Navy likely to induct Kawach rockets in 2013

"We have made two prototype and first trial has been successfully conducted while the second trial will be conducted sometime this year before its final induction into the Indian Navy in 2013," OFB Director General and Chairman D M Gupta told a press conference here on Saturday.

Kawach, to be launched from Navy submarines, will have a range of 40 km.

He also informed that the OFB is in the process of investing Rs 6,800 crore over the next five years and will be taking up many new products like new generation assault rifles, very short range air defence missiles, latest generation artillery guns and ammunitions through technology transfer.

While ruling out the possibility of setting up new factories, he said OFB is in the process of expanding existing ones by utilising surplus land since acquiring it was a problem for new units.

Gupta said `Pinaca` rockets manufactured at Ordnance Factory at Ambajhari here have been well-received by the Indian Army and the OFB which presently manufactures 1000 rockets per year, has a demand five times higher and it might consider increasing its capacity to cope up with the demand.

About the research and development activities, Gupta said though the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) is entrusted with the responsibility of R and D, the OFB Board has approached the Government proposing to carry out R and D activities at its 12 centres.

Meanwhile, talking about its performance in terms of numbers, Gupta said the OFB has registered a growth rate of 29 per cent and achieved issue value (turnover) of Rs 11,232 crore in 201011 against Rs 8715 crore during the year 2009-10.

He said the target for the current fiscal is Rs 12,500 crore.