Perform or perish: Antony tells DRDO

[Invincible INDIAN]

Perform or perish: Antony tells DRDO

NEW DELHI: Reflecting frustration over long delays of strategic projects like Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), defence minister A K Antony came down hard on DRDO, saying there is a "limit to time slippages" and that it should "perform or perish".

Antony told the country's premier government-run organisation responsible for manufacturing defence equipment that it should adhere to the timelines and satisfy the user.

He specifically referred to the LCA project, which has not fructified even after nearly three decades of inception, and said, "I am waiting that the LCA should become a reality."

The defence minister said in military development projects across the globe, it is a "herculean task" to meet timelines and there are time slippages. "But there is limit for slippages," he said, clearly reflecting the frustration.

"In the times of cut-throat competition, the choice is very clear, perform or perish. In delivery of strategic systems, timelines must be adhered to and the satisfaction of the user is the litmus test," Antony said at a DRDO awards function.

Asking the DRDO to focus on its core competence and "not fritter away its resources and energy", he said, "Do not think that I am criticising you, I am with you in all times but as the minister of defence, it is my duty to say some things to you."

On the LCA programme, he said he had been given a particular date by the DRDO. "I hope that it is the final date and the aircraft gets its Initial Operational Clearance II."

The IOC-I of the LCA was held in January 2011 in Bangalore and its IOC-II was scheduled to be held in July but it has now been postponed to be held in November.

Antony asked the team of HAL, DRDO and the IAF to work together on the LCA project and ensure that it achieves the IOC-II and then the final operational clearance by the end of next year.

Perform or perish: Antony tells DRDO - The Times of India

 

[IamINDIA]

good!!

split them into smaller organizations.

 

[$@rJen]

I though LCA was HAL's Project..?

 

[Quibbler]

my money is on drdo peeing its pants

 

[livingdead]

my money is on drdo peeing its pants

nope. They will just take VRS...

 

[karan21]

This guy is still looking for a reason to perish it . Billions of tax payers money has been wasted, country's defence is being risked and still he thinks he needs a reason to perish..

 

[Azazel]

I though LCA was HAL's Project..?

They manufacture it,Most of the R&D works are done in DRDO labs.

 

[Ayush]

Well said Mr . Antony. . Aakhir kab tak wait karein? ?

 

[Azazel]

This guy is still looking for a reason to perish it . Billions of tax payers money has been wasted, country's defence is being risked and still he thinks he needs a reason to perish..

Just wait till they open up FDI in Defense sector.This DRDO will become a history.

 

[d14gtc]

Very Good

 

[priti]

sell the technologies it has developed so far to tata, l&t, reliance and other private players and shut shop.of course the good staff should also go to these companies

 

[sasi]

Toi gives partial news! Kuwait News Agency is better!
KUNA : India aircraft ''Tejas'' to get operational clearance in 2014 - Defence Minister - Military and Security - 29/05/2013
NEW DELHI, May 29 (KUNA) -- India's indigenously developedLight Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas will get final operationalclearance of the Indian Air Force (IAF) late 2014, Defence Minister AK Antony announced Wednesday.
"To achieve this objective all stakeholders including the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Hindustan AeronauticsLimited (HAL) and IAF must put their energy together in a focused manner to achieve this objective," he said.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is an agency of the Republic of India, responsible for the development of technology for use by the military.
The LAC Tejas has taken nearly 30 years already, at an escalated project cost of INR 5,489 crore. Since the LCA project was sanctioned in 1983 at a cost of INR 560 crore, the time overrun has resulted in a 10-fold increase in the project cost.
Antony, further, said countries that depend on imported arsenals cannot become great nation and India must start manufacturing its own state-of-art defence equipment.
"We continue to be the largestimporter of defence equipment.The share of indigenous content in defence procurement is low. Our experience has been that foreign vendors are reluctant to part with critical technologies.
"There are delays in the supply of essential spares. There are exorbitant price increases. The services to realize that we cannot be eternally dependent on foreign equipment and platforms," he said.
Referring to the expansions of domestic defence industry, the defence minister said this has to be achieved through public and private sector initiatives.
"All the stakeholders in the defence sector- DRDO, Armed Forces and the industry must work in tandem and develop trust and confidence in each other's capabilities." Currently, according to reports, the IAF has placed anorder for 40 LCAs Mk1 version to raise two squadrons by 2016-17 with HAL which is the nodal agency for production of Tejas. But these will be delivered with the American General Electric F404 engines which provide only 80 Kilo Newton power. Later, 80 more LCAs of its Mk2version will be ordered for raising four more squadrons. The LCA Mk2 will be powered by the GE F414 engines that provide a 90 Kilo Newton thrust.
Cautioning against time and cost over runs in projects, Antony said "Indian companiesmust compete with global players in developing state- of- the art technologies of acceptable commercial parameters and must meet customer satisfaction." The minister, meanwhile, complimented DRDO for their magnificent achievements in 2012. He referred to the first flight of missile Agni-V, two successful tests of Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) programme in February and November 2012, first flight of LCA Navy, establishment of a cyber-forensics laboratory, composite armour for helicopters and investment casting of aero-engine components and said these are just some of the many accomplishments. Asserting that the security environment in India's neighbourhood, civil strife and turmoil in the MiddleEast, terrorism and threats tocyber security, piracy, illegal seabed mining in Indian Ocean and space-based threats present "complex challenges" to India defence capabilities, he said, "These require both conventional, as well as latesttechnological responses."
/

 

[Sergi]

Great !!! Finally Antonyji said it

Perish - NO. We need DRDO/HAL. All we need is some reforms in planning and management of projects.

 

[Jayanta]

I think it came too late...2 consecutive terms for the UPA, if Antony was serious he should have said that the moment he was appointed. At least by now there would have been some positive output.

 

[El Weirdo]