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DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

  • 21 December, 2020

  • 5 Min Read

New Defence System-DRDO- Indigenous technology

New Defence System-DRDO- Indigenous technology

GS-Paper-3 Defence system- Indigenous technology (PT-Mains)

Context: The Defence Research and Development Organisation-DRDO are responsible for indigenously developed systems which will lead to higher self-reliance in defence technologies. Recently, the Defence Minister has handed over the Indian Maritime Situational Awareness System, ASTRA Mk-I and Border Surveillance System.

Defence Minister has handed over the Indian Maritime Situational Awareness System (IMSAS), ASTRA Mk-I and Border Surveillance System (BOSS) to the Navy, Air Force and Army respectively. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratories have indigenously developed these three systems which will lead to higher self-reliance in defence technologies. The Defence Minister has also given away awards to DRDO scientists for outstanding contributions in various categories.

About

Indian Maritime Situational Awareness System:

  • It is a state-of-the-art and high performance intelligent software system that provides Global Maritime Situational Picture, marine planning tools and analytical capabilities to Indian Navy.
  • It also provides Maritime Operational Picture from naval headquarters to each individual ship in sea to enable naval command and control.
  • **Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics , Bengaluru and Indian Navy has jointly conceptualised and developed the product and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bengaluru has implemented it.

ASTRA Mk-I:

  • It is the indigenously developed first Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Missile, which can be launched from Sukhoi-30, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Mig-29 and Mig-29K.
  • Globally, very few countries have expertise and capabilities to design and produce this class of weapon system.
  • The missile is designed to engage and destroy highly manoeuvring supersonic aircraft. The missile has all weather day and night capability.
  • Successful development of ASTRA weapon system by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) Hyderabad and production by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Hyderabad is a major contribution towards Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Border Surveillance System (BOSS):

It is an all-weather electronic surveillance system successfully designed and developed by Instruments Research and Development Establishment (IRDE), Dehradun. The system has been deployed at Ladakh border area for day and night surveillance and facilitates monitoring and surveillance by automatically detecting the intrusions in harsh high-altitude sub-zero temperature areas with remote operation capability.

**Awards for Outstanding Contributions:

DRDO Lifetime Achievement Award, 2018: Awarded to N V Kadam for his contributions for developing control and guidance schemes for missiles.

Source: TH


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