Trust DRDO not to put out the full picture. The Indian BHIM 155-mm tracked self-propelled howitzer was recently noted by DRDO to have been “evaluated” and “accepted” by the Indian Army. Well, it turns out the DRDO was referring to its nearly decade old evaluation/acceptance by the Army when the BHIM had a Denel T6 gun turret. After Denel was blacklisted by the Indian government following apparent evidence of malfeasance in a separate deal for anti-materiel rifles, the BHIM became effectively gun-less, and has remained so ever since. Efforts have been made twice to give the BHIM a gun, but those efforts are nowhere close to complete. And when I checked with DRDO, they told me they were “planning to” restart efforts to find the BHIM a new gun. So, no new gun. It’s just a couple of Arjun chassis stored away somewhere.
why doesn't DRDO actually try to develop a new gun and build a new platform around it rather than use an old platform and marry a foreign gun to it. Instead of wasting time they could have been ready by now.
Bhim was a complete tragedy.
It was a blunder and if the accuracy was also good, then it was a fiasco.
I think it was better than the C-17 Globemaster III, even if they belong to entirely different fields.
Who is Bhim???
Drdo is a failed organisation of a failed nation .
Mr ShivAroor,
The News is Unfortunate for defense forces, thanks for finding out the truth, Though i have some question regarding Gov and Civilian sectors to work together, Few months ago BEML said it can manufacture 52cal barrel with help of some Slovakian firm, Its also said that TOT was available for 52cal barrel, Now:Can DRDO and BEML work together? for a quick induction of tracked Bhim and Wheeled Zuzana SPGH, Thank you..
http://www.india-defence.com/reports-4579
http://www.dailypioneer.com/286735/India%E2%80%99s-own-Bofors-ready-field-trials-in-progress.html
Kunal Biswas
[email protected]
@ Anonymous 6:09
I wonder if all porkis are as ignorant as u…
Well failed nation is a caption that suits best to ur country.
@ Anonymous 6:09-Why are you weeping? Weep for those porkistanis that die in bomb-blasts detonated by terrorists trained in porkistan.
What was the point to publish in the news article?
A fine achievement but nevertheless.
India better to form joint venture with Poland for manufacturing of such gun system.Bhim is totally failure.We need to absord foreign technology for quicker deployment of weapon system.
India needs to reconsider the combat tested G6 and go with it. Quality system and backup and supports an independent and aligned BRICS touted country
To Shiv Aroor: To be fair, it was not the DRDO that failed to "put out the full picture". In its 'Technology Focus' dated June 3, 2011 it merely stated a fact, but failed to give the accompanying timeline. It was consequently the gullible who misinterpreted the term "accepted" as meaning that the Bhim tracked SPH was been "accepted for service induction". But the malaise runs deeper. A simple check with Army HQ will reveal what the user/operator had specified in its 1995 GSQR and what the DRDO had instead proposed. It was like offering petrol, when diesel was reqd. History will certainly repeat itself if the DRDO now says that it wants to restart efforts to find a new 155mm/52-cal howitzer turret for the Bhim tracked SPH. What the DRDO needs to do is wait for the forthcoming RFQ to be released by Army HQ and see what the Army specifies as the preferred hull. Only then should it begin to think of probable solutions.
DRDO always thinking about Go Go Gadgets and missing the obvious!More conventional weapons would be required in a conventional skirmish than a star wars type genius. By the way what happened to the 120mm mortar RFP that was issued some time ago?
@ Anonymous 8.49
First i am not a paki and India is
failed state reason for that
1) Corruption
2) High Inflation Rates
3) Poor education especially among Indian women
4)Poor Infrastructure
5)Balance of Payments deterioration
6) Large Budget Deficit.
7)unemployment
8)failed policies of government
Tell me how india is not a failed state
@8:49
LIKE!!!!
@anon 6:09
i wonder why you would read a defence column of a "failed nation" 😛
Thanks Shiv by giving us a balanced view of how some indigenous stuff moves.
While there is good defence R&D going on, it is also neccessary to nail them when they try to pass a dolly past us.
Nice and thanks!
DRDO keeps talking for ages eating up funds then blames everybody for not accepting the contraptions they provide. Finally the Politician and babu pressurises the forces to accept. Simple INSAS Army accepts BSF and CRPF rejects. Shaktiman trucks Defence acceps Delhi transport throws out.In all this One Great point is missed. It is the poor soldier whose life is at risk with these toys in battle. It is high time the Govt put a seal on DRDO's mouth to be taken out only when a completed product is offered.
This is what happens at govt organisations like DODO.. they are filled with useless people who go there to eat and have an easy life. I used to work there and got sick of the work ethic and quit. Give this to the private sector and see how everything takes off.. bloody PSU morons are as bad as ratshakers.
They should do something positive about it and that too at earliest.
i did my project in one of the DRDO lab, and i have seen most of the people come to that organisation only to have free food and some good time with friends
Sack the DRDO – L&T, Tatas and the rest of the private sector can easily produce world class arms – Indian automobile manufacturing is already amongst the best in the world – Just open the gates to the private sector – if DRDOs had its way we would still be driving ambassadors and Jongas ( Atleast the army is still stuck decades behind the rest of the world, thanks to DRDO)
shiv what about naval lca u said it will fly in july and tarmak reporting it in october
@prasun
well said..but no point in waiting for floating goalposts to be announced?? 😀
A TV Report on
US may re-enter MMRCA race, offer F-35 to IAF
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/us-may-reenter-mmrca-race-offer-f35-to-iaf/161426-3.html
give it to pvt sector..they will "make" indian!! 😛
DRDO could deliver results if only it gave up on the nepotism, it runs deep with-in the organization. They have not implemented the RamaRao committee report which could have made a difference. They are just taking on projects to further their promotions and get doctorates and milk money. Each Lab has Sc G or Sc H by the dozens….what results do they have to show ? ? What has ARDE been doing for the last 20yrs ? making toys ? A Comprehensive public audit of DRDO is necessary to ensure it works. Maybe Anna Hazare should be asked to take on this too….less said about their other employees – pampered and spoilt to the core !!!! CC&S rules dont apply to them.
Healthy Capitalisim is only way out in a democratic system.
Open the defence sector to private sector and see the wonders it does.
Ambitious Indians engineers passing out of great colleges are dying to show there skills in this sector. I know many IIT-ians and similar colleges , given a choice they will work for startup/SME at 'average' pay and do great work. They are enough engineers willing to leave cushy jobs to work on high tech engineering required in Defence sector.
Private industry is a surely a good way out.