The Vice Chief of Naval Staff has visited M/s Economic Explosives Limited (EEL), Nagpur on 28 Aug 22. The visit was primarily aimed to review various indigenous projects pertaining to Naval Armament Stores as part of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat and explore the possibilities of absorbing weapons currently under development by the industry partner. The VCNS also stressed on the requirement of adopting leapfrogging technologies to meet the evolving Geo-Political scenario.
During the visit, the VCNS has witnessed various plants and production facilities such as Composite propellant plant, Chaff production facility, Rocket assembly bay, Radiography facility and the assembly plant for AK 630 ammunition that has been recently handed over to Indian Navy. It may be noted that this is the first occasion that complete indigenous 30 mm ammunition for AK 630 naval gun has been manufactured by a private industry with propellant from Ordnance Factory, Bhandara. So far OFB was the sole supplier for this ammunition with a chemical composition being ex-import. The functional equivalent of this chemical composition has been developed inhouse by M/s EEL, Nagpur thus making it 100% indigenous.
During deliberation held with M/s EEL, Nagpur the VCNS recommended the industry to undertake research on new weapon technologies such as loitering munitions, payload for Drones, long range ASW rockets and energetic materials.