The Hindu Business Line : Aero India: Defence tech might to be on show

The biennial international air show and exhibition will showcase some of the best technologies from the 54 labs of the Defence Research & Development Organisation between February 9 and 13. Among these will be the indigenously built star fighter aircraft, the Light Combat Aircraft or Tejas, which will fly on all days. Missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, radars, simulation and avionics systems form part of the other static exhibits.

The last show had featured the Indo-Russian supersonic cruise missile product BrahMos.

The international event, which is shaping into one of the region's aviation attractions, will be the right platform for DRDO to project its aerospace related R&D products, Mr M. Natarajan, who took over a few months ago as the Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, said at a news conference. He is also the Director General of Aeronautical Development Agency, Bangalore, which will put up the pavilion jointly with DRDO.

He said in the past two decades, DRDO had gained enough strength and was now looking at win-win propositions for collaboration, both externally and with the domestic industry that can pick from 150-odd technologies for commercialisation.

Apart from the LCA, DRDO was developing the Kaveri engine at its Bangalore-based Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) to power the LCA and possibly other future aircraft such as the Advanced Jet Trainer and medium combat aircraft. The unmanned air-borne vehicles (UAVs) offered exciting propositions and the defence labs were currently working on a new set of UAVs and airborne early warning systems.

The Kaveri engine itself has been tested in high altitudes in Russia and it should be flown by 2006-07.

The Defence Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, is slated to open the seminar that is part of Aero India shows. For the first time, the seminar will precede the air show by two days and will be held from February 7 to 9. The 18-session seminar will have 60 speakers including 42 from abroad and 800 delegates.

Bangalore gets Rs 10,000 cr

Mr Natarajan said Bangalore, with its host of DRDO labs, has attracted the bulk of investments meant for defence units.

It has so far received Rs 10,000 crore of R&D funds, including Rs 5,500 crore for the LCA programme, Rs 2,800 crore for Kaveri engine, and the rest for UAVs and airborne early warning systems that are under development.

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Aero India: Defence tech might to be on show