DefExpo 2018: DRDO to showcase LCA Tejas, Main Battle Tank Arjun MK-II, Nirbhay missile

Photo credit: Tejas Website/ ADA

India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas,  Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun MK-II and Arjun MK-I, Nirbhay Missile System will be the star attractions at the Defence Research and Development Organisation's stall at the four-day DefExpo 2018 at Kancheepuram near Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The other star attractions at the DRDO stall are Arjun Armoured Recovery and Repair Vehicle (ARRV), T-72 Trawl, T-72 Bridge Layer Tank, Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhaP), Mobile Surveillance System and Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS).

There will be live demo during the April 11–14, 2018 expo of LCA Tejas, MBT Arjun MK-II, ARRV, T-72 Trawl, T-72 Bridge Layer Tank, Wheeled Armoured Platform, Mobile Surveillance System and ATAGS. The outdoor exhibits include Nirbhay Missile System with Launcher, Autonomous Unmanned Ground Vehicle (AUGV), MBT Arjun Mk-I, Astra Missile, Low Level Transportable Radar (LLTR) System, Medium Power Radar (MPR) System, Convoy Jammer, Multipurpose Decontamination System (MPDS), Varunastra - Heavy Weight Anti Submarine Electric Torpedo and Bio-Toilet.

There is an exclusive India Pavilion for the first time in DefExpo, which will showcase the combined strength of DRDO, public and private sector in defence manufacturing.

DRDO is the largest exhibitor at DefExppo 2018 and its exhibits are in two broad categories, one pertaining to technologies ready for transfer to industries for productionisation and the other pertaining to technologies ready for exports.

The exhibits include technologies pertaining to aeronautics, missiles, armaments, combat vehicles, naval systems, electronics, information warfare and life sciences. The pavilion also presents an array of digital experiences including war game simulation zone, augmented reality, virtual reality, physical simulators, etc.

During the event, Transfer of Technology (ToT) of DRDO developed products to private industry and Defence PSU partners will be done in the presence of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on April 11, 2018. Some of these include: ASTRA Missile, Varunastra - Heavy weight torpedo, Anti Thermal Anti Laser Grenade, Identification of Friend & Foe (IFF), HUMSA – UG, ABHAY Sonar, etc. A record number of 200 ToTs in the last three years with revenue generation to the tune of Rs 190 crore by DRDO has spurred the growth of defence manufacturing sector, echoing the theme of DefExpo - 2018,  'India : The Emerging Defence Manufacturing Hub'.