10 recent ‘Make in India’ defence boosts you shouldn’t miss

'Make in India' boost! India's capability to make lethal indigenous defence equipment and weapons is getting better by the day. While admittedly some of these defence platforms have been in the making for several years now, they have recently attained a milestone that is worth noting. There are others, such as the Apache helicopters and the bid for IAF's single engine fighter jets, that are creating a buzz too.

From India's first indigenous Scorpene-class submarine INS Kalvari to bullet proof helmets and precision-strike missile systems such as BrahMos and Astra...we take a look at 10 recent 'Make in India' defence boosts you shouldn't miss:

INS Kalvari: India's first 'Make in India' Scorpene-class submarine is all set be commissioned into the Indian Navy. Built by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) along with France's DCNS, the Kalvari is the first in the six Scorpene-class submarines under Indian Navy's Project 75.

Kalvari would be equipped with anti-ship missiles and long range guided torpedoes along with modern sensor suite. India's first indigenous nuclear-powered submarine, Arihant is already undergoing sea trials and is expected to be inducted shortly.

Astra missile system: Giving a big leg-up to India's defence preparedness, it was announced that the Astra missile system has successfully completed development trials. Astra is India's first indigenously developed beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile for the IAF. The successful test firing was done from a modified Sukhoi-30 combat aircraft. The 'Make in India' missile has been developed by DRDO.

BrahMos with 450-km range: BrahMos, the biggest success story of Indo-Russian defence ties, saw its range being successfully extended to 450-km range recently. The latest 450-km range version of the cruise missile was tested from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) Chandipur at sea in Balasore, off the coast of Odisha.

India is also developing an approximately 800-km version of the BrahMos missile. BrahMos, world's anti-ship cruise missile, can also be fired from land, and submarines. A version for the IAF is currently being tested.

Bullet-proof helmets for Indian Army: After decades of wait, the Indian Army has got bullet-proof helmets! What adds to the good news is that these helmets have been manufactured at a facility in Kanpur. MKU is making 1 lakh 58 thousand bullet proof helmets for the Indian Army. The weight of the hi-tech helmets varies from 1.2 kg to 1.4 kg depending on the size. These helmets give protection against fragments and 9mm ammunition.

HAL's Light Combat Helicopters get a production boost: Arun Jaitley recently inaugurated the production facility for India's very own 'Make in India' Light Combat Helicopter (LCH). LCH has been both designed and developed indigenously by HAL or Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The Defence Acquisitions Council has given its approval for the procurement of 15 LCH. India's LCH is a 5.8-tonne class combat helicopter and will be equipped with 20mm Turret gun, 70 mm rocket, air-to-air missile, EO-Pod and helmet pointing system, says HAL.

Indian Navy's first private sector-made warships – Shachi and Shruti - were recently launched by Pipavav Shipyard in Gujarat. The Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPVs) have been made by Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited. The new ships will help the Indian Navy in its surveillance activities across India's vast Exclusive Economic Zone. The ships, Shachi and Shruti will also perform tasks such as fleet support operations, maritime security of offshore assets, anti-piracy patrols, coastal security operations, and protection of shipping lanes.

Fight for single engine fighter jets heats up: The fight for making single-engine 'Make in India' fighter jets for the IAF is heating up with Sweden's Saab announcing a tie-up with Adani Group and America's Lockheed Martin tieing up with the Tata Group. Saab's Gripen and Lockheed's F-16 Block 70 fighter jets have emerged as the likely contenders that will meet IAF's requirements. Whoever wins the contract - Make in India will surely be a winner!

Apache advanced choppers for Indian Army: Recently, the Defence Acquisition Council cleared a proposal to acquire 6 Apache attack helicopters for the Indian Army. Apache, by Boeing, is said to be the world's most advanced attack helicopter.

Under 'Make in India', AH-64 Apache fuselages and other aero structures are being manufactured at the Tata Boeing Aerospace joint venture facility in Hyderabad. The Apache helicopters boast of advanced weapons systems and night-fighting features.

INS Khanderi is Indian Navy's second 'Make in India' Scorpene-class submarine was launched in January 2017 and is currently undergoing trials. The state-of-art features of the Scorpene-class submarine include "superior stealth" and the ability to launch a "crippling attack" on the enemy using precision guided weapons. The attack can be launched with torpedoes, as well as tube launched anti-ship missiles, whilst underwater or on surface.

HAL has recently received a Rs 6100 crore order of 41 Advanced Light Helicopters for the Army, Navy. Out of the 40 helicopters for the Indian Army, as many as 18 will be in the weaponised configuration, sources tell FE Online. HAL's ALH is a multi-role, next-generation helicopter in the 5.5 tonne weight class. It has been both designed and developed indigenously.