criticism of DRDO by PR Rao committee

[LiberalAtheist]

What went wrong with LCA, Arjun Tank, Akash missile - Indian Express


in 2009, The P Rama Rao committee, which was formed to revamp the organisation, has said that the major cause for delays and failures of indigenous defence products is DRDO’s tendency to over-estimate its capabilities. The inability of the research body to involve the Armed Forces in developmental projects from the start has been identified as a major area of concern.
In all of the major projects reviewed by the committee — the Light Combat Aircraft, the Arjun Tank, Kaveri engine and the Akash Surface to Air Missile — it cracked down on the DRDO for the same problems of “over-optimism” and poor planning.
committee analysis by project (as of 2009):


Project: LCA
The present fighter fails to meet requirements set by the Air Force in 1985. Some major requirements that will not be met even after induction include mismatch of aircraft weight to power available from its engines, inadequate turn rates, low supersonic acceleration and achieving maximum angle of attack. The Kaveri engine being developed is nowhere near completion. LCA’s weight has increased 900 kg over the original 9 ton.


committee recommendations
•Accepting LCA in its “sub-optimal performance” as LCA Mk I, IAF to induct 48 of these underpowered fighters.
•However, new teams to be formed immediately to develop a Mk II version that will meet the original requirements identified in 1985.
•The laboratory behind the project — the Aeronautic Development Agency (ADA) — be merged with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
•Take up any future military aerospace programme as a joint venture with foreign aircraft design organisations.
•Kaveri engine project to be taken up as a co-design programme with foreign collaborator.

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Project: Arjun Main Battle Tank
•Too much time and effort spent in developing engine for tank without meeting success.
•DRDO looked at outsourcing turret control systems only in mid-’80s after failing to develop it in-house.
•DRDO did not hand over blueprints and specifications to the manufacturing facility on time.
•Tank suffered from poor product quality and sub-optimal performance during development, testing and production stage.


committee recommendations
•DRDO should immediately start work on a Mk II version of the tank to meet the Army’s requirements.
•Advanced version to be built on a joint development model and foreign collaborators should be roped in to gain expertise.
•DRDO needs to work on indigenisation of engine, turret and sight and fire control system that it has completely failed to develop.


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Project:Akash Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile
The work started in 1983, but the system failed to meet all deadlines set for development. While the Air Force will be inducting the system shortly, it is yet to meet the Army’s requirements. The missile system has failed mobility tests in the deserts, where it was too heavy and got stuck in the sand during trials. Cannot negotiate steep sand dunes. Developers over-estimated own capabilities, set unrealistic targets and did not involve the Armed Forces during the development,


committee recommendations
•Should immediately start work on a new Mk II version of the missile.
•DRDO has to make all out effort to involve the Army and Air Force in the development of the new system to meet all their requirements.
•DRDO to take up a joint development approach with foreign collaborator.

 

[IndoCarib]

DRDO should be privatized. When did a state held company excel !? But I think Govt is discouraging private participation in defence.

 

[LiberalAtheist]

DRDO should be privatized. When did a state held company excel !? But I think Govt is discouraging private participation in defence.

or maybe the labs of the DRDO become private companies like combine DARE, CABS, and all the other aeronautical labs into one private aerospace company and combine all the dynamics and armaments labs into one private company, etc each of the DRDO Labs conducts R&D in several sectors like aerospace, armaments, gas turbines, etc and they should just become private companies still conducting R&D and developing state of the art systems for the armed forces to use it sounds far fetched but can work with only the DRDO and 40 OFB's its no wonder why we import 80% of defense equipment

 

[punit]

good work my frnds. Some other frnds of mine wont feel good though .

 

[LiberalAtheist]

good work my frnds. Some other frnds of mine wont feel good though .

DRDO just needs to be privatized they have many other successes to its name but that doesn't matter people still bash them over they're failures its not entirely their fault political factors, lack of infrastructure, lack of skilled manpower, etc are just some of the many factors

 

[ratnas]

this means to say that tejas is far worse than its requirements set up in 1985,,, come on give it a break,,, we are in 2011 and this is the age of stealth.. on this not I would suggest get a jet from another country like Russia, and USA with full TOT and licence production in India like we have done with MKI
or else try to reverse engineer like Chinese does.... If they cant do that too better do one thing.......... make those people stand in a line and

 

[HitesH]

ISRO never ws privatised still its doing a pretty good job

i wonder whats wrong with DRDO then.....

 

[punit]

^ one reason is diff work ethics. Also good leadership and accountibility do help.

 

[LiberalAtheist]

^ one reason is diff work ethics. Also good leadership and accountibility do help.

they have good worth ethics but just not enough R&D or skilled manpower to accomplish some of its tasks like it says above they are over-optimistic about stuff they cannot do IMO LCA tejas is not even DRDO's fault it should be blamed on ADA and HAL for bad time management DRDO just needs to get foreign consultation on some things it cannot accomplish then learn and become swadeshi