Chennai: India will soon join the elite league of naÂtÂiÂons to desing and prÂoduce mid-cÂombat aiÂrÂÂcraft with stealth caÂpÂability.
“Defence Research and Development OrÂgÂÂÂanisation has alrÂeaÂdy come up wiÂth light combat airÂcÂÂraft (LCA) and in the next phase we are working on a mid combat airÂcrÂaft (MCA) with steÂaÂlth capability. The strÂucture and design has to be made in such a way that thÂey remain invisible to the raÂdÂar,” Dr A. SivaÂthÂanu Pillai, chÂief coÂntÂrÂoller (resÂeaÂrÂch and devÂelopment) at DRÂDO, said on the sideliÂnes of KurÂuksÂhetra, AnÂna UnivÂerÂsÂity’s anÂnual technical festival.
The Aeronautical DeÂvelopment Agency (ADA), Bengaluru, has started to design the aircraft and HinÂdÂustan Aeronautics LiÂmÂited would manufaÂcture it, Dr Pillai said, adding that in the next stage DRDO would do a lot of devÂelopment work for the aircraft.
Pointing out that to enhance research and innovation in the coÂuntry, DRDO had broÂught over 250 universities including AnÂna University under one umbrella organisatiÂon, Dr Pillai said. More than 250 universities had joined haÂnds with DRDO to deÂvÂÂelop new products for the betterment of the nation, he said.
“DRDO has set up a deÂdicated research boÂÂard to guide and asÂsess projects devÂeloÂpÂed by education institutes in electronic waÂrfare, cyber warfare, raÂdar and under waÂter systems,” he said.
Dr Pillai, who is also the CEO and managing director of BraÂhmos aerospace, infoÂrmed that the company in the next stage would come up with air launch version of the missile which could be fired off frÂom Sukhoi aircraft.
