The Defence Research & Development Organisation has added a new critical technology centre in Hyderabad called the ‘Navigation & Embedded Computers Complex'. It is important in driving the indigenous development and launch of missiles.
The complex, built over 14.5 acres within the premises of the Research Centre Imarat, was formally inaugurated by the former President , Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Friday. It houses the most advanced design, fabrication & performance evaluation facilities required for the development of all classes of navigation sensors & systems.
A brainchild of Dr Kalam, who was the founder director of RCI and Director-General of the DRDO and the Avionics Systems Laboratory situated in the DRDO's missile complex, the facility is among the most advanced. The missile complex in Hyderabad already houses defence research, electronics, RCI, Advanced Systems Labs etc which develop missiles and BDL, which manufactures them.
The Inertial Navigation Group of RCI will also re-locate to this complex. The Group has been involved in design and development of highly critical inertial sensors like ring laser gyroscopes, fibre optic gyroscopes and other products, which go into the navigational systems of missiles, combat aircrafts, torpedoes, ships and submarines.
Several of these sensors and navigation products were successfully tested during the recent Agni-1V launch. Dr Kalam and Chief of DRDO, Dr V. K. Saraswat urged the scientists to go into the next stage of developing the single chip navigation, guidance and control solution based on the system-on-chip technology.