Air Chief Marshal PV Naik says the research organisation’s obsession with indigenisation is delaying the delivery of prototypes of a range of products meant for the defence force.
Air Chief Marshal PV Naik on Friday lashed out at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for its obsession with indigenisation, which, he said, was causing delay in the delivery of even prototypes of a range of air force products.
“The DRDO should focus on its core competence and develop technology accordingly, rather than trying to do everything in the name of achieving self-sufficiency,” said Naik, while delivering the Air Chief Marshal LM Katre memorial lecture on Friday at the HAL Convention Centre in Bangalore.
DRDO’s ambitious project of developing the light combat aircraft (LCA), Tejas, is yet to meet the expectations of the IAF, even after over two decades of the project being launched, he said.
The Rs2,000-crore Kaveri engine project, which is the most
talked-about assignment of the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), a DRDO agency, had to ultimately go for foreign collaboration after trials failed to prove its worth.
DRDO scientists have been blaming the delays on IAF’s changing
requirements from the products.
Naik advised DRDO to collaborate with domestic and foreign industries to develop technologies in ‘feasible operational’ time.
“We should get the products within the promised time and when they are fit to be utilised, and not after they become0 obsolete,” he said.
Naik’s advice to DRDO is in line with the recommendations of the P Rama Rao committee, set up by defence minister AK Anthony, to draw the roadmap for a complete overhaul of the defence research organisation.
The committee’s report had said that the DRDO should mainly concentrate on just eight to 10 critical technologies of strategic importance, rather than venturing into making juices, mosquito repellents, titanium dental implants and the like. It recommended that the DRDO labs should be re-organised to build combat weapons that can be used by the armed forces, as well as the necessary electronic systems.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}