Indigenously-developed Equipment and Systems

In News

• Recently, the Defence Minister handed over several indigenously-developed equipment and systems to the Army which includes F-INSAS, the Nipun mines and the Landing Craft Assault (LCA).

About 

•  Future Infantry Soldier as a System(F-INSAS):
  • It is a programme for infantry modernisation aimed at increasing the operational capability of the soldier. 
  • As part of the project, soldiers are being equipped with modern systems that are lightweight, all-weather-all-terrain, cost-effective and low maintenance.
  • The full-gear of the F-INSAS system includes an AK-203 assault rifle, which is a Russian-origin gas-operated, magazine-fed, select-fire assault rifle.
  • The F-INSAS also comes with hands-free, secured advanced communications set for real-time exchange of information with the command post and fellow soldiers for enhanced situational awareness.
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    • Conceived in the 2000s, F-INSAS is one among many soldiers modernisation programmes across the world. 
    • The US has Land Warrior, while the UK has FIST (Future Integrated Soldier Technology).

•  Nipun mines:
  • They are indigenously designed and developed anti-personnel mines, termed by the DRDO as ‘soft target blast munition’. 
  • These mines are meant to act as the first line of defence against infiltrators and enemy infantry. 
  • They have been developed with the efforts of Armament Research and Development Establishment, a Pune-based DRDO facility, and Indian industry. 
  • Anti-personnel mines are meant to be used against humans as against anti-tank mines that are aimed at heavy vehicles. 
  • They are smaller in size and can be deployed in large numbers. 

• Landing Craft Assault (LCA):
  • It is meant to serve as a replacement for the boats with limited capabilities currently in use in the Pangong Tso lake. 
  • The LCA, which has been indigenously developed by Goa-based Aquarius ShipYard Limited, is said to have better launch, speed and capacity to operate across water obstacles in eastern Ladakh. 

• Some other defence systems:
  • a thermal imaging sight for T-90 tanks; hand held thermal imager; and frequency-hopping radio relay for tactical communication across much longer ranges.
  • Further, Downlink Equipment with Recording Facility to help helicopters in surveillance missions was also handed over. 

Source: IE