Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), visited Economic Explosives Limited (EEL), a Solar Group subsidiary, to review the company’s latest product developments on Friday. Solar Group, based in Nagpur, is engaged in manufacturing an indigenous and universal 125kg air bomb, as well as Chaffs and flares for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
During the visit, the CAS toured various labs, integrated plants, and production facilities dedicated to manufacturing ammunition and explosives, including the Chaff facility and Rocket Assembly bay. The visit also included a demonstration of the mixing and casting processes for Pinaka Rockets. The company’s Chairman, Satyanarayan Nuwal, and other senior officials briefed Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari on the ongoing development of other defence apparatus and addressed his inquiries.
During the discussion, he was also briefed on various indigenous projects underway in the industry, encompassing military explosives, rocket integration, loitering munition systems, weaponised drones (hexacopter), anti-drone missiles, as well as bombs and warheads for the armed forces. The Chairman of Economic Explosives Limited (EEL) also brought to the CAS’s attention two specific projects related to the development of 125 Kg Bombs and Chaffs and Flares for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The CAS commended the firm’s efforts and underscored that the indigenous development of the Universal Bomb and Chaffs & Flares would significantly contribute to the ‘Atma Nirbharta Abhiyan‘ in the ammunition and defence systems field, according to a statement by the Ministry of Defence
The Universal Bomb is compatible with IAF aircraft of both NATO and Russian types. The bombs are designed to be equipped on the French Mirage 2000 or potentially on a Sukhoi-30 for adaptation and pit drop trials. Scheduled for user trials early next year, the bombs manufactured by the company are intended to meet the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) requirement of 2,000 units, which Solar Group plans to bid. Apart from being claimed to be the first-ever air bomb made by the private sector, but has another first in its self-design developed by DRDO. With guidance from DRDO, the company has successfully developed indigenous chaffs that may result in foreign currency savings in case of imports.
Team BharatShakti
