maps, has mitigated this problem, as TERCOM data is no longer limited to small patches, and the availability of Side Looking Radar allows much larger areas of landscape contour data to be acquired for comparison with the stored contour data.

Modern systems can store numerous images of a target as seen from different directions, and often the imagery can be calculated using image synthesis techniques. The combination of these technologies produced the Digital Scene-Mapping Area Correlator (DSMAC).

MGM-31 Pershing II, SS-12 Scaleboard Temp-SM and OTR-23 Oka used an active radar homing version of DSMAC (digital correlator unit DCU), which compared radar topographic maps taken by satellites or aircraft with information received from the onboard active radar regarding target topography, for terminal guidance.
Source: TERCOM - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Side Looking Radar
Side-Looking Airborne Radar (SLAR) is an aircraft- or satellite-mounted imaging radar pointing perpendicular to the direction of flight (hence “side-looking”). A squinted (non-perpendicular) mode is possible also. SLAR can be fitted with a real apertureantenna (Real Aperture Radar, RAR) or an antenna using synthetic aperture (SAR).
Side looking airborne radar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Ankit Kumar]

Nirbhay missile is far smarter.. Look at this picture

Notice the guidance and control cabin

That part contains this

Now the simple question - Why Nirbhay requires a Seeker which is basically a Synthetic Aperture Radar+ High performanclimit. ging Radar Seeker+ optimised for land and sea targets+ pulse microwave+others

The reason being these systems essentially constitute a RF based active on board seeker which uses SAR sensors and imaging seeker+ optimised for dormant and moving targets along with altimeter = TERCOM+ DSMAC

See here

This early made TERCOM based systems much less flexible than more modern systems like GPS, which can be set to attack any location from any location, and do not require any sort of pre-recorded information which means they can be targeted immediately prior to launch.

The availability of compact fast computers and high-capacity storage, combined with the availability of global digital elevation maps, has mitigated this problem, as TERCOM data is no longer limited to small patches, and the availability of Side Looking Radar allows much larger areas of landscape contour data to be acquired for comparison with the stored contour data.

Modern systems can store numerous images of a target as seen from different directions, and often the imagery can be calculated using image synthesis techniques. The combination of these technologies produced the Digital Scene-Mapping Area Correlator (DSMAC).

MGM-31 Pershing II, SS-12 Scaleboard Temp-SM and OTR-23 Oka used an active radar homing version of DSMAC (digital correlator unit DCU), which compared radar topographic maps taken by satellites or aircraft with information received from the onboard active radar regarding target topography, for terminal guidance.
Source: TERCOM - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Side Looking Radar
Side-Looking Airborne Radar (SLAR) is an aircraft- or satellite-mounted imaging radar pointing perpendicular to the direction of flight (hence “side-looking”). A squinted (non-perpendicular) mode is possible also. SLAR can be fitted with a real apertureantenna (Real Aperture Radar, RAR) or an antenna using synthetic aperture (SAR).
Side looking airborne radar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hmm and if we combine the triple correction by GPS , GLONASS and IRNSS. Will it improve the accuracy and flight parameters or the present IRNSS is enough ?

Also my doubts do float and will float untill this missile shows its low flying capabilities. By low flying I mean truly pushing the limits.

And one more thing, any idea how much it costs in comparison to Tomhanks?

 

[PARIKRAMA]

Hmm and if we combine the triple correction by GPS , GLONASS and IRNSS. Will it improve the accuracy and flight parameters or the present IRNSS is enough ?

The CEP can be improved from say 20 meters to single digits.. IRNSS is more than enough.. its our systems , it provides the coverage over the portion where we potentially may deploy Nirbhay..

Also my doubts do float and will float untill this missile shows its low flying capabilities. By low flying I mean truly pushing the limits

Yes, it needs to demonstrate this capability by showcasing it completely.. Such terrain hugging tests cannot be single rather about 2-3 tests..

And one more thing, any idea how much it costs in comparison to Tomhanks?

Nirbhay should be cheaper.. But Tomahawk also is longer range...

 

[C130]

Cruise Missile Navigation has evolved in this manner

• At first it was INS (Inertial Navigation System)
• Then Came TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching) along with INS
• GPS System
• DSMAC - Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation

The TERCOM system allowed pre recorded contour mapping along with onboard altimeter to enable terrain hugging features or low altitude flight. But due to limitations in data storage, all points are not normally mapped in the data.. Also, this is applicable for a pre planned route implying if the route is changed the data needs to be modified or else it cannot go terrain hugging at all.

See this for better understanding

View attachment 295622

As you see the mapped Terrain data is converted into Tercom map set and the radar altimeter compares that measured elevation profile with onboard tercom data set to make necessary corrections.

The GPS system uses the network of GPS satellites and an onboard GPS receiver to detect its position with very high accuracy. But only downside if the environment has jamming probability or in any manner there is an interference between the GPS receiver and the satellite it becomes useless.. Of course with advantage of faster processors, this feature gives a much more accurate methodology of Terrain hugging then TERCOM as GPS data can also have elevation level points which helps a far more accurate sense of missile path.. Thus it helps in any route and no necessity of pre planned route is there.

Once it is close to the target, the missile switches to a terminal guidance system to choose the point of impact. The point of impact could be pre-programmed by the GPS or Tercom system. The DSMAC system uses a camera and an image correlator to find the target, and is especially useful if the target is moving. (CM in AShM mode)

See this to understand


View attachment 295623

View attachment 295624

See how the onboard DSMAC flight unit senses the target position and compares it with onboard imaged scans in Binary Frames ..

@MilSpec @SpArK @AUSTERLITZ @Vauban @Taygibay

is this DSMAC the same technology in the SPICE guidance kit?

 

[#hydra#]

One of the interesting aspects of the Nirbhay is that there shall be an air-launched version of the present variant. To be mounted on the Su-30MKI and could have a range between 1,100 and 1,500 kilometers. A quick look at the planned/projected Nirbhay development curve & variants :-

Nirbhay : Ground-launched (GLCM) version; ~1,200km range; launched from ground-based canisterized TELs

Nirbhay-A : Air-launched (ALCM) version; ~1,200+km range; only on Su-30MKI Flanker-H

Nirbhay-S : Submarine-launched (SLCM) version; ~1,200km range; can be mounted on any submarine with 533mm torpedo tubes, also can be fired from Arihant's silos if needed

Nirbhay-Sh : Ship-launched land-attack (LACM) version; ~1,200km range; can be fired from any cruise missile UVLS unit on modern IN warships. The rumored Project-18 destroyer is projected to have 32 dedicated cells for Nirbhay LACMs. In addition to the standard 16 AShM and upto 64 SAM cells.

Nirbhay-Mini : Air-launched (ALCM) version; ~750km range; for Rafale, Su-30MKI, Jaguar, Mirage-2000, even Tejas

nirbhay-A should be a stealth missile like AGM-129 ACM - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[PARIKRAMA]

is this DSMAC the same technology in the SPICE guidance kit?

Yes you are correct

See it here
On the ground, an unguided bomb is fitted with a "Spice" guidance kit.

Still on the ground, each bomb's memory maybe loaded with up to 100 different targets, complete with their image (usually acquired by imagery intelligence) and geographical coordinates.

The bomb is then loaded on a strike aircraft. In the pylon to which the bomb is attached there is a datalink between the aircraft's cockpit and the bomb.

As the aircraft flies in the air and approaches a target, either the Weapon Systems Officer (WSO – the backseater in such aircraft as theF-15E Strike Eagle or F-16I Sufa) or pilot (in single-seat aircraft) can use the TV\IIR display in the cockpit to see the image the bomb sends to him. Once he selected one of the preprogrammed targets, or fed the bomb with a target himself (by feeding it with either an image or geographical coordinates to home on), the bomb is ready for release into a guided trajectory.

Once the bomb is released, it begins searching its target in order to acquire it and home on it. This can be done in several ways:

First, there is pure CCD or IIR (for low lighting conditions) image matching, when the guidance section uses algorithms in order to match the target image in its memory with the image provided by the seeker, and align the center of the seeker's FOV with the desired image (guidance method known as DSMAC).

Second, if the CCD\IIR seeker can not acquire its target for any reason (such as visual obstructions), the bomb can automatically switch to GPS\INS guidance. This means that the bomb aspires to bring itself to the target's altitude at a known geographical location. The bomb receives data on its current location from GPS satellites, or from an inertial navigation system in the bomb itself, that has been fed, through the pylon datalink, with the dropping aircraft's coordinates a fraction of a second before drop, and can therefore calculate its own coordinates from the dropping time and on.

Third, there is a manual "man-in-the-loop" guidance option, in which the WSO looks at a backseat TV display in order to see the seeker's view (sent to him through a RFcommand guidance datalink) and uses the backseat stick to control the bomb all the way to the target. With a skilled WSO that has a "sensitive hand", this guidance method is probably the most accurate one employed today for air-dropped munitions, and has no measurable miss distance. Its main drawback is that it allows for only one bomb to be guided at a time.
Spice (bomb) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[#hydra#]

Nirbhay missile is far smarter.. Look at this picture

Notice the guidance and control cabin

That part contains this

Now the simple question - Why Nirbhay requires a Seeker which is basically a Synthetic Aperture Radar+ High performance Imaging Radar Seeker+ optimised for land and sea targets+ pulse microwave+others

The reason being these systems essentially constitute a RF based active on board seeker which uses SAR sensors and imaging seeker+ optimised for dormant and moving targets along with altimeter = TERCOM+ DSMAC

See here

This early made TERCOM based systems much less flexible than more modern systems like GPS, which can be set to attack any location from any location, and do not require any sort of pre-recorded information which means they can be targeted immediately prior to launch.

The availability of compact fast computers and high-capacity storage, combined with the availability of global digital elevation maps, has mitigated this problem, as TERCOM data is no longer limited to small patches, and the availability of Side Looking Radar allows much larger areas of landscape contour data to be acquired for comparison with the stored contour data.

Modern systems can store numerous images of a target as seen from different directions, and often the imagery can be calculated using image synthesis techniques. The combination of these technologies produced the Digital Scene-Mapping Area Correlator (DSMAC).

MGM-31 Pershing II, SS-12 Scaleboard Temp-SM and OTR-23 Oka used an active radar homing version of DSMAC (digital correlator unit DCU), which compared radar topographic maps taken by satellites or aircraft with information received from the onboard active radar regarding target topography, for terminal guidance.
Source: TERCOM - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Side Looking Radar
Side-Looking Airborne Radar (SLAR) is an aircraft- or satellite-mounted imaging radar pointing perpendicular to the direction of flight (hence “side-looking”). A squinted (non-perpendicular) mode is possible also. SLAR can be fitted with a real apertureantenna (Real Aperture Radar, RAR) or an antenna using synthetic aperture (SAR).
Side looking airborne radar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

how it will guide over oceans, I mean skimming flight? Does it have magnetic contour mapping?