The HAPP (Heavy Alloy Penetrator Project), Tiruchi, has developed an indigenised version of the Russian Anti-Submarine Rocket Guided Bomb 60 (RGB 60), for catering to the needs of Indian Navy.
The 110 kg RGB 60 rocket developed through in-house Research and Development process within a duration of one year, has been designed to deliver a war head mass of 25 kg to a range of 5.8 km within ten seconds. The rocket is fired in formations from the RBU 6000 (Rocketnaya Bombometnaya Ustanovka) Rocket Depth Bomb Launcher mounted on ship.
The first batch of 20 indigenously manufactured and assembled RGB 60 rockets will shortly be despatched for test trials with support from the officers and staff of the NAI (Naval Armament Inspectorate) detachment of CINA (Chief Inspectorate of Naval Armaments), the HAPP General Manager M. Ravi told presspersons here on Thursday. The hardware manufactured by HAPP will be filed with high explosives and propellents, and the fully charged Rocket will be issued to the Navy by AF Khadki, a Sister Ordnance Factory, he said.
One of the 41 Ordnance factories under the Director General of Ordnance Factories, Ordnance Factory Board, the HAPP, a production unit primarily engaged in the manufacture of High Kinetic Energy Anti Tank Projectiles of different calibers for use as Tank ammunition and various other ammunition items, successfully developed the smaller range RGB - 12 Rocket with 1.5 km range last year. Ten RGB 12 Rockets were now in advanced stage of test trials, Mr. Ravi said, exuding confidence that the bulk production of these two varieties of rockets could be started at the HAPP by this year-end. The indigenisation will reflect in enormous foreign exchange saving, he said.
On the on-going R & D initiatives and expansion plans, Mr. Ravi said the HAPP was in the process of manufacturing ammunition required for the shoulder-fired Carl Gustav rocket launcher, and co-production of125 mm IMI. The HAPP was one among the 12 ordnance factories where facilities will be expanded for scaling up manufacture of Pinaka rockets to the extent of fulfilling entire requirement of the Army, he said.
As part of celebration of the Ordnance Factories Day, Mr. Ravi earlier inaugurated an exhibition featuring the models of the RGB 60 and RGB12 and photos displaying various important events and milestones in the history of HAPP.
Mr. Ravi also honoured two recipients of the prestigious Ayudh Shri Awards. M. Ramesh, Master Craftsman, and S. Sundarapandian, Fitter, are among the 25 Ayudh Awardees identified by the OFB from all the ordnance factories on the basis of a set of parameters including innovation and cost-saving. They belong to the team that has developed the two Rockets for the Navy.
