Lok Sabha Question No. 1793 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-25
Subject: Projects of DRDO
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: M. K. RAGHAVAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

## DEFENCE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1793

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 25 TH  NOVEMBER, 2016

## PROJECTS  OF  DRDO

1793.  SHRI M.K. RAGHAVAN:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE be pleased to state:

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- (a) whether  a  number  of  projects  of  the  Defence  Research  and  Development Organisation (DRDO) has been delayed for several years;
- (b) if so, the details thereof  and the reasons therefor, project-wise;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  undertaken  efforts  to  constitute  a  Commission  to understand the ever increasing missing deadlines on the projects conceived by DRDO; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## A    N    S    W    E    R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

(DR. SUBHASH BHAMRE)

र  ा रा य मं ी

(डा. सुभाष भामरे)

- (a) & (b): There  are  13  major  Mission  Mode  (MM)  projects  of  Defence Research  &  Development  Organisation  (DRDO)  lagging  behind  schedule. Details are given at Annexure 'A'.
- (c) & (d): Government has not constituted any Commission for the same, however,  DRDO  has  already  undertaken  the  following  steps  to  complete ongoing projects on-time.

:  2  :

- Consortium  approach  is  being  used  for  design,  development  and fabrication of critical components.
- Three-tier project monitoring approach has been instituted.
- Project Monitoring Review Committee (PMRC) and Project Appraisal and  Review  Committee  (PARC)  meetings  are held regularly to monitor the progress of ongoing projects.
- Concurrent  engineering  approach  has  been  adopted  in  technology intensive  projects  to  minimize  time-lag  between  development  and productionisation of the systems.
- Information  Technology  and  modern  management  techniques  are being applied.
- Encouraging  joint  funding  by  users  to  ensure  their  commitment towards earliest completion.
- Organisational re-structuring:
- Decentralization of authority and responsibility with Director Generals (DGs) of Technology Clusters and Directors of laboratories/ establishments
- High empowerment and accountability
- Involvement  of  Services  &  Production  Partners  during  development process  and  reviews  -  to  know  their  views  in  advance  including finalisation of GSQRs.
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## ANNEXURE  'A'    REFERRED  IN  THE  REPLY  GIVEN  IN  PARTS  (a)  &  (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1793 FOR ANSWER ON 25.11.2016

## Major Delayed Ongoing Mission Mode DRDO Projects (Cost more than Rs. 100 Cr)

| S. No.   | Project                                                                                                                                         | Probable Date of Completion   | Probable Date of Completion   | Reasons for Delay                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.   | Project                                                                                                                                         | Original                      | Current                       | Reasons for Delay                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| 1.       | Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) : Phase-II                                                                                                          | Dec 2008                      | Dec 2015 (Under revision)     | • Technological challenges/ Embargoes • Flight test program restrictions                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| 2.       | Naval Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Navy : Phase-I)                                                                                                | Mar 2010                      | Dec 2014 (Under revision)     | • Due to co-dependence of basic infrastructure in Air Force and Naval versions • Un-anticipated complexities faced in structural design                                                                                                                                                 |
| 3.       | Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) 'Rustom-II' and Development of Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) at Chitradurga | Aug 2016                      | Feb 2017                      | • Design modifications/iterations in sub-systems which led to development delays • Delay in availability of certified LRUs and associated software • Export denial of critical items and delay in procurement of imported payloads • Delay in completion of ATR facility at Chitradurga |
| 4.       | 155 mm/52 Caliber Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS)                                                                                   | Sep 2015                      | Mar 2017                      | • Delay in realization of ordnance and recoil system • Delays in placing supply orders due to procedural issues for manufacturing of sub-systems.                                                                                                                                       |
| 5.       | Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&C)                                                                                               | Apr 2011                      | Jun 2017                      | • Delay in finalizing operational requirements & platforms including additional requirements by IAF                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| 6.       | D-Jag System (Internal RWJ System for Jaguar DARIN III Upgrade Aircraft)                                                                        | Jun 2015                      | Dec 2016                      | • Critical changes in main systems                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 7.       | D-29 System (Internal EW system for MiG-29 Upgrade Aircraft)                                                                                    | Dec 2012                      | Dec 2016                      | • Delay in structural modifications tasks for MiG-29 aircraft being done at RAC MiG, Moscow.                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| 8.       | EW Systems for Capital Ships, Aircrafts & Helicopter of Indian Navy titled as 'Samudrika'                                                       | Jan 2016                      | Jul 2017                      | • Change in scope of ship-borne segment of the programme to include UETs and EA coverage from 180 o to 360 o for Project 'Shakti'.                                                                                                                                                      |

|   9. | Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LR-SAM)   | May2011   | Dec 2017                  | • Mid-way major upward revision of performance requirements by IAI (Design Authority) • Number of new technologies developed first time • Number of technical iterations required to establish Transmit- Receive Module technologies for Radar. • Design challenges in development of sub-systems by DRDO and foreign partner.                                                                                                                                    |
|------|----------------------------------------------|-----------|---------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   10 | Air to Air Missile System: Astra             | Sep 2012  | Dec 2016                  | • Technology/ design challenges • Delay in availability of critical components                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|   11 | Kaveri Engine for LCA                        | Dec 1996  | Dec 2009 (Under revision) | • Development effort was underestimated, due to lack of experience • Kaveri Core (Kabini) Engine development was initially not envisaged but added later based on experience of other engine houses • Flying test bed trials was added as an additional project milestone as recommended by IAF and CEMILAC • Lack of infrastructure for engine & component/ system level testing in India • 1998 US Sanctions: Delay in delivery of critical components &systems |
|   12 | Advanced Light Weight Torpedo                | Aug 2013  | Dec 2017                  | • Indigenization development of 120 kW warshot battery has taken time by the development agency HBL, Hyderabad. • Non availability of testing platform. • Restriction in time slots for sea trials.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|   13 | Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MR-SAM) | Sep 2016  | Mar 2017                  | • During the development stage, systems/sub-systems has undergone multiple iterations during design, development and hardware realization. • Changes in system configuration. • Three verification flight trials included (not originally in the scope).                                                                                                                                                                                                          |

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