Andhra Pradesh   

New grenade developed

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The Pune-based High Energy Materials Research Laboratory has developed a grenade capable of penetrating a nine-inch thick wall, create fire and smoke. It would help in flushing out terrorists holed up in a building. The development trials are over, A. Subhananda Rao, director, HEMRL told reporters on the sidelines of an international conference.

He said the laboratory was also developing fool-proof explosive detectors and jammers. The detectors would identify explosives 10-20 metres away without any false alarms. They were expected to be ready in one to two years.

While the jammers now being used can neutralise only certain radio frequencies and not mobile frequencies, the new ones would jam radio and mobile frequencies. The devices were expected to be ready in six months, he said.

The HEMRL, in collaboration with the Advanced Centre for High Energy Materials Laboratory at the University of Hyderabad, was developing new compounds like "insensitive RDX", Mr. Rao said.

P. S. Subramanyam, Director, Aeronautical Development Agency, said teams have begun work on the next generation fighter aircraft programme, as a sequel to the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).

"We want to catch up with the rest of the world when we make this fighter aircraft." It was still in concept stage and the plan to production process would normally take a decade.

He said the LCA had completed 485 flights. Its performance was rated as "very good" by 10 pilots. The Indian Air Force was in the process of placing an order with the HAL. He said the IAF wanted 20 LCAs inititally and an equal number subsequently. The first deliveries were expected by 2008-09.

The agencies involved in making the LCA had embarked on a programme of weaponisation (to integrate the weapons recommended by IAF) and special sensors for the aircraft. This would be completed in two to two-and-a-half years.

The first flight of the two-seater LCA would take place by October this year. While 70 per cent of the components of LCA were indigenous, the actuators currently being imported would be replaced soon. The LCA would be fitted with the Kaveri engine in 12-18 months.

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