New Delhi: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) had two tableaux at the Republic Day parade on Wednesday, showcasing indigenously developed warfare systems for the light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas and air independent propulsion (AIP) systems for Indian submarines.
Twenty-five tableaux of different states, departments and armed forces were part of the parade.
The DRDO’s first tableau displayed an indigenously-developed advanced electronically scanned array radar called ‘Uttam’ and five different aerial launched weapons and an electronic warfare (EW) jammer to enhance the capabilities of the fourth-generation LCA Tejas.
The second featured indigenously-developed AIP systems for propelling the Indian Navy’s submarines underwater.
The AIP allows a submarine to be submerged for longer periods compared to conventional diesel-electric submarines and makes the sub-surface platform more efficient by making it quieter than even a nuclear submarine.
The AIP is powered by indigenously-developed fuel cells with a novel on board hydrogen generator.
Only about 5,000-8,000 people were allowed to attend this year’s Republic Day parade due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Before the pandemic, around 1.25 lakh people used to attend the parade.