DRDO transfers Technology to L&T to develop Lakshya

Indian Multinational conglomerate Larsen and Toubro (L&T) to be the first to receive license for technology of full-scale system to make Lakshya from Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Lakshya is a pilotless target aircraft developed by DRDO and L&T will get the technology for its digital version that to be sold to the armed forces.
Digital version of Lakshya is advanced version of Lakshya-1 whose flight path can be pre-programmed and has advanced digitally controlled engine.
This is the first such technology transfer done by DRDO to the private firm.
The company will be the primary supplier of the upgraded digital version to the armed forces and can also export it to friendly countries with prior government approval.
Currently Lakshya is manufactured by the public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd who had supplied around 30 units to the armed forces.

About Lakshya:

It is remotely piloted high speed target drone system developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment, a Bengaluru unit of DRDO in 1985. It has two variant commissioned in the armed forces Lakshya 1 & 2.
Specification:

• It can be launches from ground or ship and requires zero length launcher.
• Recovered by two stages – parachute and sea.
• Its flight path can be pre-programmed based upon the type of mission.
• It is seven feet long flies with the maximum speed of Mach 0.7.
• Has ability to fly at low level and is equipped with cruise missile also.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2015