Showcasing its innovative prowess, the Defence Research and Development Organisation's laboratory, Research and Development Establishment (RDE) has invented a unique vehicle, known as Unexploded Ordnance Robot (UXOR).
DefExpo 2020
The vehicle has been the center of attraction at the DefExpo 2020 in Lucknow. The most striking feature of UXOR is its ability to defuse bombs weighing up to 1,000 kgs that have not exploded. The vehicle will offer an immediate solution against the unexploded bombs that can act as a major irritant in conducting operations and may lead to loss of precious lives of soldiers and infrastructure.
As per a report in India Today, the Indian Airforce will soon be inducting the vehicle as it has undergone several stages of trials.
Notably, the need for such a vehicle was realized after the Pakistani Airforces' attack on Indian defence establishment in Jammu and Kashmir after Indian conducted an airstrike against terrorist camps in Balakot.
The next morning carried out an airstrike and dropped bombs that remained unexploded and stalled the combing operations.
'Vehicle is mounted with multiple cameras'
DRDO Scientist Mridu Kant Pathak highlighting its unique ability added, "The vehicle is mounted with multiple cameras which let people sitting in MCS to manoeuvre the vehicle to the right spot, understand the type of the ordinance and also to point the jet at the exact place where it can be cut to defuse the bomb."
The vehicle consists of tracked wheels which allows it to move freely on an uneven surface. Moreover, the arms on either side work in coordination to collect the bomb with one hand and defuse with others.
Further, the arms have enough strength to collect the bomb from runway stripes. The New Indian Express reported that it can handle ordnance from an unexploded mortar to a 1000-kg bomb.
One of the scientists, said "We have manufactured first such vehicle which can not only handle but also diffuse unexploded bombs.
It can be remote-controlled from a Master Control Station (MCS) from as far as 2-km keeping explosive at a safe distance from handlers." The scientist further added, "It uses high-speed abrasive water jets cutting technology to diffuse the bombs."
