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“The Drone Jammer (Manportable) will be capable of detection and jamming of all types of drones and quadcopters in field conditions. The system will comprise of radio frequency (RF) and other requisite sensors to achieve target detection and engagement,” a request for proposal (RFP) issued by the Ministry of Defence on January 20 states.

The system will be effective against drones by jamming control, communication uplink as well as downlink, data and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) links. “The inputs of all sensors should be amalgamated through a C2 (command and control) system to facilitate efficient operation of the system,” the RFP further states.

The Army’s requirement is for systems that have a range of at least 5 km for target identification and acquisition and a range of 2 km or above for executing jamming counter measures against hostile drones.

These should also be suitable for varied terrain and climatic conditions, including high altitude areas with extremely cold weather, having an operating temperature range from minus 10 degree Celsius to 45 degree Celsius.

Defining specifications for electronic countermeasures, the RFP states that it should be possible to engage drones in the frequencies 100 MHz to 6 GHz or better. “The System should be able to simultaneously jam GNSS (BeiDou, GPS, GLONASS and IRNSS), command and control data and telemetry links of the target drones,” it adds. The system would have a threat library of all known drones’ signatures, which would be updated regularly.

The RFP for man-portable jammers comes close on the heels of another RFP floated on January 18 for the procurement of 20 vehicle mounted drone jammers capable of detecting, tracking and neutralising drones or drone swarms from multiple directions simultaneously over longer ranges.

Several types of anti-drone systems are being used by the armed forces as well as border guarding forces to counter drones. Extensive research and development is also being undertaken in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles as well as counter drone measures by government as well as private agencies.

Drones of various sizes as well as capabilities are being deployed for surveillance, reconnaissance, offensive operations as well as for logistic support in remote areas. These are also being increasingly used for nefarious activities like cross-border smuggling of narcotics, weapons and fake currency.

In 2022, the Border Security Force (BSF) reported a three-fold increase in drone activities over the previous year along the western border with Pakistan that runs through the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The number of drone activities went up from 100 in 2021 to 304 in 2022.

This year there have already been several incidents of drones being spotted or shot down in the vicinity of the International Border in Punjab, with weapons and narcotics being seized by the BSF.

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The current RfP is for 750 hi-tech precision strike drones, termed Remotely Piloted Aerial Vehicle (RPAV). The previous RFPs were issued to procure 1,000 Surveillance Copters and 80 Mini Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs).

Hi-tech Precision Strike Drones

The MoD intends to procure 750 RPAVs for the Indian Army’s Parachute (Special Forces) Battalions which are mandated to execute special missions behind enemy lines through Fast Track Procedure under Emergency Procurement.

The Army’s special forces are looking for specialised drones that can provide 3D imagery of the terrain to launch operations.

The RFP is part of the tendering process seeking commercial and technical bids from suppliers. Some 750 such drones are needed. “The current volatile situation along the northern borders warrants expeditious procurement of operational equipment,” the RFP document said. The Army is looking for UAVs that can provide round-the-clock surveillance with ability to scan the target area and provide a processed 3D scanned image of the target to execute special missions. The MoD wants to keep out any Chinese parts and has asked the vendor to provide NATO stock number (NSN) for each item provided by a foreign maker.

This force multiplier would enable the Special Forces to execute pinpoint precision strikes during direct action tasks such as raids, elimination of high-value targets, and command and control elements including enemy leadership.

This equipment will be deployed for situational awareness and short-range surveillance that will enable the special forces to execute pin-point precision strikes during direct action tasks. The Army wants the UAV to be about 2 kg in weight and be operable by one person. The UAV needs to have an endurance of 30 minutes and be able to operate indoors and in GPS-denied areas.

Remotely Piloted Aircraft

On 20 October 2022, the Army began the process to procure 80 mini remotely piloted aircraft systems and 1,000 surveillance copters to bolster its overall surveillance apparatus along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. Officials said the mini remotely piloted aircraft is an ideal multi-sensor system to carry out day and night surveillance and target detection in high-altitude regions.

The last date for submission of bids for the remotely piloted aircraft programme was November 16. “The system will be able to provide high resolution imagery to enable target detection, recognition, identification and accurate location of adversary’s location as well as build up of troops,” said an official.

The mini remotely piloted aircraft systems are being procured under the ‘buy’ (Indian) category. According to the request for proposal or initial tender, the select supplier will have to supply the platforms within 12 months of signing the contract.

As per the requirement of the Army, the new man-portable mini-RPAS must weigh up to 15 kilograms, have a mission range of at least 15 kilometers, and have an operation endurance of no less than 90 minutes. While the runway-independent RPAS should have the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability at an altitude of 13,000 feet with a minimum four-hour endurance

The new RPAS will be used for tactical surveillance to locate enemy soldiers and weapon systems in a particular sector. In contrast, strategic surveillance aims to determine the big picture, for example, where the enemy is concentrating his forces, what routes are used for supplies, where are the logistics hubs, etc.

The new RPAS with day-and-night capability are consequently needed by forward observation posts to look deeper and direct, correct, and analyze artillery fire.

Surveillance Copters

The Army’s procurement of 1,000 surveillance copters through fast track procedure under emergency procurement process is also aimed at boosting surveillance along the frontier with China.

“For surveillance needs of the Indian Army, expeditious procurement of surveillance copters for meeting urgent operational requirements is an operational imperative, where undue/unforeseen delay is seen to be adversely impacting the capacity and preparedness of the Indian Army,” according to a brief on the programme.

It said the surveillance copter will provide aerial surveillance capability and sustained point surveillance to the Indian Army.

The last date for submission of bids for the programme is November 17.

A surveillance copter is an ideal multi-sensor system to carry out real-time reconnaissance and surveillance day and night. It will provide high-resolution imagery to enable target detection, recognition and accurate location of adversary’s build-up. The UAVs will be sourced from Indian companies.

The copters will provide aerial surveillance capability and sustained point surveillance to the Army. It will have a multi-sensor system to carry out real-time reconnaissance and surveillance of an area of interest.

The system will provide high-resolution imagery to enable target detection, recognition, identification and accurate location of adversary’s build-up, mortars, guns, movement of troops and vehicles during border management and active operations.

The copters will have an all-up weight of no more than 10 kg and can take off from an altitude of 13,000 ft.

Swarm Drone Systems

To enhance its defensive and offensive capabilities, the Indian Army in August 2022 inducted the swarm drone system. As evident from the recent ongoing conflicts globally, they have proved to be a major force multiplier. Even at the borders in India, drone-related incidents have seen a major surge in the past few months.

The resourcefulness of the swarm drone technology has proved itself during the recent conflicts in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Syria and the strike on oil fields in Saudi Arabia and the recent Russia-Ukraine war.

Loitering munitions, Aerial Targeting System

The Army has started the process to procure 120 loitering munitions and 10 aerial targeting systems to bolster its military might along the frontier with China.

The RfP for the procurement was issued around November 14. The loitering munitions and the aerial targeting systems are being procured under the fast track procedure within the framework of ‘buy Indian’ category, they said.

Under the prescribed specifications, the aerial targeting systems will be required to have a range of 100 km.

Separate Cadre of UAV Operators

The Army is looking to create a separate cadre for operating its Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), according to Lt Gen AK Suri, Director General of Army Aviation. He was speaking at a seminar on Unmanned Aerial Systems, organised by Indian Military Review, on 16 September 2022.

“This cadre will be of operators in terms of piloting and will reduce the load on helicopter pilots,” he said, adding that Indian Army has been using UAVs for the last two decades, he said they have primarily used them in the northern and western borders. A major part of the surveillance is carried out by them.

The proposal is currently with the Army headquarters and once cleared, will be sent to the Defence Ministry for approval. A similar proposal for a separate UAV cadre by the IAF has been long pending with the Defence Ministry for approval.

Speaking at the seminar, Air Marshal Radhakrishnan Radhish, Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) at Western Air Command, said the IAF has a road map for induction of more capable medium-altitude long-endurance UAVs as well as high-altitude long-endurance UAVs. IAF is joining an indigenous effort to develop a UCAV and Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) has been sanctioned to develop the niche technologies, he stated. Awareness of the enemy (battlefield transparency) is crucial in high altitude where mobility is a prime factor in gaining advantage and these will help the Units deployed in the Northern Borders. These RPAs will assist the local commanders in gaining information on the enemy position, men and equipment and about the changes on ground, thus enabling them to take timely and appropriate action,” he said.

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The Hyderabad-headquartered Paninian India Private Limited, has completed the “conceptual validation” of its 4.5 KN Turbojet Engine and the prototype development has started.

The engine is further being developed into a new family in the range of 3-12 kilonewtons (kN) thrust, along with Artificial Intelligence (AI) augmented digital twin companions.

AI augmented Digital Twins are meant for legacy engine performance modelling and prognostics for supporting mission performance and life extension efforts for aircraft like Jaguar, Sukhoi and Mirage 2000 of the Indian Air Force.

Such Digital Twins — required for cutting-edge prognostics, engine health and performance monitoring — have been conceived entirely from scratch in the country by Indian engineers, he said, adding that India can carry out life extension of engines locally and accurately without resorting to foreign assistance.

While Paninin has started setting up an actual test bed for its engine, the plan ahead is for the individual parts of the engine to undergo 2,000 hours of testing at the National Aerospace Laboratory. 

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been working on an aero engine in the 4.5kN category, which industry sources say is a reverse engineering of the Russian NPO Saturn 36 MT engine which is used by India.

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“This cadre will be of operators in terms of piloting and will reduce the load on helicopter pilots,” Lt. Gen. Suri said speaking at a seminar on UAVs organised by the Centre for Air Power Studies and Indian Military Review. Stating that Indian Army has been using UAVs for the last two decades, he said they have primarily used them in the northern and western borders. A major part of the surveillance is carried out by them, he added.

The proposal is currently with the Army headquarters and once cleared, will be sent to the Defence Ministry for approval, officials said on its status. A similar proposal for a separate UAV cadre by the IAF has been long pending with the Defence Ministry for approval.

In August 2021, Army Aviation got control of the UAVs of the Army which were earlier under Artillery. The Army operates over 30 Heron UAVs procured from Israel.

Speaking at the seminar, Air Marshal Radhakrishnan Radhish, Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) at Western Air Command, said the IAF has a road map for induction of more capable medium-altitude long-endurance UAVs as well as high-altitude long-endurance UAVs. IAF is joining an indigenous effort to develop a UCAV and Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) has been sanctioned to develop the niche technologies, he stated.

The Bengaluru-based ADE is under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Stating that the “unmanned market” is expected to see a significant growth in India, Air Marshal Radhish added that by 2026 it is anticipated to be the world’s third largest market.

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The Test

The demonstrator vehicle was tested at the Aeronautical Test Range located at Chitradurga in Karnataka on Friday. While being operated in a completely autonomous mode, it exhibited a perfect flight, according to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The take-off of the vehicle, the automatic navigation tracing the designated points — waypoint navigation and a touchdown — were all executed with the desired precision.

“This flight marks a major milestone in terms of proving critical technologies towards the development of future unmanned aircraft and is a significant step towards self-reliance in such strategic defence technologies,” the Ministry of Defence said.

The demonstrator has been developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a Bengaluru-based facility of the DRDO working in the fields of unmanned aerial vehicles, flight simulators, pilotless target aircraft, plight control systems and air weapons. Congratulating the DRDO, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Rajnath Singh said that it is a major achievement towards autonomous aircraft and will pave the way for ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ in terms of critical military systems.

What is special about it?

DRDO officials highlighted the flying wing structure of the technology demonstrator, which refers to a tailless fixed-wing aircraft which houses its payload and fuel in its main wings and does not have a defined fuselage-like structure found in the conventional aircraft. The design, DRDO scientists say, has the potential to deliver high fuel efficiency and stealth, if executed with precision, as demonstrated by some of advanced bombers in the USA’s arsenal like B-2 bomber.

The officials added that the flying wing type of aircraft has a key operational advantage because it has low reflective cross sections resulting in low radar signature, making it a stealth machine. Because of the shape, the aircraft also has very low drag or air resistance. However, this unique design also comes with its issues related to stability and thus requires additional systems.

The airframe — the basic mechanical structure of the aircraft, the undercarriage — the landing gear used for take-off and landing and the entire flight control along with avionics systems used for the demonstrator have been developed indigenously. The vehicle is powered by a small turbofan engine which is an airbreathing type jet engine.

How will it help develop future combat drones?

DRDO scientists said that this technology demonstrator will further undergo tests for examining other technologies in the development of future combat drones. Tests would also be conducted on the scale and capability of the vehicle. Sources said that the Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator is precursor to an autonomous stealth Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) being developed by the DRDO, primarily for the Indian Air Force. A deck launched version for the Indian Navy is also said to be in the pipeline. The UCAV will be capable of launching missiles and precision-guided munitions.

The DRDO has in the past developed various drones, like Nishant, Rustom, Tapas and Lakshya among others, which have different capabilities and operational roles. In July last year, the DRDO also unveiled its anti-drone technology aimed at neutralising enemy attacks. The system has the capability of counter attacks, including detection, soft kill — for jamming the communication links of drone) and hard kill — and laser based hard kill to destroy the drone to neutralise the adversary drones.

Several scenarios in the recent past, both in India and abroad, have highlighted the strategic importance of having stealth combat drones in the arsenal. While the Indian armed forces currently operate a mix of indigenously developed and imported drones, a fully homegrown stealth combat machine is the need of the hour, experts said.

While some reports suggest that the UCAV will be titled Ghatak (deadly) or Autonomous Unmanned Research Aircraft, the agency has not officially released the details.

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The Army has significantly bolstered its fire power along the frontier with China by deploying a range of rockets and artillery weapons and plans to procure an array of additional systems, including 100 K9 Vajra howitzers and UAVs, to augment combat prowess.

The Artillery units of the Indian Army already deployed K-9 Vajra Tracked Self-Propelled Howitzers, ultra-light M-777 howitzers, Pinaka rocket systems and Dhanush gun systems.

The Army plans to equip its Artillery units along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) with a range of up to 90 kms in addition to UAVs of 15-20 kms range. At present, medium altitude UAVs in the Army’s inventory are being operated by the Army Aviation units.

The Army is set to procure a new batch of 100 more K9 Vajras howitzers, in addition to 100 such guns ordered in 2017. The Defence Acquisition Council has cleared the proposal for ordering 100 more K9 Vajras. The Request for Proposal (RFP) will be issued soon.

The K9 Vajras were originally procured for deployment in deserts, but following the eastern Ladakh standoff, the Army deployed a significant number of the howitzers in that high-altitude region.

The Army is also procuring winterisation kits so the howitzers work in sub-zero temperature.

The Army is also in the process of procuring indigenously developed Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System, commonly known as ATAGS, and Mounted Gun Systems (MGS). This gun system has many firsts to its credit – 25-litre chamber, long range, as also rapid and sustained rates of fire. The user trials on the gun systems have been satisfactorily conducted and that there are few procedural issues that are being taken care of.

Induction of more advanced Pinaka weapon systems is in the offing. Six more regiments of the systems are being procured and their delivery would commence soon. The new Pinaka regiments will be equipped with electronically and mechanically improved weapon system capable of firing variety of ammunition over longer ranges. One regiment of Pinaka has been inducted along Northern borders in high altitude area after extensive validation. The defence ministry has already approved procurement of guided extended range rockets for Pinaka.

The Army is also in the process of procuring ‘Loitering Munition System’ thereby augmenting its surveillance, target acquisition and precision strike capability. The Army is also in the process of procuring indigenously designed and developed Loitering Weapon System with enhanced strike capability.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

The Army is procuring a range of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for surveillance and target acquisition purposes—including loitering munitions for combat roles—for its artillery units deployed along India’s borders with China and Pakistan. This includes an unspecified number of mini UAVs for which internal deliberations are at an advanced stage and also loitering munitions which the Army bought last year under emergency procurement.

There is a need to procure runway-independent UAVs to possess the sensor-to-shooter capability.

This effectively means there is a need for UAVs to observe, acquire target, direct artillery fire and carry out post-strike damage assessment matching the extended ranges of the gun and rocket systems being procured by the Army.

The UAVs will aid the Observation Post (OP) Officers and Forward Observation Officers (FOO) with information gathered through surveillance in advance. The idea is to procure enough quantity so that every OP officer is equipped with at least one mini UAV in the future, which would help him see beyond the hill features in the high-altitude border areas. The Army always has OP Officers deployed at its defensive positions and an FOO—who is an artillery representative—accompanies the assaulting troops to direct artillery fire when they are advancing to capture a location.

The mini UAVs will have a range varying from 15-20 km to 75-90 km with matching endurance and will be employed for engagement of targets in tactical and depth areas.

Earlier this year, medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAVs such as the Herons and Searchers with the Regiment of Artillery were transferred to the Army Aviation Corps.

Last year, the artillery regiment also ordered an unspecified number of loitering munitions under the fast-track procedure from a joint venture firm of an Indian and a foreign manufacturer.

The loitering munitions—which are unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs)—can loiter in the air and close on the designated target and attack it by self-destructing onto it when directed. They are expected to arrive soon, the sources said.

Deliveries of the precision-strike loitering munitions, which are relatively smaller and cheaper explosive-armed kamikaze drones that wait to select high-value enemy targets and then crash into them, are set to begin under an emergency procurement contract inked with an Israeli-Indian private joint venture last year.

The launchers of the loitering munition can be protected passively and actively as well—including camouflage concealment, shoot and scoot mechanism, and air defence protection, among others.

The Army has received responses from the Indian industry and several firms have expressed their capability to manufacture the weapon system, said the sources, adding that in future India can develop self-reliance and graduate as a global leader in the loitering munition technology.

After the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict, the deadly effect of loitering munitions or autonomous missiles has been reinforced by the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war. Ukrainians have used Switchblade 300 and Phoenix Ghost loitering munitions supplied by the US as well as locally assembled weapons to stem Russian advances.

K9 Vajra Guns

The Army is now looking to induct another 100 K-9 Vajra guns, which have a strike range of 28-38 km, from the joint venture between L&T and South Korean Hanwha Defence. One K-9 regiment with ‘winterisation kits’ has already been deployed in eastern Ladakh from the 100 such 155mm/52-caliber guns inducted earlier for Rs 4,366 crore.

The K-9 guns were originally procured for deserts. But after the Chinese incursions in May 2020, they have been modified to ensure their batteries, oil, lubricants and other systems do not freeze in sub-zero temperatures. The next 100 K-9 guns will come with winterised kits.

The K9 Vajra, compliments and adds a punch while operating alongside tanks since it’s a tracked self propelled gun. For this reason, it was deployed in Ladakh along with armour.

Pinaka

Induction of indigenous Pinaka multi-launch artillery rocket systems, with a strike range of 38-km, have also added more muscle along the frontier. With DRDO developing a variety of ammunition for the Pinaka, including rockets with over 45-km extended range and 75-km guided extended range, six more Pinaka regiments for Rs 2,580 crore will be delivered to the Army to add to its existing four. The Army also has three Smerch and five Grad rocket regiments of Russian-origin.

Pinaka is an all-weather, artillery-multi-barrel rocket system. It can fire 72 rockets in 44 seconds. It delivers a devastatingly lethal and responsive fire against a variety of area targets such as exposed enemy troops, armoured and soft skin vehicles, communication centres, air terminal complexes, fuel and ammunition dumps.

M777 Howitzers

The M-777 howitzers can be swiftly airlifted to forward areas. The bulk of the 145 guns ordered for over Rs 5,000 crore from the US have also been inducted along the LAC. The seventh regiment of these howitzers, with a strike range of 30-km, is now also been operationalized.

The seventh regiment of M777 howitzers is in the process of the being raised. The 155mm, 39-calibre towed artillery guns can be airlifted by the Chinook helicopters at a short notice.. Helipads for the Chinook helicopters are being constructed at all forward posts in the northeast for the quick movement of troops and equipment.

ATAGS

Then there are the home-grown 155mm/52 caliber advanced towed artillery gun systems (ATAGS), with a maximum strike range of 48-km, developed by DRDO with production partners Tata Advanced Systems and Bharat Forge.

After successful winter and summer firing trials, the ATAGS is now undergoing environment and maintainability tests slated for completion in another two months. Commercial negotiations will then follow for the initial order for 150 guns at an estimated cost of Rs 3,365 crore to be split between Tata and Bharat Forge.

ATAGS is a robust indigenous system. The orders for ATAGS will only go up because the Army has a long-term requirement for 1,580 such guns.

Radars

Additionally, the indigenous weapon locating radar Swathi has been inducted and deployed along the northern borders. A counter-battery radar designed to detect and track incoming artillery and rocket fire, Swathi can assess the point of origin for counter bombing. The radar is similar to ANTPQ-37 radar, which has been in use with the Army in design and performance but is said to be more user friendly.

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The Mistral has a maximum intercept range of 6.5 kilometers and can be used to take out hostile Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and helicopters.

The Mistral has two launchers each carrying two missiles and it is already integrated into India’s Rudra helicopter and Light Combat Helicopter.

Under the licensing agreement MBDA will transfer the equipment and knowledge to Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for establishing the facility that will start operation in the current fiscal year.

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Nature of Warfare

Over the past few decades, there have been many prophecies about how drones will transform the nature of warfare and how “drone swarms” could overwhelm enemies in combat. While there is no doubt that unmanned warfare is evolving fast, the “era of the drone” is yet to arrive because countries that use them often do not deploy enough of them, or are afraid to lose them in battle. Despite widespread employment, drones did not stop the Taliban in Afghanistan.

When Russia invaded Ukraine, it put a renewed spotlight on the use of armed drones in conventional wars. The world saw how armed drones might work when both countries have them — and both have air defences that can shoot them down.

Turkish Bayraktar drones showed they can change the “nature of warfare” in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. But contemplating air war based on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict or the Ukraine-Russia war needs closer analysis. In the latter, the success of the Bayraktar was unclear. Even kamikaze drones did not turn the tide in Ukraine. The limits of drone warfare appeared to be on display.

Any air war, more so in the context of the subcontinent, would involve an entire array of aerial operations and combat air support campaigns. To counter drones, the capabilities of the enemy drone assets need evaluation before countering them through anti-drone measures and other means.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

The stand-off at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China has accelerated the acquisition of more drones. Impressed with the performance of the two leased Sea Guardian drones, the Navy, Army and the Air Force are considering procurement of combat drones.

Military Applications of UAVs.

Some of the important uses include:

• Information, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR).
• Unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV).
• Radar and Communication Relay.
• Mapping Military Logistics.
• Nuclear Cloud Surveillance.

Armed Drones. ADE has completed the development of the Rustom-2 TAPAS (Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial Surveillance) MALE UAV (a MQ-1 category drone). Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will soon start the production of first five units of TAPAS drones. The optimally armed drone has already met all its revised qualitative requirements. It can fly at an altitude of 28,000 feet and has an endurance of 18 hours.

In total 76 units of this UAV will be ordered by forces. There will be 60 drones for Indian Army, 12 for the Indian Air Force and 4 for the Indian Navy.

Drone Technology

What information technology was in the 90s, drone technology is today. Technologies that the nation needs to invest in, are:

• Powertrain Technology – Brushless Direct Current (BLDC) Motor.
• Powertrain Technology – Fuel-Run Motor
• Powertrain Technology – Electronics
• Flight Controller
• Battery Technology
• Datalink Technology
• Making Bandwidth Available For Civilian Use

Some emerging technologies have the potential to enhancing effectiveness of drones, viz,

Artificial Intelligence. AI can help machines perceive and learn from Big Data to mimic and improve upon human cognitive functions like learning and problem solving.

Internet of Things (IoT). A network of connected devices, robots and instruments, embedded with sensors can communicate with other objects to         exchange data and information over the internet. Drones can act as first responders to an accident site and transmit real-time information to rescue agencies.

Indian Air Force

A Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) is a planned unmanned and manned combat aircraft air teaming system being developed by HAL, which is of interest to the IAF. An armed stealth drone will team up and fight alongside IAF fighters to hit high-value enemy targets. It is designed to carry out MUM-T Operations.

The Unmanned Wingman will be connected to a heavily upgraded IAF Jaguar fighter bomber; pilots onboard which will assign specific tasks to each of the unmanned drones which fly alongside the fighter. The drone will also operate with other platforms.

HAL is designing & developing AI powered, stealthy autonomous swarm drones known as ALFA-S. Sheer numbers of the swarm would overwhelm enemy defences such as surface-to-air missile units to ensure a high probability of mission success. The drones are meant to be launched from any Indian Air Force aircraft – fighter jets and transports.

DRDO is developing the Ghatak which is an UCAV for the IAF. The Aura UCAV will be a tactical stealth aircraft capable of delivering laser-guided strike weapons.

Indian Army

The army’s existing unmanned systems’ fleet comprises Heron medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAVs, and the smaller Searcher Mark II tactical drones.

The Army plans to buy high-tech unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to strengthen its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and improve the effectiveness of its military operations.

Indian Navy

The Indian Navy currently operates Israeli-origin Heron and Searcher Mk-II UAVs, but neither is shipborne. It also has Sea Guardian drones on lease.

The Indian Navy announced its plans, in June 2022, to acquire 40 Naval Unmanned Aerial Systems (NUAS) for more than 100 meters long warships. The NUAS would be used for surveillance activities, including signals intelligence (SIGINT), target acquisition, surveillance, and maritime domain awareness surrounding a naval task forc as well as Search-and-Rescue (SAR), anti-piracy, and anti-terrorist operations.

The Indian Navy once partially funded a joint effort by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to convert the Chetak helicopter into an autonomous drone platform due to its need for the capabilities over time. The project, named naval rotary UAV (NRUAV), failed due to technological difficulties.

Research & Development

DRDO tested, in early-July 2022, the Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator, which is a major step ahead of developing unmanned aerial combat vehicles (UCAV), primarily for the Indian Air Force. A deck launched version for the Indian Navy is also said to be in the pipeline. The UCAV will be capable of launching missiles and precision-guided munitions.

Countering Drones

Drones are hard to detect, do not have a significant visual, radar, infra-red or noise signature, and require minimal infrastructure to launch and control. Drones are best countered by effective jamming and laser systems.

DRDO’s D-4 anti-drone system can provide both “soft kill” (jamming of hostile drones) and “hard kill” (a laser-based destruction method) options to the military to tackle fast-emerging aerial threats. It has been used for VIP protection on National Days’ events.

Adani Defence & Aerospace has linked with DRDO and Israel’s Elbit Systems to begin deploying counter-UAS equipment in some of the country’s major airports.

UAV Industry

According to the Civil Aviation Minister, by 2026, the Indian drone industry will achieve a turnover of over Rs 15,000 crore. India is home to 270 startups in the drone technologies business. He has stated that the country will be a global leader in drones by 2030.

PLI Scheme. The government announced the Production-Linked Incentive scheme on 16 Sep 2021 which provides for funding 20 per cent of the “value addition” made by the company during the next three years. The value addition is calculated as the annual sales revenue from drones and drone components. 14 drone companies have already been selected as beneficiaries.

Joint Ventures. The first private UAV manufacturing complex has been set up at Adani Aerospace Park in Hyderabad to assemble unmanned aerial platforms including manufacturing of Hermes 900 Unmanned Aerial Platforms and marketing it to international customers.

Training

Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) signed a MoU, in July 2022, with a private drone service provider and training organisation, to set up a ‘Remote Pilot Training Centre’ (RPTC) to teach drone flying to defence/security forces personnel as well as citizens on a private partnership model near Gandhinagar. The RPTC will have DGCA certified drone trainers teaching the trainees regarding quadcopters with strict adherence to certification necessities.

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