With more than 80 years of experience in the test and measurement (T&M) industry, Rohde and Schwarz is a market leader catering to the needs of customers in various segments, globally, with its exclusive range of precise and reliable instruments. Sudeshna Das, senior executive editor, EFY Group, and Shruti Mishra, correspondent, Electronics Bazaar, spoke with Nasser Jariwala, divisional head, T&M (R&S India) and Dr Viswanathan Subramanian, market segment manager, aerospace and defence (A&D) R&S, Germany, about the aerospace and defence (A&D) market, the company’s field of expertise, and its expansion plans in the A&D segment.
EB: What are the global trends in the T&M market for the aerospace and defence (A&D) sector?
One of the global trends that we see is an increasing demand for high-performance T&M solutions across the entire A&D eco-chain. In the last five to ten years, the semiconductor industry has witnessed significant growth in high-performance technologies. This enables greater integration and miniaturisation of high-frequency and high-speed devices.
It is also no longer the case that high-end equipment is only or mainly required in research and development (R&D). Today, the same level of specifications and deliverables are required across the whole eco-chain, from R&D to production, service and maintenance.
At R&S, we are committed to providing competitive price/performance solutions. This could be a benchtop or handheld device like the recently launched RTH instruments.
Globally, A&D programmes are increasingly calling for long-term and future-proof technology commitments. R&S prides itself in owning its entire supply chain and is committed to developing long-term customer relationships.
EB: How does the Indian A&D market compare with the global market, with respect to the advantages as well as the challenges?
India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. We see a lot of growth opportunities here in the A&D market. The government is also doing a lot with initiatives like ‘Make in India’, increased FDI for defence related projects and the Skill India programme. We see an impetus in the A&D manufacturing sector in India and that is a very positive sign for us. This will also be reflected in reduced imports, creating jobs for India’s rich talent pool. This will make us more self-reliant in our defence needs, which is a critical matter for the country’s security.
Regarding the challenges, infrastructure development and logistics are areas that need to be made a top priority for the economy to grow. Though these aspects are improving, they still do not match some of the international standards in terms of the quality of roads, the number of ports and airports, and trained labour needed for quick, hassle-free and secure transportation of goods.
Also, the procurement and decision-making process is lengthy, which does not allow the latest technologies to be quickly incorporated in the defence sector. The price pressure, which calls for multiple bidders, at times restricts users from opting for the state-of-art and unique solutions that we provide to this industry.
EB: How can government initiatives help the T&M industry grow?
If the government considers investments in T&M as a part of capital expenditure, then the companies may get some incentives under MSIPS for procuring T&M equipment.
This will be helpful in the A&D segment as it needs expensive and more sophisticated T&M equipment. However, at present, any investment in T&M is considered as operational expenditure.
The government could also consider initiatives like reducing customs tariff for T&M equipment. Such initiatives will motivate the local manufacturing sector to use high standard T&M equipment and produce quality products.
We have very strong connections with the customers and key players in the market. We are looking forward to partnering with them, and being among the top two key partners of choice when it comes to specific solutions in T&M.
EB: Many state governments are coming up with electronics manufacturing clusters; how do you plan to reach out to the customers in those areas?
At present, there appear to be some challenges with respect to the time frame by when these clusters will be fully operational. R&S India already has resident engineers in Tier II cities, along with channel partners working for us in these places. We know that electronics manufacturing is always viable in Tier II cities and that these clusters will come up. Through our ongoing strategies, we are geared to supporting the development of these clusters.
We have also enhanced our service capabilities at our calibration and service centre in Bengaluru, where we have invested a lot in upgrading our infrastructure to cater to our requirements in India.
EB. What are the new technologies to focus on for the A&D market?
If you look at the A&D sector from the T&M perspective, you can say that the major sub-segments are radar and electronic warfare-testing as well as satellite-testing. This is followed by the growing sub-segments of avionics and military communication testing as well as military electromagnetic compatibility testing. Each of these sub-segments has shown consistent worldwide growth, as well as constantly evolving technology specifications and the associated T&M requirements.
So, as a T&M company, we are co-operating closely with all the market leaders. We are committed to providing cutting-edge solutions and to improving our customer test procedures. Examples include our latest products such as the R&S FSWP, which is a phase noise analyser based on a high-end spectrum analysis platform. This special solution is aimed at providing a cutting-edge pulsed phase noise test solution that simplifies radar measurements for our customers. In a nutshell, the users of R&S FSWP can now measure the spectral purity of signal sources such as generators, synthesisers and voltage-controlled oscillators (VCO) more quickly than with any other solution. So that’s how we try to solve the customer’s test challenges.
Rohde & Schwarz works closely with A&D customers to provide innovative solutions, including upgrading their systems and platforms as per their needs and budget. The R&S A&D portfolio is also a frontrunner in providing solutions to meet the constantly evolving higher frequency demands. We have T&M instruments ranging up to 500GHz. This is happening not only in A&D but also in the automotive segment. For example, automotive radars are now available in the 77GHz – 90GHz band, where R&S is providing an analysis bandwidth of 2GHz. Similarly, in mobile communications, R&S is looking towards LTE, 5G, and IoT. These are the areas in which we are really working closely with customers to try and meet their test requirements.
EB: How does R&S cater to the entire A&D ecosystem with its complete range of solutions?
The requirements of customers within the A&D segment are changing across the entire ecosystem. To address this, R&S has introduced a wide portfolio of high-end A&D test solutions, as well as an economical, scalable and portable range of instruments called Value Instruments, which will cater to the broad range of today’s A&D market needs.
The performance level of the equipment and the specifications that are required in different tiers in the ecosystem do not vary a lot. This is because the quality and performance requirements are relatively consistent across the eco-chain. Rohde & Schwarz offers configurable platforms like our popular dual path RF signal generator—R&S SMW—which caters to R&D and production customers.
The Value Instruments portfolio comprises either benchtop instruments or field usage instruments targeting general-purpose needs. These new age testing instruments are much faster and more comprehensive but the basics remain the same. These are digital era instruments that are portable and sleeker, yet available at an affordable price. By expanding the range of A&D-specific solutions as well as our product portfolio, R&S addresses the entire ecosystem.
EB: What is R&S’ value proposition for the A&D segment?
It is all about ease of use, high performance and portability. These factors are playing a very vital role in addressing the problems of our customers. R&S is one of the biggest players in providing radio frequency and microwave solutions. We are very uniquely and differently positioned, compared to our closest competitors.
The pool of knowledge that R&S possesses is because of its rich and diverse experience in the fields of T&M, secure communications, broadcast and media, radio-monitoring and radio-location and cyber security – all of which provides for solid insights when designing our instruments. We design instruments that are aimed at providing a best-in-class product/technology portfolio and, in doing so, improve the performance of our customers’ products. By leveraging our expertise across different fields, we deliver solutions for the challenging problems faced by our customers.
