Saw a lot of claim/counter claims on uttam radar , timeline related , spec related. Its quite obvious that many are not familiar with the development process, type of project, what product is made in a project, design config freezing, scaling up into final product stage , then finally cleared for first proto lot/LSP lot to the production partner(s) etc. Based on information shared by different sources, many have interpreted in their own understanding about when & what are the things will be made, delay etc.
Actual situation, per Astra Microwave 3rd Q call, wass that DRDO yet to finalise the final configuration, ie decide on no of TRMs , what module to make(GaAs/GAN), among other parameters.
So, it is clear per the production partner , is that DRDO is yet to make a call with the user about the final configuration of the platform specific Uttam radar variants. You have to remember whatever DRDO showed in def expo etc, that was a prototype, a scalable prototype of Uttam radar, because the Uttam radar project status was changed to a technical demo TD project. It was not user involved mission mode MM project. So the Uttam project delivered the established tech base in the form of a TD radar , whatever TRMs are there is scalable in size for future, be it 500, 600, 700 or more. It has no implication on the number of TRMs that would be in the platform specific versions. The platform specific Uttams for mk1a, mk2 , su30 each will have a specific configuration chosen by specific DRDO technical committees with members likely from DRDO, IAF, academia et al.
Based on that chosen configuration, the production partners will be cleared for making the radar. HAL is the lead integrator for Uttam project, and the other 2-3 companies will then be dcpp with a guaranteed amount of future orders depending on L1/L2. So at present DRDO is in the process of choosing the platform centric configuration by fixing the committee and making the meeting. That will be then converted into the technical manual which will be then passed onto the dcpp partners for perhaps LSP order.
You can see further proof of this in below part
Credits to - marich01 on strategic front forum
The timelines people throw out, all timelines are tentative. It goes through a process even for dev contracts from tender end to award of contract, almost several months long for backend work, site visit, inspection everything. Every deal go through such process.
