Project Devil
Encyclopedia
Project Devil was one of two early liquid-fueled missile projects developed by India
, along with Project Valiant
, in the 1970s. The goal of Project Devil was to produce a short-range surface-to-air missile
. Although discontinued in 1980 without achieving full success, Project Devil, led to the later development of the Prithvi missile in the 1980s.
(DRDL) of India, which had begun in 1958 with a specialization in anti-tank missiles but expanded in subsequent years. Project Devil was intended to be a short-range surface-to-air missile utilizing 3-ton engines. The model for Project Devil was the SA-2 Guideline, a Soviet Union
missile which the DLDR intended to reverse engineer.
Project Devil was officially launched under V.S. Narayanan, who became director of the DRDL in January 1972. In June 1972, DRDL received 160 million rupee
s to fund both Project Devil and Project Valiant, though it came with a veil of secrecy; the Union Cabinet had publicly declined the funding request, but Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi
had granted it secretly through her discretionary powers. In turn, DRDL took pains to disguise the purpose of the funds so that their real work would not be immediately apparent. Project Devil specifically was given a budget of 50 million rupee
s to use within a three-year period. DLDR spent nearly half of the budget on importing equipment and supplies; it also subcontracted some of its labor, hiring the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
and Bharat Heavy Plates & Vessels Limited to cast a 350kg magnesium liquid-fuel engine frame and a solid-booster rocket respectively. DRDL also began to expand rapidly, increasing its workforce from 400 to 2,500 people in a two year period in an effort to meet staffing needs of both the projects.
However, internal disputes soon disrupted the DRDL, as the leader of the Valiant project believed Narayanan was disproportionately invested in Project Devil, and external interest in both programs waned, particularly as the SA-2 model for the Devil project had not performed well in combat. In 1974, Project Valiant was terminated and Devil re-conceived as a project to gather information on technology rather than an effort to produce an actual missile. In January 1975, the Indian Space Research Organisation
was appointed to run an external review of Project Devil and in March 1975 found it had been successful in several areas, if not in liquid propulsion, and should be permitted to continue. It ran for several more years before being completely discontinued in 1980, by which point DRDL had produced several components for Devil, including two solid rocket booster
s with high-strength steel casings and a specific impulse
of 200 seconds, and a second stage three-ton liquid-propellant engine fueled by G-fuel (a combination of Xylidiene and Tri-ethylamine), oxidized
by red fuming nitric acid
. Narayanan, who disagreed with the decision, resigned his post at DRDL and was replaced by S. L. Bansal. Devil components were subsequently modified and utilized as components in other systems.
According to a 2006 article by Praful Bidwai
in The Daily Star
, Project Valiant "totally failed", while its sister project was a partial success. Though neither reached fruition, the projects were important precursors to the Prithvi missile developed in the 1980s.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, along with Project Valiant
Project Valiant
Project Valiant was one of two early liquid-fueled missile projects developed by India, along with Project Devil in the 1970s. The goal of Project Valiant was to produce an intercontinental ballistic missile...
, in the 1970s. The goal of Project Devil was to produce a short-range surface-to-air missile
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
. Although discontinued in 1980 without achieving full success, Project Devil, led to the later development of the Prithvi missile in the 1980s.
Background
Both projects were overseen by the Defense Research & Development LaboratoryDefence Research and Development Organisation
The Defence Research and Development Organisation is a agency of the Republic of India, responsible for the development of technology for use by the military, headquartered in New Delhi, India...
(DRDL) of India, which had begun in 1958 with a specialization in anti-tank missiles but expanded in subsequent years. Project Devil was intended to be a short-range surface-to-air missile utilizing 3-ton engines. The model for Project Devil was the SA-2 Guideline, a Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
missile which the DLDR intended to reverse engineer.
Project Devil was officially launched under V.S. Narayanan, who became director of the DRDL in January 1972. In June 1972, DRDL received 160 million rupee
Rupee
The rupee is the common name for the monetary unit of account in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Mauritius, Seychelles, Maldives, and formerly in Burma, and Afghanistan. Historically, the first currency called "rupee" was introduced in the 16th century...
s to fund both Project Devil and Project Valiant, though it came with a veil of secrecy; the Union Cabinet had publicly declined the funding request, but Prime Minister
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
had granted it secretly through her discretionary powers. In turn, DRDL took pains to disguise the purpose of the funds so that their real work would not be immediately apparent. Project Devil specifically was given a budget of 50 million rupee
Rupee
The rupee is the common name for the monetary unit of account in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Mauritius, Seychelles, Maldives, and formerly in Burma, and Afghanistan. Historically, the first currency called "rupee" was introduced in the 16th century...
s to use within a three-year period. DLDR spent nearly half of the budget on importing equipment and supplies; it also subcontracted some of its labor, hiring the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited based in Bangalore, India, is one of Asia's largest aerospace companies. Under the management of the Indian Ministry of Defence, this state-owned company is mainly involved in aerospace industry, which includes manufacturing and assembling aircraft, navigation and...
and Bharat Heavy Plates & Vessels Limited to cast a 350kg magnesium liquid-fuel engine frame and a solid-booster rocket respectively. DRDL also began to expand rapidly, increasing its workforce from 400 to 2,500 people in a two year period in an effort to meet staffing needs of both the projects.
However, internal disputes soon disrupted the DRDL, as the leader of the Valiant project believed Narayanan was disproportionately invested in Project Devil, and external interest in both programs waned, particularly as the SA-2 model for the Devil project had not performed well in combat. In 1974, Project Valiant was terminated and Devil re-conceived as a project to gather information on technology rather than an effort to produce an actual missile. In January 1975, the Indian Space Research Organisation
Indian Space Research Organisation
The Indian Space Research Organisation is an independent Indian governmental agency established in 1969 for the research and development of vehicles and activities for the exploration of space within and outside of Earth’s atmosphere. Headquartered in Bangalore...
was appointed to run an external review of Project Devil and in March 1975 found it had been successful in several areas, if not in liquid propulsion, and should be permitted to continue. It ran for several more years before being completely discontinued in 1980, by which point DRDL had produced several components for Devil, including two solid rocket booster
Solid rocket booster
Solid rocket boosters or Solid Rocket Motors, SRM, are used to provide thrust in spacecraft launches from the launchpad up to burnout of the SRBs. Many launch vehicles include SRBs, including the Ariane 5, Atlas V , and the NASA Space Shuttle...
s with high-strength steel casings and a specific impulse
Specific impulse
Specific impulse is a way to describe the efficiency of rocket and jet engines. It represents the derivative of the impulse with respect to amount of propellant used, i.e., the thrust divided by the amount of propellant used per unit time. If the "amount" of propellant is given in terms of mass ,...
of 200 seconds, and a second stage three-ton liquid-propellant engine fueled by G-fuel (a combination of Xylidiene and Tri-ethylamine), oxidized
Oxidizing agent
An oxidizing agent can be defined as a substance that removes electrons from another reactant in a redox chemical reaction...
by red fuming nitric acid
Red fuming nitric acid
Red fuming nitric acid is a storable oxidizer used as a rocket propellant. It consists mainly of nitric acid , also containing 13% dinitrogen tetroxide and 3% water. The dissolved nitrogen dioxide is very concentrated and can be found at room temperature...
. Narayanan, who disagreed with the decision, resigned his post at DRDL and was replaced by S. L. Bansal. Devil components were subsequently modified and utilized as components in other systems.
According to a 2006 article by Praful Bidwai
Praful Bidwai
Praful Bidwai is an Indian journalist, political analyst, and activist.-Journalist and columnist:Praful Bidwai is an Leftist political analyst and commentator, a social science researcher, and an activist on issues of peace, global justice, human rights and environmental protection.Bidwai's...
in The Daily Star
The Daily Star (Bangladesh)
The Daily Star is the largest circulating English daily newspaper in Bangladesh. Established by Syed Mohammed Ali in 14 January 1991, the newspaper is owned by Mediastar a venture of the Transcom Group, headed by Latifur Rahman...
, Project Valiant "totally failed", while its sister project was a partial success. Though neither reached fruition, the projects were important precursors to the Prithvi missile developed in the 1980s.