DRDO to make unmanned combat systems

"it is going to be the future, it will be a fight against one technology over the other, than the conventional man against man wars," DRDO Director General Avinash Chander said.

November 24, 2014 04:39 pm | Updated May 23, 2017 11:43 am IST - VIJAYAWADA:

Projects on unmanned reconnaissance aircraft and combat aircraft are underway, but there is a need to evolve a policy for inclusion of such systems into the armed forces, DRDO Director General Dr. Avinash Chander said.

Projects on unmanned reconnaissance aircraft and combat aircraft are underway, but there is a need to evolve a policy for inclusion of such systems into the armed forces, DRDO Director General Dr. Avinash Chander said.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Director General Dr. Avinash Chander underscored the need for a policy to induct unmanned combat systems into the armed forces and make them an integral part.

Many advanced countries, especially the United States, are focusing on developing unmanned security systems and the DRDO is working on different unmanned combat system projects for aerial, underwater and surface applications.

Presently, projects on unmanned reconnaissance aircraft and combat aircraft and others are underway but there is a need to evolve a policy for inclusion of such systems into the armed forces. It is going to be the future, it will be a fight against one technology over the other, than the conventional man against man wars, said Mr. Chander.

Strengthening biochemical capability

Sensing a potential threat through dreadful viruses, bacteria and other bio agents, the defence organisation is working on strengthening biochemical capability by developing vaccines for detection and protection.

“We have developed a vaccine for detection of HINI flu virus and are working on detection of anthrax in association with department of food research. They are still under clinical evaluation and we need to get clearance. It is a long process,” said Mr. Chander, who was in the city to lay the foundation for the Centre of Excellence in Composites at V.R. Siddhartha Engineering College in Vijayawada on Monday.

Akash MK-II missile

Sharing details about the upgrading of Akash MK-II surface-to-air missile, he said Akash, in its present form, was very successful and met with the aspirations of the armed forces. “It has got a very good hit rate and now efforts are on for enhancing range and it is still on the drawing board,” he said.

On other projects, the DRDO Director General said the organisation was setting up a centre of technology for robotics at Jagadalpur and there are plans to set up 10 such centres for propulsions etc at Mumbai, Chennai and other locations in the country in the next five years.

The objective was to inculcate research interest among students and DRDO will be funding such centres, he added.

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