FOCUS: OFB On a high growth path

[sudhir007]

On a high growth path

D.M. GUPTA has been the Director-General and Chairman of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) since January 1, 2011. The Stockholm Peace Research Institute lists the OFB as one of the top 50 defence manufacturers in the world. It has a turnover of approximately $2.5 billion and employs nearly 100,000 employees.

D.M. Gupta joined Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS) in 1974 after graduating from Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee. In a career spanning over 37 years, Gupta made significant contributions to manufacturing, plant maintenance and supply chain management at ordnance factories. He has led from the front at the ordnance factories in Bolangir (Orissa) and Medak (Andhra Pradesh). He has been Member/Weapons, Vehicles & Equipment at the headquarters in Kolkata and Additional DGOF, Armoured Vehicle headquarters at Avadi (Chennai).

What is the role of the Indian Ordnance Factories organisation in the defence sector?

The Indian Ordnance Factories is the largest departmental industrial organisation that fulfils the land system needs of the armed forces and paramilitary forces. We manufacture a wide array of lethal and non-lethal defence hardware for achieving self-reliance in defence preparedness. Over the years, the OFB has developed valuable skills and strengths in terms of fully integrated multi-technology capabilities; core competencies in the production of ammunition, vehicles, artillery equipment, explosives and small arms; and a vast pool of skilled human resources.

We have the capability to stretch ourselves in war time, which makes us the most dependable and reliable supplier for the armed forces. We are indeed the force behind the forces.

How will you rate the OFB's corporate performance for the financial year 2010-11.

Year 2010-11 has been a year of achievement, of success and of satisfaction. All previous records have been surpassed, the faith and confidence of stakeholders have been restored, and there is a sense of pride and satisfaction in all our employees. The OFB achieved an issue value of Rs.11,232 crore during the year as against Rs. 8,715 crore during 2009-10. For the first time, supplies of more than Rs.1,000 crore were given to paramilitary forces. A record number of T-90S tanks, Pinaka rockets, light field guns (LFGs), mine-protected vehicles (MPVs), and ammunition items have been supplied.

This high growth path is set to continue. The OFB's order book is full and there is a high demand for its traditional products. Further, the OFB will be taking up the production of many new products such as new-generation assault rifles, the CQB carbine, Smerch rockets, Grad rockets, and latest generation artillery guns and ammunition through technology transfer. In view of the increased demand, the OFB is augmenting its production facilities.

How is the OFB contributing to the goal of achieving self-reliance in defence preparedness?

The ordnance factories play an important role in the indigenisation of defence products. The OFB's commitment to self-reliance can be seen in the significant jump in turnover. Thus, we help the nation attain self-reliance through higher output from indigenous sources and the manufacture of a range of new products. We have also tried to limit the import content at 10-15 per cent, which is much less than that of any other indigenous industry manufacturing defence products.

SMALL ARMS OF 7.62 MM calibre

We have started the indigenous production of T-90 tanks, the main battle tank (MBT) Arjun, armoured ambulances, Pinaka rockets and MPVs. We have successfully come up with many new products. Among them are the commanders' thermal imaging night sight for the T-72 tank, the driver night sight for the BMP-II, the indigenous barrel for the T-90 tank and the MPVs, and bullet-proofing of vehicles.

How do you solve customers' problems?

I will give an example. The Directorate of Artillery [Indian Army] had given an order for the development of an apparatus to airlift 105 mm LFGs, mostly deployed in hilly terrain. The Ordnance Development Centre, Gun Carriage Factory [Jabalpur] developed this equipment called “apparatus air lift” in a short time. It can lift the gun as an underslung load, and can be adapted for use on the Air Force's MI-17 helicopters and the Navy's Sea King. This apparatus will help improve the operational efficiency of the armed forces. Recently, we made a platform for the AN-32 aircraft to help improve the logistics of the armed forces.

What is the OFB's contribution to the strengthening of the country's internal security?

Considering the volatile internal security situation, there is a high demand for the MPV and its variants. The vehicle is protected by armour plates and can withstand a TNT [trinitrotoluene] blast of 14 kg under its belly. This vehicle has been supplied to the Army, the paramilitary forces and the State police forces. The OFB has even exported 100 MPVs. It is now undertaking a project to develop a platform that can sustain a more powerful TNT blast. The OFB is setting up a manufacturing facility in Jabalpur besides the one in Medak.

Our supply to the paramilitary forces has been increasing. There has been a jump in the supply of light machine guns (LMGs), mortars, rocket launchers, pump action guns, pistols and revolvers to them.

Similarly, marine security has got a boost, thanks to the indigenous 30 mm CRN 91 gun and 12.7 mm Prahari. The CRN 91 with a stabilised pedestal fitted on Navy and Coast Guard ships has been developed by OF - Medak.

Has the OFB provided any new product for the civil market recently?

The Small Arms Factory in Kanpur has introduced a new long-barrel premium revolver named ‘Anmol' with many improved features over the current 0.32 bore version Mark-III. It has a longer range than the Mark-III and weighs just 100 grams more. This weapon was launched recently in the Indian market and comes under the non-prohibited bore (NPB) category.

What are the OFB's latest initiatives?

Many initiatives have been taken to improve transparency in our functioning. A new Material Procurement Manual was introduced on April 1, 2011. To reap the advantages of technology, e-procurement has been implemented. The OFB is embarking on a major modernisation programme which will help it adopt safer production processes and achieve improved productivity, consistency in quality and reduction in costs. The firepower of a tank is its ability to destroy targets on the battlefield while on the move. It is determined by the main armament calibre, projectiles' piercing capability, characteristics of armament laying mechanisms, sights, aimed firing rate, ammunition loading speed, available ammunition types and quantity of vehicle-borne ammunition, including machine-gun ammunition.

 

[sudhir007]

Building confidence

Indigenisation has remained the mantra of the Ordnance Factory Board in its efforts to augment the country's defence preparedness.

“IT is war that shapes peace, and armament that shapes war...” said Maj. Gen J.F.C. Fuller, the British Army officer and war historian who was one of the founders of modern armoured warfare. It is military technological prowess that has defined wars and their outcome.

India's quest for indigenous technological superiority in terms of lethality and precision had led to the setting up of Ordnance Factories (OFs). The OFs have come a long way since their humble beginning in 1802 during British rule. Today, the Ordnance Factories Organisation is the largest departmental production organisation in the country and functions under the Department of Defence Production in the Ministry of Defence. The Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) headquartered in Kolkata is responsible for the activities of the various factories.

Defence production poses unique challenges. The products have to be safe, reliable and consistent and capable of operating in varied hostile terrains and environmental conditions. They must also be able to withstand long-term storage.

Spread over 41 units across the country, the organisation's manufacturing facilities handle technologies in the field of engineering, metallurgy, chemicals, textiles, leather and optics. It meets the requirements of the Armed Forces and the paramilitary, State and Central police forces.

Over the years, the organisation has developed valuable skills and strengths in the manufacture of fully integrated multi-technology products and in terms of acquiring core competencies in the production of ammunitions, armoured vehicles, transport vehicles, artillery equipment, explosives and small arms. The organisation's accelerated growth path is evident from the Rs.11,000-crore turnover in the last fiscal, an increase of 29 per cent over the previous year.

The OFs have marched with the times, by diversification and product development. Each and every factory, including the Gun and Shell Factory, Cossipore (near Kolkata), the oldest among them, has made tremendous progress. The units have upgraded their products from wooden gun carriages to the most sophisticated anti-aircraft guns, from simple iron shots to advanced shells, and from ordinary fuses to modern fuses.

There are 39 OFs spread across the country and two project factories, at Nalanda and Korwa, all of which together employ nearly one lakh people. The OFB has always delivered for the country, right from the time of the Second World War. During the Kargil war, it met the sudden and stretched requirements of the armed forces quickly.

Right from the beginning, the OFs were tasked with improving internal capabilities so as to reduce the dependence on foreign suppliers. This they were able to do by developing new products through technology transfer from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and abroad, and by the development of new technologies on their own. Some of the products indigenised through the transfer-of-technology route are the 84 mm Rocket Launcher Mark-III, the T-72 and T-90 tanks, the Russian-made infantry combat vehicle BMP-II and the AK-630 naval gun. The import content in OF products has remained low – at around 10-15 per cent – in the last decade.

The OFB has tried to make many improvements in design, be it in the INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) rifle, the MBT, Arjun, or the 51 mm mortar. The MAG machine gun and the BMP gun for naval applications have also been modified. Through in-house efforts, it has developed Kavach rockets and antisubmarine rockets for the Navy, and anti-material rifles, grenade launchers and so on for the Army.

The organisation is pursuing research and development (R&D) vigorously. It has created 12 Ordnance Development Centres (ODCs) for in-house product development.

A mine-protected vehicle. Protected by armour plates, it can withstand a TNT blast of 14 kg under its belly.

The successor to the T-72 tanks, the T-90 – renamed Bhishma – is one of the most advanced tanks in the world. It has night fighting capability and can fire missiles. It is also designed to protect crew from radioactivity in the event of a nuclear attack. The T-90S tank is a cross-country tracked vehicle which can cross a trench obstacle of 2.6. m to 2.8 m, a vertical obstacle of 0.85 m, a gradient of 30 degrees and water of 1.8 m depth. Many critical subsystems such as the global positioning system (GPS), the smoke grenade launcher, the explosive reactive armour, the entrenching plate, the NBC System, the combined air start valve and automatic sediment release have been indigenised. The T-72 Ajeya has an import content of only 4 per cent. The import content in the T-90 has been progressively reduced from 80 per cent in 2007-08 to around 15 per cent in 2010-11.

The home-built Arjun tank, the latest in the armoury of the Army, is manufactured by the OFB. Be it driving over rugged sand dunes or detecting, observing and quickly engaging targets, or accurately hitting targets, both stationery and moving, the Arjun has demonstrated its effectiveness vis a vis the T-90. The tank moves at a speed of 70 kilometres per hour; has got a power of 1,400 horsepower (hp), and is equipped with the indigenously developed Kanchan armour.

The Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) system, developed by the DRDO, is another state-of-the-art weapon for destroying enemy troop concentration areas, communication centres, air terminal complexes, gun/rocket locations and for laying mines by firing rockets with several warheads from a launcher vehicle. It is an all-weather, indirect fire, free-flight, artillery weapon capable of delivering a large volume of fire in a very short time to neutralise critical and sensitive enemy targets. High operational mobility, flexibility and accuracy are its major characteristics. This MBRL is cheaper than the American M270 multiple launch rocket system (MLRS), the 9P140 URAGAN of Russia and the ASTROS-II of Brazil. The OFB has successfully manufactured the rocket including the pod assembly, and has commenced bulk supplies of the same to the armed forces.

The Department of Defence Production has been supportive of the OFB's efforts to position itself as a world-class manufacturing organisation. An investment of Rs.6,000 crore has been planned for building a new capability through modernisation of infrastructure during the 12th Plan period.

Augmentation projects, worth Rs.1,000 crore, have also been approved and are in different stages of implementation. This will enable the OFB to meet the new requirements of the armed forces.

The organisation won many laurels last year. Among other things, it patented the micro-alloyed ultra-high strength steel, and established itself as the lone supplier of extrusions for aircraft applications.

 

[sudhir007]

Press Information Bureau English Releases

Ordnance Factory Board has been allowed to enter into agreement with Foreign Vendors for Transfer of Technology, in sequel to the Armed Forces procurement, on case to case basis.

Present Strength of the Staff at the Ordnance Factories are not sufficient to meet the demands of the three Services of the Armed Forces. Government proposes to recruit more persons for the purpose.

During financial year 2010-11, total 14,199 Nos. of staff have been inducted at various levels in Ordnance Factories.

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Shri MM Pallam Raju in a written reply to Shri Sanjay Raut in Rajya Sabha today.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

This high growth path is set to continue. The OFB's order book is full and there is a high demand for its traditional products. Further, the OFB will be taking up the production of many new products such as new-generation assault rifles, the CQB carbine, Smerch rockets, Grad rockets, and latest generation artillery guns and ammunition through technology transfer. In view of the increased demand, the OFB is augmenting its production facilities.

Yayyy

 

[Tshering22]

^^ I don't know when man. There was that Trichy assault rifle some days back but that has vanished into smoke. There was the MSMC submachine carbine that was designed but still not heard from the tri-services. There was even a bullpup configuration INSAS conceptualized with all black and grey carbon fiber materials. That also didn't fall through. Instead, GOI ordered more and more foreign maal from outside.

There must be a rule that IA (particularly) cannot buy 100% foreign stuff and must involve in some Indian contribution to the weapon system, either part or whole; all while, this weapon must be randomly tested by an officer of captain or major level (or equivalent in IAF and IN) that is selected to testing the weapon system without any notice (to avoid malpractice of sabotaging the trials).

Unless harsh rules like these are implemented, nothing will change.