Army wing in Bangalore develops indigenous drona8217;

The indigenously developed arms can save the country quite a lot on foreign exchange. Drona will help save 40 to 50 per cent of the cost of ammunition needed to training troops, besides saving logistics and time, workshop officiating commandant Colonel K V N Swamy told mediapersons here on Thursday. The media visit was organised on the 57th Corps Day of the EME observed on October 15. Drona is a hi-tech electronic and software based equipment designed to sharpen firing skills of soldiers.

The ISO 9002 certified workshop has been importing simulators from the US till now, at Rs 18 lakh, said Swamy. Drona costs only Rs 6 lakh. As it is indigenous, replacing parts and repairs are no problem.

Ten such units have been supplied to the Navy. The workshop has received orders for the manufacture of 575 more for the Army and one for Assam Rifles. The Civil Police and para-military forces have also want the system.

Established in 1943 for B vehicle overhaul, the Workshop switched over to this body-building role in 1960 and has since diversified into manufacture of spares for T-series tanks, infantry combat vehicles, Bofors guns, Air defence guns. The workshop has produced more than 400 light-weight artificial limbs and supplied them to the army personnel injured in Kargil.

Colonel Swamy said the workshop was likely to undertake overhauling of sub assemblies as the Indian army8217;s helicopters work on indigenous Mine Protection Vehicle 8212; Cassapier. The workshop was being modernised at Rs 7 crore.