DRDO's main problem is attrition: Natarajan

Bangalore: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is facing a major manpower crunch, thanks to poaching from Bangalore's burgeoning IT sector, DRDO chief M Natarajan feels. He said that that attrition is a much bigger problem for his organisation than financial constraints

"My biggest concern is getting engineers and designers of the right quality," Natarajan, who is also the Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, told Domain-B on the sidelines of the ongoing Aero India 2007 air show at the Yelahanka Airforce Base in Bangalore.

Compared to the IT companies, remuneration packages in DRDO units are abysmally low, Natarajan complained. To make matters worse, IT companies are located very close to the DRDO's units in Bangalore, Hyderabad as well as Pune. The current attrition rate in the DRDO is a staggering 20 to 27 per cent, he disclosed.

Earlier, while addressing a press conference, he faced a barrage of questions from journalists about the DRDO's many incomplete projects, which have suffered crippling cost and time overruns. Putting up a spirited defence of his organisation Natarajan said that the light combat aircraft (LCA) "will go on, Kaveri or no Kaveri." He was referring to the Kaveri engine being indigenously developed for the jet. The DRDO chief said there were particular limitations in the materials area and in fine-tuning the power plant. The first two LCA squadrons to be deployed by the IAF will fly with General Electric 404 engines, he said.

The DRDO will shortly partner with a global engine maker to fine-tune the Kaveri engine and make it capable of powering the LCA. "Kaveri has a great future," he said. Natarajan also declared that the DRDO has taken up design studies for a medium combat aircraft (MCA), even though the project is yet to be sanctioned by the government.

The DRDO chief is a mechanical engineer from IIT Chennai, with an MTech degree in Mechanical Engineering with specialisation in Engineering Design from IIT Mumbai. He joined DRDO in 1970. He also has an MSc in Military Vehicles  Technology from the Royal Military College of Science (RMCS), UK. He was associated with the main battle tank (MBT) Arjun since its inception. He also oversaw the acceptance of the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launching system (MBRLS) developed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) by the Army after exhaustive field tests.