IITK, Ordnance Factory Medak develop India’s first Soft Recovery System

Soft Recovery System will facilitate recovery of supersonic projectiles and will also contribute to strengthening India’s advanced defense systems.

In a joint venture, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur and Ordnance Factory Medak (OFMK), a unit of Armored Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL) have developed India’s first Soft Recovery System (SRS) for supersonic projectile. The system bears the potential to arrest the motion of a 30 mm supersonic projectile moving at a speed of roughly Mach 3, i.e. three times the speed of sound, within a distance of about 50 meters.  

The technology has been developed under the collaborative efforts and leadership of Nachiketa Tiwari of IIT Kanpur, and Alok Prasad, general manager of Ordnance Factory Medak (OFMK). Soft Recovery System is used for the recovery of a projectile after initial impact with minimum damage. This is to ensure the development of smart and intelligent warheads with maximum effectiveness and minimum collateral damage. Acquisition of SRS technology is a pre-requisite for the development of smart and guided munitions, as it can provide a test bed to prove out smart munition designs. 

Bharat Singh, senior general manager (retd), Ordnance Factory Medak, said, “Soft Recovery System is a unique capability which should be further expanded to higher calibre ammunition. Such testing facilities will help design agencies and defense startup companies in the field of smart munitions development.” IIT Kanpur Director Abhay Karandikar said, “Soft Recovery System will not only assist in the effective recovery of supersonic projectiles, but it will also contribute towards the larger goal of attaining India’s self-reliance in developing advanced defense systems.” 

MDes programme for sponsored officers

Last year, IIT Kanpur and Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) Kolkata also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to offer a customised Master of Design (MDes) programme for officers sponsored by Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) to help them design sophisticated weapons and weapon systems for making India self-reliant.

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