'Reasonably good efforts in indigenising e-warfare systems'

 The Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) research and development heads and various production agencies are doing reasonably well in their efforts to indigenise electronic warfare systems leading to self-reliance, Scientific Advisor to the defence minister, Dr G Satheesh Reddy, has said.

He was speaking after inaugurating a conference on Electronic Warfare (EW) systems at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) on Tuesday.   

“All research activities are aimed at enhancing the ‘Make in India’ movement launched by our prime minister. The design, research and production agencies are consolidating efforts in developing critical systems in various areas,” Reddy said.

Highlighting the efforts of the defence laboratories in Hyderabad and the different work centres of BEL, Reddy said there was a long way to go to achieve complete self-reliance status in the world scene.

“The goal of EW is to control the electromagnetic spectrum through electronic attack and electronic support. EW aims to disrupt information flow through deception, soft kill and hard kill in order to achieve objectives,” said Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chief of Staff Committee, Government of India, Air Marshal P P Reddy. The addition of Buy India IDDM (Indian Designed, Developed and Manufactured) as a category will encourage investment in R&D and sustain a long-term approach to the domestic and international defence markets. President of the Association of Old Crows (AOC), International USA, David Hime, said the challenges in EW systems and the various branches of science were opportunities for serious researchers.Threats in the future, he said, were from electronic warfare operations.

Former director of the DRDO lab, DARE, and president, India chapter AOC, Dr Revanker, said EW systems were the future and one could foresee sharp technological advancements in the field.

Senior scientist from DRDL Hyderabad, J Shankar Rao, Director R&D BEL, Dr Kalghatgi, former associate director of DLRL Hyderabad, T N Yadagir Rao, were also
present.