Data Patterns - Developing Technologies of Tomorrow

By Editor 16-Apr-2018

News

Our vision since beginning 33 years ago has been to develop products of todays’ technology in India. As a matter of fact, our company logo formalized 15 years ago is “Made in India with Pride”.  As a Private Player, we are ready with systems, processes and competencies in place to take on new products and technologies. Our Indian and International customers are encouraging us to develop next generation systems. In modern days’ platform, Electronics forms a major role in Defence and Aerospace domains. For example, in aircraft and helicopters, electronics content is more than 40%.  Data Patterns, can contribute substantially here by building the next generation systems,” says S Rangarajan, CEO, Data Patterns. Speaking with Aeromag, Rangarajan shares the success story of Data Patterns over three decades and talks about the company’s operations.

  1. A small venture that began with five people three decades ago has now become India’s leader in indigenously developed electronic systems in the Defence and Aerospace domain. Could you share with us Data Patterns’ saga of success?

I founded Data Patterns in 1985 with an undeterred conviction and a dream to build an Institution where products should be developed indigenously.  Since inception, this vision that the company should design and build products of international standards in India rather than importing was institutionalized.

We, at Data Patterns initially developed products for ISRO and later for DRDO.  Developing highly reliable Systems for Space & Defence applications spanning the entire range of electronics was certainly demanding.  As a product Company, we developed more than 1000 building blocks in various functions and disciplines instead of imported available Systems from abroad.  This formed the basis for building complete Systems. Our experience was documented painstakingly to enable process discipline in every activity of development and manufacture. This provided the foundation to build a competent engineering Company.  Data Patterns encouraged young talent backed with experienced team and mature processes.

The challenge to build complex Defence & Aerospace Systems involves building multilateral skills, strong processes, in-house continuous training and building competency in various domains.  Data Patterns’ engagement with DRDO and DoS on a continued basis allowed it to absorb and build competency over the years.

  1. The government is pushing for active private participation in defence manufacturing through strategic partnerships. In this regard what prospects do you see for Data Patterns?

Strategic Partnerships have been introduced to encourage broader participation of the private sector, in addition to capacities of DPSUs/OFB, in manufacturing of major defence platforms such as aircraft, helicopters, submarines, armoured vehicles etc. These can be handled only by large companies who are willing to invest heavily and to accept lower and longer Return on investments.

In modern days’ platform, Electronics forms a major role. For example, in aircraft and helicopters, electronics content is more than 40%.  Data Patterns, can contribute substantially here.

Strategic partners should follow the model of international companies such as Airbus, Boeing, BAE Systems, etc., and play the role of System Integrator with most of the Systems coming from qualified and capable Indian vendors. There should be a tiered structure with the Strategic partners nurturing Indian industries to build durable relationships and a Defence ecosystem.   This will allow the Strategic Partner model to flourish.  However, in the present context, Strategic Partners as well as other Tier 1 and Tier 2 companies will form relationships with international OEMS to enable them to build products and services to meet the present requirements.  I imagine that over a period of years, more Systems will be designed in India.

To quicken development of Indian Systems in this model, the MoD should define processes and incentives to enable DPSUs and DRDO to form partnership with capable Indian Companies.  The present process has no provision for such relationships and contract is purely awarded on L1 basis.  The partnership approach will allow long-term thinking and investments in building domains and systems which will form the foundation of “Make in India” Defence & Aerospace Systems.

  1. Could you talk about your latest products and services in aerospace and defence domains?

 

  1. A wide range of Electronic Warfare products have been developed with the support of DLRL/DRDO. These include Electronic Support Measure systems (ESM) in Intelligence and Detection segments in both ELINT/ COMINT areas and Electronic Counter measures (ECM) such as Jammers. We have developed a Multi bit and wide band Radar Warning Receiver comparable to international products.

 

  1. Radar is another domain where we have focused considerable resources to build competencies to develop and build complete radars with state-of-the-art Active Electronic Scanning Array, next generation Doppler signal processing and Radar computing technologies. Precision Approach Radar is one example. We have also developed a phased array radar in 205 MHz frequency (first of its kind in the world).  Doppler weather radars in X and C band radars are examples of our radar capabilities.

 

  1. In Missile Electronics, our contribution has been in Brahmos Fire Control system for both Land and Airborne missiles. We have indigenously developed and built a complete Monopulse RF seeker for Brahmos with DRDL.

 

  1. IFF Mk XII with Mode 5 capabilities equivalent to current International standards with CABS/DRDO.

 

  1. In Satellite applications, we had built a Nano Satellite. Our capabilities in ground station have also been appreciated by ISRO.

 

  1. Could you share the details about some of the recent achievements of Data Patterns in terms of sales, orders, client base?

The brand Image in our Technology capabilities in Defence electronic domains built over the years is paying rich dividends. Our Indian and International customers are encouraging us to develop next generation systems.  A large number of our products have gone through stringent evaluation and field trials. We believe that these would lead to high value production orders from 2018-19 onwards.

  1. How do you assess Make in India as a game changer for private players in defence and aerospace? How does Data Patterns leverage the opportunities since Govt. of India announced Tamil Nadu is a Defence Corridor in the budget?

As stated earlier, our vision since beginning 33 years ago has been to develop products of todays’ technology in India. As a matter of fact, our company logo formalized 15 years ago is “Made in India with Pride”.  As a Private Player, we are ready with systems, processes and competencies in place to take on new products and technologies.  Being in Chennai, we believe that we should be able to build relationships with other defence companies and should be able to address the new opportunities with partnership synergies.

  1. Please talk about Data Patterns’ contribution towards the modernization of armed forces and their requirement of advanced systems.

New technology products built in Radars, Electronic Warfare, Missile electronics and Avionics domains will address the requirement of modern Systems of our Services.  Also, since these are developed in India, we can provide a very high up-time and lower lifecycle costs.

  1. Could you talk about the future road map of Data Patterns? What are the aims to be achieved in the coming years?

Our Objective is to become the Leading Company in providing Next generation products and systems in Defence Electronics domains on par with International companies