Snags hit Trishul missile programme, Navy deprived

Snags hit Trishul missile programme, Navy deprived
MANOJ K DAS

KOCHI, MARCH 21: Technical snags in the guidance and hydraulics systems have hampered India's most ambitious Trishul surface-to-air missile programme.

The system is hence late by more than two years for its induction in the Navy forcing the Service to commission one of the mainline battleships - INS Brahmaputra - without a weapon system to defend herself at seas. The delay has also forced the Navy to opt for Israeli-made Barak missiles for other ships, including aircraft carrier, INS Viraat.

Knowledgeable sources told this newspaper that the main problem with the quick-reaction Trishul missile was with its guidance system. Being a command-guided missile, Trishul is controlled by ground systems in its flight. Two of the three trials carried out in Kochi last year had failed because of this snag.

Even minor error takes her off the target. We've ascertained what the problems are. This has effected certain changes in the hardware, sources said. Solutions have been implemented. And they will be tested in the forthcoming campaign beginning in Kochi next month, sources in the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said.

``This apart, the time we get for running development campaign in Kochi is limited because of monsoon. Rain keeps us indoors from May to November. Also there are several disturbances at the site because of the proximity of the Port and heavy movement of fishing vessels''.

``The long delay has, however, irked the Navy. Look at Brahmaputra. Her decks look nude without a missile system. It's ridiculous to take a mainline ship to sea without self-defence'', an officer said.

Sources in DRDO said the hardware for installing Trishul has already been erected on Brahmaputra. ``We've fitted the launcher and the radar delivery equipment. The missile can be fitted as and when it is ready'', a scientist said.

But that (installation of missiles) is going to take a long time. Once they have perfected the developmental trials, the Navy will have to carry out user trials. This will be done in outer sea which is a dense electro-magnetic environment. ``We have to evaluate her performance in those conditions before saying a final yes to it'', a Naval officer said.

A rough estimate by defence experts predicts that it will take another 18 months for the Trishul to get listed in the Naval inventory. Till then the Navy will have to rely on foreign missiles, a fact not appreciated by the Naval top brass.

``We are not hiding the delay. We hope to achieve flight objectives in the next trials,'' said Dr Aatre, scientific adviser to the Defence Minister. He, however, refused to offer comments on the technical problems facing Trishul. It is a very wrong time (read Tehelka times) to comment or compare Trishul with Barak, he said.

Even if DRDO perfects Trishul within a year, there are other aspects worrying the Navy. The technology may become outdated by the time they finally deliver the missiles. ``Then we'll have fresh problems to sort out'', an officer said.