1. Kaveri Marine Reviewed : Shifting Away from Ukrainian Engines
The Indian Navy has decided to shift from Ukrainian gas turbine engines to indigenous marine gas turbine engines to power small and medium-class warships.
The Indian Navy has started talks with Indian industrial partners that will be roped in to develop small to medium-class Marine engines in the country.
DRDO has revived work on the Kaveri marine gas turbine engine that will have an improved modified core that can sustain 12 megawatt power for longer durations.
The DRDO is also planning to develop a marine engine that will be based on the 120 kilo-newton class engine and will be developed jointly with a foreign partner for the AMCA program.
2. DRDO develops Drone with LMG Attached
The DRDO has developed a 25 kilogram drone that can be attached with a machine gun to hit targets with high precision and can also carry around 150 rounds.
DRDO officials have said that the technology demonstrator equipped with laser range finder has successfully carried out firing demonstration during which it showed little recoil.
Further development of the Drone will be carried out with more sensors to provide better Target recognition and improve its accuracy in long distance.
3. PM Modi to Dedicate New HAL Copter Unit on 13th Feb
On the inaugural day of Aero India 2023 in Bengaluru, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a new Hindustan Aeronautics helicopter manufacturing unit.
The helicopter Factory spans over 615 acres and has completed final assembly line facilities, flight hangar, air traffic control and other facilities.
The factory is ready to begin phase one operations to manufacture Light Utility Helicopters as well as Indian Multi-Role helicopters in the future.
4. Pakistan’s New Submarine gets Noisy Chinese Engine
Due to an embargo by European Union Government on the sale of military items to China, Pakistan Navy will receive the first Chinese built to Yuan Class Submarines equipped with Chinese CHD620 engine which is a copy of the German MTU396.
Thailand Navy had ordered the same yuan-class submarine from China but it is now refusing to accept delivery if it does not include the original German engine as the Chinese engine have higher noise levels.
5. India and Japan to Conduct First Ever Joint Air Combat Exercise
A contingent of the Indian Air Force comprising of four SU-30 fighter jets, two C-17 and one IL-78 aircraft will arrive at Japan’s Hyakuri Air Base to conduct the first bilateral air exercise with Japan Air Self-Defence Force from 12th to 26th January.
The inaugural exercise will include the conduct of various aerial combat drills between the two Air Forces and will undertake multi-domain air combat missions in a complex environment and will exchange best practices.