Six areas where DRDO needs an overhaul

[PARIKRAMA]

Six areas where DRDO needs an overhaul
1 Jun, 2015

With the Modi government keen to build a strong defence-industrial base in tune with the 'Make in India' policy, the stage has now been set for revival of the country's moribund defence R&D establishment by the appointment of two relatively younger scientists at the helm of affairs.

The government is quite miffed with the lackadaisical functioning of DRDO, often in the dock for its failure to deliver cutting-edge weaponry without huge time and cost overruns, with PM Narendra Modi himself warning the organisation to fast shed its "Chalta Hai" attitude.


Here we take a look at the areas where DRDO needs an overhaul:

Existing Structure

* 52 labs with over 7,800 scientists. Annual budget Rs 14,358 crore.
* Over 530 ongoing R&D projects worth over Rs 48,000 crore
* Rs 1.75 lakh crore worth of products/technologies developed by DRDO inducted into military
* Nuclear & conventional missile programmes relatively successful
* But most projects hit by huge time and cost overruns.


Fighters

* Ensure Tejas LCA Mark-I gets final operational clearance by revised Dec 2015 deadline
* Tejas Mark-II, with more powerful engines, still largely on drawing board
* Design & develop 5th-Gen twin-engine advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA)


Nuclear Submarines

* Ensure successful sea-trials of INS Arihant, including test-firing of K-15 (750-km) missiles
* Operationalise long-range submarine-launched ballistic missiles like K-4 (over 2,000-km)
* Complete two more under-construction submarines


Airborne Warning & Control Systems

* Complete Rs 2,275 crore mini-AWACS project (AEW&C systems mounted on
* 3 Embraer-145 jets by December 2015
* Launch new 'AWACS-India' project (AESA radars mounted on Airbus-330 jets). Two such AWACS approved for Rs 5,113 crore in March. At least 4 such more AWACS needed.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
* Complete medium-altitude long endurance UAV project
* Fast-track development of combat drones under AURA (autonomous unmanned research aircraft) programme

Main Battle Tanks

* Deliver Arjun Mark-II with 89 upgrades
* 124 Arjun Mark-I tanks inducted by Army dogged by technical problems
* Launch work on futuristic main battle tank


Six areas where DRDO needs an overhaul - Six areas where DRDO needs an overhaul | The Economic Times


@Chanakya's_Chant @Abingdonboy @MilSpec @kaku1 @levina @Capt.Popeye @Hindustani78 @anant_s @sancho @nair @45'22' @IND151 @trident2010 @kurup @Gessler @SpArK @GURU DUTT

Other members too: You all can pour in your views.. Should this be only their KRA's or you feel more inclusion of projects (exisiting or new) should be there? Feel free to contribute

 

[GURU DUTT]

its just one year of NaMo in office just wait and watch

DHEERE DHEERE RE MANNE DHEERE SAB KUCH HOYE MALI SEENCHE 100 DAFFA PER RUTT AAYE TAB FALL HOYE

 

[anant_s]

Does anyone else agree with the view that instead of one big organization like DRDO, armed forces would be better served by having smaller easier to manage and efficient groups that report directly to the concerned branch.
I couldn't help noticing one thing that there is a lot on DRDO's plate and when that happens at the end of an year, the organization tends to portray the successes it got trying to eclipse the laggard areas (we all know which they are).
May be smaller DRDO like organizations can have their budget linked with success of projects they execute and with direct monitoring by their respective mother organization, projects can be executed much more efficiently.

 

[Agent_47]

Dr. Rama Rao. Committee Recommendations on DRDO - http://pib.nic.in/archieve/others/2008/apr/r2008042813.pdf/

 

[anant_s]

Here is my thought of how the structure could be like.

 

[Manindra]

First they get rid of conference, farewell & sangoshthi culture

 

[45'22']

Six areas where DRDO needs an overhaul
1 Jun, 2015

With the Modi government keen to build a strong defence-industrial base in tune with the 'Make in India' policy, the stage has now been set for revival of the country's moribund defence R&D establishment by the appointment of two relatively younger scientists at the helm of affairs.

The government is quite miffed with the lackadaisical functioning of DRDO, often in the dock for its failure to deliver cutting-edge weaponry without huge time and cost overruns, with PM Narendra Modi himself warning the organisation to fast shed its "Chalta Hai" attitude.


Here we take a look at the areas where DRDO needs an overhaul:

Existing Structure

* 52 labs with over 7,800 scientists. Annual budget Rs 14,358 crore.
* Over 530 ongoing R&D projects worth over Rs 48,000 crore
* Rs 1.75 lakh crore worth of products/technologies developed by DRDO inducted into military
* Nuclear & conventional missile programmes relatively successful
* But most projects hit by huge time and cost overruns.


Fighters

* Ensure Tejas LCA Mark-I gets final operational clearance by revised Dec 2015 deadline
* Tejas Mark-II, with more powerful engines, still largely on drawing board
* Design & develop 5th-Gen twin-engine advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA)


Nuclear Submarines

* Ensure successful sea-trials of INS Arihant, including test-firing of K-15 (750-km) missiles
* Operationalise long-range submarine-launched ballistic missiles like K-4 (over 2,000-km)
* Complete two more under-construction submarines


Airborne Warning & Control Systems

* Complete Rs 2,275 crore mini-AWACS project (AEW&C systems mounted on
* 3 Embraer-145 jets by December 2015
* Launch new 'AWACS-India' project (AESA radars mounted on Airbus-330 jets). Two such AWACS approved for Rs 5,113 crore in March. At least 4 such more AWACS needed.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
* Complete medium-altitude long endurance UAV project
* Fast-track development of combat drones under AURA (autonomous unmanned research aircraft) programme

Main Battle Tanks

* Deliver Arjun Mark-II with 89 upgrades
* 124 Arjun Mark-I tanks inducted by Army dogged by technical problems
* Launch work on futuristic main battle tank


Six areas where DRDO needs an overhaul - Six areas where DRDO needs an overhaul | The Economic Times


@Chanakya's_Chant @Abingdonboy @MilSpec @kaku1 @levina @Capt.Popeye @Hindustani78 @anant_s @sancho @nair @45'22' @IND151 @trident2010 @kurup @Gessler @SpArK @GURU DUTT

Other members too: You all can pour in your views.. Should this be only their KRA's or you feel more inclusion of projects (exisiting or new) should be there? Feel free to contribute

All major things are included here....
I think we need to focus at a bit on LCH(it has got potential) .....
we need to speed up the construction of destroyers and AIP subs......I feel we should have one more big dock yard.... GRSE and MDL are always on full capacity....

And a little emphasis is needed on small arms and ammunition as well....

 

[IND151]

Does anyone else agree with the view that instead of one big organization like DRDO, armed forces would be better served by having smaller easier to manage and efficient groups that report directly to the concerned branch.
I couldn't help noticing one thing that there is a lot on DRDO's plate and when that happens at the end of an year, the organization tends to portray the successes it got trying to eclipse the laggard areas (we all know which they are).
May be smaller DRDO like organizations can have their budget linked with success of projects they execute and with direct monitoring by their respective mother organization, projects can be executed much more efficiently.

Instead of that there should be 2 to 2 "Desgin Bureaus" like Sukhoi, MiG etc, to help DRDO.

 

[anant_s]

Instead of that there should be 2 to 2 "Desgin Bureaus" like Sukhoi, MiG etc, to help DRDO.

Yes competing design offices may not be a bad idea, but if we compare it with soviet OKBs, the problem lies with the fact that there is little industry participation beyond HAL (Aviation sector) and therefore even if such offices create designs, how is industry going to support it, is an area of concern.
I therefore feel that present government's attempt to bring private players on par with government controlled ones (yesterday tax benefits to PSUs have been removed, to have a level playing field) can bear fruits. Let a design office have a choice (by means of open tendering) and select a manufacturer. Alternately the US system of companies having their own design and manufacturing setup can also be explored.
Holistically speaking, simply dismantling DRDO (or any other Defence sector PSU) or curtailing its wings isn't going to help much unless we create a competition and strive for maturity of industry with active participation of academia.
Hopefully someone up their in corridors of power is seeing this big picture.

 

[Prajapati]

First they get rid of conference, farewell & sangoshthi culture

Should the Indian Army, Air Force also get rid of the conference, farewell & sangoshthi culture ?

 

[Manindra]

Should the Indian Army, Air Force also get rid of the conference, farewell & sangoshthi culture ?

May be you have not get their list on that.
Near about three days in a week they spend time & money on this.

 

[Prajapati]

May be you have not get their list on that.
Near about three days in a week they spend time & money on this.

Then why not advice the Army and Air Force about stopping this waste before preaching to DRDO ?

 

[Manindra]

Then why not advice the Army and Air Force about stopping this waste before preaching to DRDO ?

Can you quote a number how many conference, farewell & sangoshthi armed forces do compared to DRDO.

 

[Prajapati]

Can you quote a number how many conference, farewell & sangoshthi armed forces do compared to DRDO.

It is for you to prove DRDO wasteful expenditure is more than Army or Air Force

You can start now. I am waiting.

 

[Manindra]

It is for you to prove DRDO wasteful expenditure is more than Army or Air Force

You can start now. I am waiting.

You can get subscription of DRDO SAMACHAR, TECH FOCUS & Prodyogiki Vishesh to get an idea their stupidity.