1/2/2018 ‘Nirbhay failed due to use of recycled material’ - The Hindu

‘Nirbhay failed due to use of recycled

material’

Sumit Bhattacharjee
VISAKHAPATNAM, JULY 01, 2017 22:17 IST

Sub-sonic cruise missile will be ready by month end, says

DRDO chief

The fourth test of Nirbhay, the long rage sub-sonic cruise missile
that is designed and developed by the Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO), failed on December 21 last
year because of use of faulty material, said Chairman of the DRDO
and Secretary of Department of Defence R&D S. Chirstopher here
on Saturday.

Speaking to The Hindu after inaugurating a workshop on

indigenous lithium-ion batteries for special applications, hosted by
the Naval Science and Technological Laboratories (NSTL), the
DRDO chief said, “The fourth test of the missile took place from
the Launch Complex-III of Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Balasore
in Odisha and after lift-off the missile developed snags over one of
its wings, started to bank on one side and veered dangerously. We
had to activate the ‘self-destruct’ mechanism to kill it mid-air. On
investigation, it was found out that the vendor who manufactured it
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/nirbhay-failed-due-to-use-of-recycled-material/article19195215.ece 1/3
1/2/2018 ‘Nirbhay failed due to use of recycled material’ - The Hindu

used recycled material for one of the key components that operates
the wings of the missile and that was the reason why it failed. The
strength of the recycled material was not sufficient to operate the
parameters. Though the vendor followed all specifications, the use
of re-cycle material was not disclosed.”

But, according to Dr. Christopher, the same vendor had been told to
produce another one ‘free of cost’ under the same specifications but
without any short-cuts. “Everything was right in the missile, only
this faulty material caused the failure. But now it will be ready by
July end or August and we shall go for the fifth test,” he said.

Nirbhay is an all-weather, low-cost, long-range sub-sonic cruise

missile capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads
and is considered to be a strategic weapon.

Roadmap
Pronouncing the roadmap, Dr. Christopher said once the test was
successful they would identify the production partner whom they
referred to as strategic partner and would go for further variations.
“It is a guided missile and right now there is no problem with the
path in the higher altitude. But there are some glitches in the lower
altitude and we will be working on the seekers for pin-point
accuracy. The missile should be ready by next two to three years,”
he said.
According to him, the DRDO is working on the strategic partner
model who would have stake in the production. “This will make the
agency responsible and we will get rid of the tendering process for
every small thing. There may be multiple indigenous strategic
partners for each of our weapon and defence systems,” he pointed
out.
On the naval variant of Tejas–Mark II (light combat aircraft), Dr.
Christopher said the prototype was ready and had fullfilled the
parameters of ski-jump on board aircraft carriers. But the Navy had
been insisting on twin engines and they were working on the power
of the engines. “We are also looking for strategic partners and the
partner may be a foreign firm that would provide back-end
support,” he said.

The DRDO chief sounded very enthusiastic about the indigenously

built AEWACS (Airbone early warning and control system). “We
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/nirbhay-failed-due-to-use-of-recycled-material/article19195215.ece 2/3
1/2/2018 ‘Nirbhay failed due to use of recycled material’ - The Hindu

have already inducted one indigenously built system and it is flying

from Bhatinda.”

In total, they intended to induct 15 AEWACS and of them five

would be from Israel and the remaining indigenous ones.
Of the indigenous ones, two would be smaller ones mounted on
Brazilian Embraer-145 jets and the remaining would be on Airbus
330. “We have already received the order for six from the Indian
Air Force and the negotiations with Airbus is in the final stages.
The indigenous ones will have all the features of the Israeli make so
that there may not be two teams operating on two different makes,”
said Dr. Christopher.

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/nirbhay-failed-due-to-use-of-recycled-material/article19195215.ece 3/3