DRDO, CSIR-CGCRI join hands on Rs 50-crore project to develop lighter bulletproof glass

Kolkata: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has joined hands with CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CSIR-CGCRI) as technology partner for a Rs 50-crore project to develop indigenous advanced lightweight bulletproof glass for armoured vehicles.

The four-year project, being executed with DRDO laboratories including the Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL) in Maharashtra and TBRL in Chandigarh, is at an advanced stage and seeks to take the technology from laboratory development to large-scale manufacturing with an industry partner to be selected by DRDO.

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The technology is aimed at replacing imported transparent armour while reducing its weight and thickness by up to 50 per cent.

"The Rs 50-crore project is aimed at developing advanced indigenous bulletproof glass technology for defence applications and aligns our R&D capabilities directly with national strategic requirements," CSIR-CGCRI Director Bikramjit Basu told PTI.

The project is focused on developing advanced transparent glass-ceramics that can provide multi-shot ballistic protection while being substantially lighter and thinner than conventional transparent armour used in armoured vehicles, the Kolkata-based government research lab officials said.

"The primary objective is to deliver robust multi-shot ballistic protection capable of withstanding direct AK-47 rifle fire from a distance of 100 metres with a defined velocity as per the standard test methods for BIS V and VI," said Atiar Rahaman Molla, Scientist-F, Specialty Glass Division, CSIR-CGCRI and project leader.

"Crucially, our technology aims to achieve a 30-50 per cent reduction in both weight and thickness compared to conventional imported options, which will significantly enhance vehicular mobility and payload capacity," he said.

The material is based on a glass-ceramic in which nanometre-sized crystals are uniformly dispersed within a specially engineered glass matrix. The crystals, developed through controlled crystallisation of precursor glass, are designed to provide high strength and toughness while retaining transparency.

In initial ballistic trials conducted at DRDO-TBRL in Chandigarh, the material successfully stopped rounds fired from a Trichy Assault Rifle (TAR), a rifle comparable to the AK-47, from a distance of 10 metres at a velocity of about 695 metres per second, according to project details.

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The next stage will involve multi-shot testing, in which multiple rounds will be fired in quick succession to assess the material's ballistic performance under more demanding conditions, Basu said.

Reducing the weight and thickness of transparent armour is particularly important for armoured vehicles, where heavy armour systems add to the overall platform weight and can constrain mobility, fuel efficiency and payload capacity, Molla said.

The technology could also have applications in other weight-sensitive defence platforms, including aircraft and naval systems, besides potential use in security and critical-infrastructure applications, he said.

CGCRI has been working on high-strength transparent glass-ceramics for armour applications. Its Specialty Glass Division has been developing transparent nanocrystalline glass-ceramics for armoured vehicles and other applications.

The project is also expected to facilitate the transition of the technology from laboratory-scale development to commercial production through industry participation. CGCRI has received interest from Indian companies for exploring commercial applications of its glass-ceramic technology.

The development is part of efforts to build indigenous capability in advanced materials for defence applications and reduce dependence on imported transparent armour technologies.