The Indian Defence Ministry has recently handed over the Indian Maritime Situational Awareness System (IMSAS), ASTRA Mk-I and Border Surveillance System (BOSS) to the Navy, Air Force and Army respectively. These pivotal systems, developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratories, mark an important stride towards self-reliance in defence technologies. At the event, outstanding contributions of several DRDO scientists across various categories were recognized by the Defence Minister.
Indian Maritime Situational Awareness System (IMSAS)
The IMSAS is a technologically advanced intelligent software system that offers a Global Maritime Situational Picture along with marine planning tools and analytical capabilities to the Indian Navy. Its functionalities extend from naval headquarters down to each individual ship at sea, ensuring streamlined naval command and control.
The system is a joint development project of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), Bengaluru, and the Indian Navy. The actual system implementation was carried out by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bengaluru.
ASTRA Mk-I
ASTRA Mk-I, the first Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Missile indigenously developed in India, ranks among global leading-edge defence technologies. The missile, deployable from Sukhoi-30, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Mig-29 and Mig-29K, is designed to engage and destroy highly manoeuvring supersonic aircraft regardless of the weather conditions, day or night.
This leading-edge weapon system was conceived and brought to life by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad, and produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Hyderabad. ASTRA Mk-I significantly enhances Indian defence capabilities and contributes towards the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Border Surveillance System (BOSS)
Successfully designed and developed by Instruments Research and Development Establishment (IRDE), Dehradun, BOSS is an all-weather electronic surveillance system. The system has been installed at the Ladakh border area, where it supports round-the-clock surveillance by automatically spotting intrusions even in the severe high-altitude sub-zero temperature regions. Most importantly, BOSS features remote operation capability, which adds another layer of efficiency to border security.
Recognising Excellence: DRDO Awards
At the event, the Defence Minister also awarded the DRDO Lifetime Achievement Award 2018 to N V Kadam for his instrumental contributions in developing control and guidance schemes for missiles. Additionally, excellence awards were doled out to academic and industry entities for exemplary technology absorption. Other recognitions included individual awards, team awards, technology spin-off awards, techno-managerial awards, among others, as a testament to the monumental strides defence science and technology have taken in our country.
