Aero India 2023 Expo Highlights

On-site hospitality, HAL-style!

Shown above are the AAM sub-systems that the IAF has been hawking since 2017 for indigenisation. No industrial takers of such offers as yet.

The above (generating 46kN thrust) is presently undergoing high-altitude tests at Zhukovsky in Russia. If a suitable afterburner can be developed, then this turbofan can become a likely candidate for powering the HLFT-42 LIFT.

HAL had to undertake a major re-design of the HTFE turbofan, which has resulted in developmental delays. The engine core will now be ready for high-altitude flight-tests by mid-2025. In contrast, development of the much more complex HTSE-1200 turboshaft engine (below) has made significant progress, including the commencement of high-altitude flight-tests of the engine core late last year. 

The SAFRAN Aneto-1K turboshaft engine that has been selected for powering the IMRH. That was the reason why this engine was exhibited at the SAFRAN booth. 

Below are the new HAL-developed products.

Shown below are some BEL-built products.

Shown below is the PG-HSLD precision-guided munition.

Bharat Dynamics Ltd stupidly labelled the anti-helicopter laser-guided CLGM as an ATGM.

Munitions shown by Bharat Dynamics Ltd.

CATS Project Poster.

Tejas Mk.1 maintenance training simulator.

Cooling system for the twin wingtip-mounted HBJ pods of the Su-30MKI.

MRF-built aircraft tyres.

The above missile is not a BVRAAM, but is a surface-launched supersonic aerial target.

Notice the changed configuration of the rocket nozzle? Even the twin lateral thrusters of HELINA removed to save the launch-helicopter airframe from damage.

However, the booth of Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) continued to pass off the NAG as HELINA (see above) to all visitors, including official foreign delegations and senior Indian military officials! Perhaps, this was because the CMD of BDL is a former naval Commodore and hence is unable to distinguish between the NAG and HELINA!!!

Nose-mounted S-band AESA antenna is a new feature for the AEW & CS Mk.2 platform.

Above are the PGMs being produced by Adani Defence & Aerospace.

Adani-produced artillery ammunition rounds (above).

ELBIT Systems-developed SDR Manpacks built by Alpha Technologies/Adani Defence & Aerospace for the Indian Army.

HAL-built ALH Mk.3 of ICGS with nose-mounted ELTA-supplied EL/M-2022H search radar.

Helicopter-mounted low-recoil machine gun.

HAL is re-designing and upgrading the PTAE-7 turbojet to boost its fuel capacity for the CATS WARRIOR loyal wingman.

QR-SAM exhibits shown at the booth of Bharat Dynamics Ltd.

Guidance kits for artillery munitions shown at the IDEX pavilion.

Astra-1 BVRAAM and DARE-developed HBJ pod mounted on Tejas Mk.1 L-MRCA.

Tejas AF Mk.2 MWF

The ADA-designed TEDBF was shown as an insignificant exhibit.

DRDO-developed family of weapons ejector racks for a wide variety of MRCAs.

NUKON Aerospace-built quad-launcher (above) for the SAAW PGM. Shown below are the exhibits of the DRDO/Centre for Airborne Systems.

Pralay SS-BSM Poster.

DRDO-developed AESA RF seeker (left) and electro-mechanical RF seeker for BVRAAMs, QR-SAM, VL-SR-SAM and Akash-NG.

Below are posters of indigenous RF seekers. Presently, the solid-stated TWTs are being imported from JSC Agat of Russia. Indigenously developed solid-state TWTs are presently undergoing advanced flight-tests.

Shown below are posters of the Akash-NG E-SHORADS meant for the Indian Air Force. The RF seeker originally developed for the Astra-1 BVRAAM also serves as the baseline design for RF seekers developed for the Akash-NG E-SHORADS, QR-SAM and VL-SR-SAM.

MAREEM AIP Plug-In Module For Indian Navy's INS Kalvari S-21 CM-2000 Scorpene SSK

As expected, the first MAREEM fuel cell-based Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system designed and developed by the DRDO’s Ambarnath-based Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL) and built by an industrial consortium led by Larsen & Toubro (L & T), will be retrofitted to INS Kalvari S-21, starting from 2025. An agreement to this effect was signed between senior officials of NMRL and France-based Naval Group in Mumbai on January 23, 2023 to extend cooperation (meaning such cooperation had already been underway, but was kept under wraps) to enter into the detailed design phase (lasting 12 months) of the MAREEM  AIP module for integration with the pressure-hull of the CM-2000 Scorpene. While the retrofit activities (starting in late 2024 and lasting till 2026) will be undertaken by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd in cooperation with L & T.  Naval Group will certify the AIP design for integration. INS Kalvari is then expected to re-enter service by 2028 after completing the mandatory sea-trials of both the MAREEM AIP module and its yet-to-be-selected on-board Lithium-Ion batteries that will replace the existing lead-acid batteries.

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1893096

https://www.naval-group.com/en/drdos-fuel-cell-based-air-independent-propulsion-system-soon-be-fitted-onboard-ins-kalvari

Detailed data on the MAREEM AIP module can be found here:

http://trishul-trident.blogspot.com/2019/12/explained-mareem-aip-plug-in-module-for.html