Summary of "DISC 14 and ADITI 4.0 Outreach Session - Indian Airforce (Apr 06)"

Summary — Technical Outreach (Aditi 4.0 & DISK 14) — Indian Air Force (06 Apr)

Overview

Three technical challenges covered:

Helmet‑mounted digital Night Vision Goggles (digital NVG) — Aditi 4.0
Ku‑band radar for small‑drone detection — DISK/IDEX challenge
Integrated counter‑UAS (C‑UAS) system mounted on existing vehicles (mobile C‑UAS)

1) Helmet‑mounted digital NVG — Key technical goals & constraints

Objective

Replace/advance image‑intensifier (MCP) NVGs with helmet‑mounted digital NVGs (camera + digital processing + pilot display). Move to a digital image pipeline to enable overlays, CV/AI, recording and integration.

Baseline / form factor

Baseline helmet: MSA Gallet LA100 (common helmet form factor to limit qualification burden).
Allowed form factors: helmet‑mounted binoculars or helmet‑mounted camera + visor display. Stereo image output ultimately required.

Environmental & qualification

Follow MIL‑STD‑810 environmental criteria (temperature, humidity, vibration, etc.).
Stay within the size/weight envelope of current high‑end NVGs (commercial reference “4949”/AN‑type NVGs) to reduce cockpit certification complexity.

Mandatory / desired performance and features

Sensor: digital CMOS (or equivalent). Target sensor resolution ≥ 1280 × 1024 (or equivalent performance).
Display: modern panels (AMOLED, microLED, OLED) preferred — avoid CRT. Display resolution target examples given (e.g., 1920 × 1080 negotiable).
Frame rate: high, low latency required (no perceptible lag in pilot view).
Field of view: minimum ~40° (wider acceptable; smaller penalized).
Spectral range: nominally 400–1100 nm (open to discussion).
Eye relief: ≥ 25 mm for binocular designs; diopter adjustment ±4 (variable) for binoculars.
Stereo output required (binocular or camera + processing to produce stereo).
Onboard storage: ~14 hours uncompressed (or losslessly compressible) video recording.
Onboard power: self‑contained battery required (mandatory for fighters because of ejection seats).
Quick‑disconnect mechanism: mandatory for fighter use (to prevent injury on ejection); required for binocular mounting.
Built‑in sensors: compass, GPS and 3‑axis orientation for overlays and geo‑registration (option to source GPS from aircraft if appropriate).
Ruggedization and survivability in flight environment required.

Software & system capabilities

Support digital overlays: flight/nav data, mission symbology, compass, target cues.
Computer‑vision (CV) capabilities desirable (automatic detection/highlight of terrain, obstacles, aircraft, targets); desirable but not mandatory in initial phase.

Tradeoffs discussed

Display optical options:
- Birdbath prism: bulky, forward‑heavy.
- Waveguide/holographic: thin and pass‑through but potential leakage/eye‑glow.
- Collimated VR‑like engines: other tradeoffs.
- Key requirement: non‑obstructive pass‑through — pilot must retain naked‑eye view if display fails.
Color vs monochrome: color preferred but not mandatory — performance (figure‑of‑merit) takes precedence; limited color + overlays acceptable.

Performance benchmark

Existing image‑intensifier NVG “figure of merit” target ≈ 2,300 (industry export devices). Digital NVG should meet or approach equivalent imaging performance via appropriate sensor resolution/FOV/frame rate.

Testing, certification & indigenization

QA and certification support available (SEMILAC and other agencies). Aim to limit scope to already‑qualified envelopes to shorten certification time.
Procurement follows Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP); expect indigenization requirements (≥50% content for certain procurement categories).

Existing / illustrative solutions cited

Striker2 (UK/European program), Elbit JHMCS‑OG, Sionyx (commercial digital/night camera devices).
Innovators retain responsibility for patenting models/algorithms.

2) Ku‑band radar for drone detection — Key technical points

Motivation

X‑band systems have limitations (clutter, short range, multiple false targets). Explore Ku‑band radar to improve small‑RCS drone detection.

Initial spec / field feedback

Initial target: detect 0.01 m² RCS at 3–5 km.
Realistic expectation: many commercial Ku solutions yield ~3–4 km for very small RCS within constrained budgets; 4 km is a feasible short‑term target. Longer ranges (15–20 km) for tiny RCS are unlikely in short timelines/budget.

Flexibility & constraints

Band‑agnostic entries allowed (Ku preferred; multi‑band acceptable).
Radar only requested (no jammer development in this challenge). Systems should be integrable with jammer/C‑UAS later.
Preference for AESA/panel designs; 360° azimuth desirable; elevation coverage minimum ~70°.
Modular/scalable architecture and open‑ICD integration for later inclusion in national grids.

System design considerations

Detectability tradeoffs: RCS, range, antenna gain, transmit power, waveform, signal processing, cost.
Power: support DG power or local power options; provide UPS as needed.
ECCM & coexistence: Ku band shares spectrum with SatCom — frequency selection must consider coexistence and defense‑approved frequencies.

Budget & procurement

iDEX SPARK grant ceilings referenced (~1.5 crore); industry cost share and additional budgets possible. Innovators may amortize extra R&D cost during procurement.
Component sourcing: Ku‑band components (e.g., phase shifters) can be difficult to source; IAF can provide end‑user certificates for on‑contract development (post‑award).

Testing/integration and communication

ICDs will be supplied when required for integration into the national C‑UAS picture; consult idex.gov.in for technical queries.

Existing reference

Zen Technologies radar cited (current solution detecting larger RCS at ~5 km; 0.02 m² referenced).

3) Integrated C‑UAS on existing vehicles — Key technical points

Objective

Retrofit Tata/four‑ton vehicles into mobile C‑UAS platforms carrying detection (radar, RF detectors), soft‑kill (jamming/GNSS denial) and optional hard‑kill capabilities, with onboard C2 and operator‑in‑the‑loop control.

Primary requirements

Detection + classification: radar + RF detector are primary sensors; EO/IR can be included for terminal/interop with hard‑kill.
Range: protection up to ~5 km for small targets (~0.02 m² referenced). For tiny RCS (0.01 m²), ~3 km was discussed as feasible.
Soft‑kill: wide‑band RF & GNSS jamming (broadband jamming from ~70 MHz up to ~10–12 GHz discussed); graduated engagement controlled by operator.
Hard‑kill: optional (interceptor, kinetic, DEW). Acceptance depends on size/fitment and safety constraints; palletized/compact interceptors acceptable for proposals.
C2: rugged operator station (one operator, manual override mandatory) with display, track feeds, selectable response modes; data recording/playback required for post‑event analysis.
Deployment: primarily stationary deployment (on‑the‑move radar detection is technically difficult and not expected immediately). Palletized solution to fit in existing cargo space (half‑truck palletized; foldable).
Swarm capability: scalability required to address multiple concurrent threats — proposals should discuss capacity to engage multiple drones.
Power: vehicle power, embedded generator (DG), and UPS options acceptable.
Modular/scalable: must be capable of integration into wider C‑UAS grid later (ICD support to be provided).

Soft vs hard kill and directed energy

Soft‑kill (jamming/dazzling) is primary. Directed energy concepts (dazzling, microwave EMP, lasers) may be considered but can be heavier and/or treated as hard‑kill; additional safety/regulatory constraints apply.

Other design considerations

ECCM basics for radar, ability to share C2/track data with base C‑UAS center (DDCC), provide geo‑location of the vehicle and tracks.
Integration timeline, component procurement and industrial cooperation (OEMs, integrators) should be detailed in proposals.

Scale & procurement

Initial pilot quantities to be negotiated with winning innovators; exact buy numbers TBD.

Operational, programmatic & process notes

Certification & testing: IAF/QA agencies will support and define test plans. MIL‑STD‑810 referenced for NVG environmental testing.
Indigenization: procurement will follow DAP guidelines (50% indigenous content expectations depending on procurement category).
Patents/IP: innovators are responsible for their own IP/patent filings.
Proposal & contracting:
- Single lead applicant required for iDEX application (startup/MSME/individual). Consortium MOUs allowed but contract will be signed with one lead entity.
- Technical clarifications & queries: submit via idex.gov.in (technical query/grievance form). iDEX will share queries with nodal officers and respond.
- Timely proposal submission recommended.

Examples / vendors / references mentioned

NVG / helmet: MSA Gallet LA100, Striker2 (UK/BAE‑type), Elbit JHMCS‑OG, Sionyx.
Radar: Zen Technologies (reference for small‑drone detection performance).
Standards / Policies: MIL‑STD‑810 (environmental testing), Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP).

Main speakers / sources (identified in transcript)

iDEX hosts & coordinators: Krithi, Kartik (iDEX/DIO), Karthik, Sudeshna (support staff).
IAF nodal officers / presenters:
- Group Captain Pachauri / Pichauri (primary presenter for helmet‑mounted digital NVG)
- Group Captain Goswami
- Dr. Vittori (slide presenter)
- Additional IAF female nodal officers presenting Ku‑band radar and mobile C‑UAS (unnamed in transcript)
- Other IAF officers: Group Captain Ganap (attendance), field/unit contacts.
Industry participants: Manas, Madhu Trivikram, Rishabh, James, Mr. Pankaj, Rajat Sethi, Preetam.
Companies referenced: Sionyx, Elbit, (possible BAE) Striker2, Zen Technologies.

Next steps / available follow‑ups

If required:

I can extract the exact numerical spec checklist for each challenge (sensors, resolutions, FOV, spectral bands, battery life, storage, weight/size limits, environmental specs) in tabular form suitable for a technical proposal.
I can draft a focused set of technical questions to submit via idex.gov.in to clarify ambiguous points (e.g., precise RCS vs range targets, allowed Ku sub‑bands, hard‑kill safety limits).

Category

Technology

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