HAPP to develop delegate weapons for Navy, IAF

Tiruchirapalli, Mar 19 (UNI) The Heavy Alloy Penetrator Project (HAPP) here is all set to develop and produce delegate weapons for the Navy and the Indian Air Force, according to its General Manager R R Yadava.

Talking to newspersons after inaugurating a technical-cum-photo exhibition as part of ordnance factory day-2008 celebrations here last night, he said HAPP was developing anti-submarine naval rockets (RGB-12) to the requirements of the Indian Navy and the production would begin soon. These torpedoes fired from ships, developed in coordination with the Ordnance factory at Kirkee, were hitherto imported from foreign manufacturers.

Mr Yadava said HAPP was in the process of developing Kinetic Energy Projectiles, which could destroy multiple targets. The pre-fragmented ammunition would be the future weapon of armed forces.

He said the next step would be to develop weapons or gadgets meant for the Indian Air Force. For the last few years, HAPP had been supplying Balancing Mass made out of tungsten granules for helicopters produced by the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).

HAPP, in collaboration with the Defence Metallurgic Research Laboratories, Hyderabad, would come out with more futuristic weapons in line with kinetic energy modules, he added.

Regarding civilian applications, Mr Yadava suggested that the manufacturers of lifts and escalators could utilise Tungsten pellets as balance mass instead of the conventional iron masses, thereby reducing the cost and size of operation.

About its future, he said HAPP would introduce Metal Injection Moulding (MIM) technology and HAPP Tiruchirapalli would make a foray into steel powder metallurgy with the advent of MIM.

UNI RV AKJ AS1648