The July trials of an improved version of DRDO’s Nag missile carrier (NAMICA) at the Mahajan Field Firing Range (MFFR) in Rajasthan have ended badly, say reports. Apart from most of the missiles under test failing to hit their targets, the tracked vehicle also “underperformed”, wire service PTI quotes unnamed DRDO officials as saying. It also quotes DRDO spokesperson Ravi Gupta as saying the trials were a “partial success”. I’ve spoken to sources who confirm the report.
The NAMICA Mk.1 (seven have been ordered), tested by the Army between 2007-10, had certain deficiencies while operating in high ambient temperatures. The Army then demanded a host of changes on the improved Mk.2 platform (of which they intend to purchase at least 200 if it meets all requirements), including reduction of all-up weight to 15 tons, improved reliability of missile launcher platform drive mechanisms, provision of higher-resolution target acquisition sight for the gunner, enhanced user-friendliness in acquisition of target through reduced offset between sight and missile seeker-acquired target scene image, improved amphibious performance, and provision of a target surveillance and acquisition sight for the crew commander.
another failure of drdo why india is not closing drdo
did nag underperform or did javelin spike the death of Nag? this nonsense if all too obvious.. indian military procurement is too corrupt…
Years of "RD" and finally we have discovered that our wheel is a square wheel !!
I've failed a subject named Control Systems in my engineering 4 times, and then I secured 95%. Control Systems is by far my favorite subject. Failure is not a problem if you do a thorough analysis what caused the problem and try to make the component/system better. The learning is progressive; all the PSUs slacked a lot in last few decades, but now I see rigorous activities and initiatives. I'm sure we can learn a lot from this failure and set of parameters that didn't meet the benchmark. NAG will better Javelin some day; just wait and watch. Another thing; it's better to die trying than not try at all. I wish all the best to the NAMICA program and its entire team. Love you India, and love everyone who is adding some value to our individuality.
The problem in India is we reward under performance. DRDO gets a pat on the back if it fails and infact the blame for its performance is laid at its competitors.
The biggest scam is the existence of these of these good for nothing PSUs that that are nothing but a black hole for funds.
DOnt blame the army, blame those sloths at DRDO.
Too hell with all with you who think DRDO is an underperformer and believe that we Indian Scientists can not create world class products.
Now let me inform you bunch of ill informed idiots that Nag mk1 works fine as per ASQR requirements.
Nag Mk2 is a more advanced, practically a 4th generation missile. We were hoping to get the results as achieved with the limited range Mmw Italian seekers used on the missile. Further India is close to complete the development of our own high range high resolution mmw seekers which will be employed in the Nag by end of this year.
The vehicle has`nt failed as well. Its merely in advanced stages of development. Keeping weight low is neither easy nor a game of weeks. We will develop it fully by end of this year and whatever we have achieved is as expected from the limited parameters under tests.
I would like to tell you that these tests were developmental tests and the data acquired in this test will be used for further enhancement of the missile.
The missile is already made lighter, with internal construction ready for a new indian seeker. The namica drive vehicle is also redeveloped with better armour, better resolution sights, automatic target acquisition system, full network centric capability and improved drive and amphibious capability.
We will do it in time. And for you idiots who feel we are behind. Let me tell you that we have bridged the technology gap completely and we are developing cutting edge technology, latest generation equipments and are building them at a lower cost than imported materials with very high level of quality. Infact DRDO labs are at their peak of technology absorption in almost all areas and in next 10 years or so we will be head to head with US, west european development organisations. This is what we have achieved after paying a huge price and years.
So stop cribbing and earn us some money and pay your taxes fully…be honest and get the best service. Be smart enough to choose a good government and not hay chase a single party which you have done for 70 years. Do your job fine…and well do ours.
India will be a superpower by 2050.
APJ Abdul Kalam believes do and so does my team and entire drdo, isro and all government bodies and private sector companies now partnering with us.
Jai Hind
Sir…I understand the technology gaps between india n us but almost all drdo pgms r behind schedule
One more thing 2050 is a long time think we should be looking @ 2025
Aleast to build some credible weapon systems
Jai hind
Shiv can u confirm abt this guy
" Dr. Rajaram Gopalakutty. Head Systems Development, DRDO "
Thats bad news. I thought it will be inducted soon.
Probably first time in many years NAG scored any hit failure. Doesn't seems to be big issue apart from some related to QC . That considering it(NAG which went into testing) was not a development version; one with underdevelopment MMW seeker.
@ Dr. Rajaram Gopalakutty. Bravo Sir. Some of us have a lot of faith in you people. Ignore the comments made here by some morons. They are as ignorant as our media.
I wish you all the best.
I feel thats good it failed the tests as the bugs can be fixed. I feel DRDO has to work hard and fix the problems. Deliver the required specifications of the user and next year we would have the fourth generation missile with accuracy which none of the missile can match. I am hopeful that with new seeker and miniaturized control system and new light weight body and new propulsion the missile would definitely change and that the normal course of the decisive weapons that are world beater. Put your head down look at the user requirements and work hard on deficiencies.In six months to a year you conduct another test and succeed and the present test would be forgotten. Defeat always paves the wave for victory for those who have self respect and determination.
Good luck you a come a long wave and the last lap is most difficult and if you develop a seeker that can target beyond 7 mile then that is a game changer.
Timabaktoo
@ Dr. Rajaram Gopalakutty. Head Systems Development, DRDO
Please remember that its not actually him. Anybody can put any name.
That as well applicable on u anyone named shahrukh khan cant be a superstar.
Think he put tat name to show us the flaw in the system ie u can pretend to be someone else n post a comment
Gopalakutty Sir,
Please carry on with your work. There are vested interests at work here that carry out this kind of smear campaign and will always amplify routine development shortfalls of DRDO projects (like Tejas, Arjun MK-2 and now Nag) always showing DRDO's effort in bad light but will never criticize tons of imported systems that don't perform to brochure specs (but the services suck it up and the media doesn't report) and which have been hauled up report after report by the CAG.
This pattern of selective leaks and dis-information/ smear campaigns as highlighted by the Gen. VKS saga by a section of paid media is now all too well known. Just ignore and carry on. My tax money is well spent on DRDO projects creating the necessary tech base and jobs in India, for Indians
Dr. Rajaram Gopalakutty
Keep up the good work.
It is not easy to build something new and so high tech.Trial and errors are part of success and developing outstanding products.
DRDO is doing excellent work and I am sure in the years to come people will start appreciating the products developed by you.
Don't listen to naysayers , they are not in your shoes.
They don't understand the complexity of the systems being developed by you guys.
Jai Hind !!!
Well, in absence of the proper data, it can be said that it was a test for the trials and errors, in which more errors were found than the trials. Hope they really correct it the next time.
Invest in Javelin
I don't know why we fear failure so much. Each failure is the step to success if we are ready to learn from our failure. It is more important to understand the various scenario under which complex system can fail than always get the perfect results from test.
This is called the development process.
Dr. Rajaram Gopalakutty. Head Systems Development, DRDO
If you are who you claim to be and you denounced party in power than Kudos to you for your raw courage. How many of us have courage to call spade a spade….very few and that too against party in power…NIL.
So best of luck to you. But this is serious if you are not who you claim. It seems Shiv will have to make compulsory access through only facebook/google/linkedin/twitter account
Oh please, as if a serving DRDO official would publicly make however mild a criticism of the government in power!
How gullible can we be to believe that this guy is DRDO?! lol!
He has 'vote for BJP' written all over him!
Besides, no top official would use such language.
We get very easily fooled.
@Dr. Rajaram Gopalakutty. Head Systems Development, DRDO
This the first time I am coming across a person who is involved with the defence of the country and is getting involved in political mateers. Good clue given at the end so that we all can identify that you are acttually an imposter….
By the way, why we will have to wait till 2050 to become a superpower? If DRDO morons are to be believed, we should be superpowers by 2017. Tejas MK2 to be inducted in 2017, FGFA is to be inducted in 2017(now changed to 2019), AMCA first flight by 2017, AURA UCAV induction by 2017. Everything is going to happen in 2017. So we should be superpowers by 2017.
Jai Hind….
yes ArkAngel115, no top DRDO official will use such foul language. Only low-life's like you, who've got the anonymity of the internet to hide their actual identity can do that.
People who comment on this website appear to be novices with respect to the R&D and product development in Defense Sector. In the US and French practice, no one cares to provide publicity for field trials (successes as well as failures). System development time frames are in decades or years depending on system complexity. This with mature and fully developed industrial infrastructure.
@ArkAngel…Why not, if VKS can do why not this guy. Come on…not everybody shits in pant, some have courage. Is 'vote for BJP' a taboo in your circles. Not in mine, so i appreciate Dr. Rajaram courage, if he is original.
Again Anon 2:55 oh please, VKS is live example
Missile making is not at all a kitchen business, its a very complex technology, let us lend our support to the DRDO team to correct the flaw, LCA is maturing fast, Arjun tank is outperforming, all did by DRDO. All manufacturer's will go through through this phase.
You know DRDO has very good, creative and experimented scientists, but the problem is inefficiency, and political interference, it should have been in join ventures with local or international pvt companies, like brahmos, we would have got more positive results and good products….
It is called a trial, if the first trial are expected to be successful then we dont need them we can directly go to deployment. All western systems have failed multiple times, some have had desingn gaps even after deployment.
This looks like a hack job to get the army to buy foreign stuff with kickbacks nothing else.
Please remember – the Military and Indian government top brass (there are exceptions like VK Singh) does not work for India. they work who pays them and for sonia mafia.
All programs have failure. Question is how we can improve India's security, increase self dependence, improve DRDO and other research organziation.
If that requires working with firangees – we need to do that. But goals should be clear. We work for India. Since our UPA and other parties are corrupt – no one is working for India. Media is one of the biggest culprits.
Unless Indian sanskriti is used as a guiding tool in Indian Military and Govt. and retaught, we will continue to be a slave nation like no other.