Indian Missile News And Discussion

[osman]

Missiles to get smarter with onboard desi chips



Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Last Updated : 15 Dec 2011 09:48:28 AM IST





BANGALORE/.HYDREBAD: : Indian missiles are set to go lighter and smarter with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on the verge of launching a System on Chip (SOC) component, to be embedded on to the onboard computer (OBC). The SOC will give a tech advantage to the scientists to either increase the range of the missile or the warhead, depending upon the mission. The processing speed also will go up 6-7 times with SOC.



A five-member team of young scientists are eagerly waiting for the final product, which will replace the PCB-based hardware consisting of various integrated components (IC) on single board. A missile typically carries a huge number of such ICs making the total weight of the OBC close to 4-5 kilos. The SOC with its power supply unit and connecters will weigh less than 200 grams.



DRDO scientists claim that it will be for the first time India will equip its missiles with such state-of-the-art component, though the US, Israel and China have made inroads in similar technologies. SOC will be a match-box size unit with high computing intense application and very low power requirement. The efficiency of the missile will also be increased by many folds.



S K Ray, director, Research Centre Imarat (RCI), told Express that miniatirisation of systems makes the missile high-performance in nature. “Smaller avionics means more options for warhead with more propulsion. Ours chips can be used for avionics applications in future too and we have a huge cost advantage having made them indigenously. It will be an integral part of all future navigation and homing guidance seekers,” said Ray.



DRDO hopes to get the first block of SOCs in December and later test it the on short-range air-to-air Astra missile by mid-2012. Astra - a BVR (Beyond Visual Range) missile - will be initially integrated with Su-30 MKI and later on Tejas and MiG-29.



B H V S Narayana Murthy, director, Real-Time Embedded Computers, RCI, says that the might of India’s futuristic missiles will largely depend on miniaturisation of onboard systems.



“Tactical missiles will be the biggest beneficiaries and we are now aiming to standardise and offer SOC to more platforms in future,” Murthy said.



http://expressbuzz.com/states/karnataka/...43608.html



Maybe VLSI. I am not sure. We will have to wait and watch.