Indian Defense
Army, Navy, IAF Sign Deals For Swarm, Kamikaze Drones Amid Govt Push For New Tech Warfare
The SkyStriker kamikaze drone
Army, Navy, IAF sign deals for swarm, kamikaze drones amid govt push for new tech warfare
New Delhi: In a span of less than two weeks, the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force have signed multiple contracts worth over Rs 500 crore in the sphere of drone technology with the focus being on Indian companies amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for adapting new technology of warfare.
The contracts signed by the Services include those for buying kamikaze drones or loitering munitions to swarm drones with both kill and surveillance capability besides counter drone systems.
Sources in the defence and security establishment said that the directive from the “top” is very clear — focus on Indian companies.
They said the Prime Minister’s Office has been pushing for adopting newer warfare technology, something which was seen during the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict.
Sources termed the procurement of swarm drones and loitering munitions by the Army and Navy as a part of the ‘Revolution in Military Affairs’, known as RMA, which changes the way the war is fought.
Incidentally, all contracts are being signed under the emergency procurement route. Sources said this is because the process is faster and the aim right now is to support the domestic companies while they work on the upgraded variants.
Army Signs Maximum Number of Contracts
Leading the three Services on the new contracts signed is the Army, which has signed three separate deals for various types of drones. This includes two deals worth over Rs 200 crore for Swarm drones with Indian start ups — Bangalore-based NewSpace Research and Tech, run by former IAF officer Sameer Joshi, and Noida-based firm Raphe, sources said.
Both firms are Indian and not joint ventures with a foreign player.
The Army has also ordered over 100 tactical Indo-Israel kamikaze drones, used in the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict, to beef up its operational capability along the borders with Pakistan and China. These drones, which are to be supplied in 12 months, will be manufactured in Bengaluru by a joint venture between Israel’s Elbit System and India’s Alpha Design, which is now part of the Adani Group.
The Navy has also placed a large order with an Indian joint venture firm for specialised drones, the sources said.
The force had also placed an order with defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the supply of Naval Anti Drone System (NADS), developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The Indian Air Force, which is looking at larger tactical drones, has signed up a deal with Indian firm Zen Technologies for counter unmanned aerial systems.
The order placed with New Space Research and Tech is for drones that can hit targets with five to 10 kilograms of explosives while also being used for surveillance and for carrying urgent medical and other supplies to the troops.
The capability of these drones was showcased earlier this year during the Army Day parade at Delhi Cantonment.
A swarm of 75 drones, developed by the Army and NewSpace Research and Tech, had then showcased offensive capability by carrying out a simulated kamikaze attack on targets, including enemy tanks, fuel depots, terror hideout and radar positions, among others.
The Army had then termed the system a “disruption technology”, which can hit targets 50 km inside enemy territory. The company had come first in the Army’s swarm drone evaluation trials at Ahmednagar, Maharashtra earlier this year. Incidentally, the algorithm used by the 2018 start-up for its drones is of Indian origin. The company which came second — Raphe — has also been given over Rs 100 crore swarm drones contract, mainly for surveillance and load carrying capacity.
The quadcopter drones, capable of carrying multiple weights of payload, were shown delivering medical aids and para-dropping essential supplies to showcase that the system can be used to support troops deployed in harsh and forward positions.
The Army had then announced that a total of 600 kg supplies can be delivered by these drones.
The plan right now, according to sources, is to bring out more complex and upgraded versions in the future, which could then be part of a larger procurement process.
Each of the three Services is also focusing on loitering munition which changes the warfare dynamics. These loitering munitions are of different types – both for long range and tactical operations.
The solid-fuelled K-4 missile is being developed by DRDO to arm the country’s nuclear-powered submarines in the shape of INS Arihant and its under-development sister vessels. INS Arihant, which became fully operational in November 2018 to complete India’s nuclear triad, is currently armed with the much shorter K-15 missiles with a 750 km range.
“The K-4 is now virtually ready for its serial production to kick-off. The two tests have demonstrated its capability to emerge straight from underwater and undertake its parabolic trajectory,” said a source.
India has the land-based Agni missiles, with the over 5,000-km Agni-V inter-continental ballistic missile now in the process of being inducted, and fighter jets jury-rigged to deliver nuclear weapons. But INS Arihant gives the country’s deterrence posture much more credibility because nuclear-powered submarines armed with nuclear-tipped missiles are considered the most secure, survivable and potent platforms for retaliatory strikes.
Once the K-4 missiles are inducted, they will help India narrow the gap with countries like the US, Russia and China, which have over 5,000-km range SLBMs. The K-4 missiles are to be followed by the K-5 and K-6 missiles in the 5,000-6,000 km range class.
The 6,000-ton INS Arihant, which is propelled by an 83 MW pressurised light-water reactor at its core, in turn, is to be followed by INS Arighat, which was launched in 2017. The next generation of nuclear submarines, currently called S-4 and S-4*, will be much larger in size.
India has received clearance to upgrade 84 Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets, which will result in 78% indigenization after the upgrade
In a significant step towards bolstering its military might with indigenously developed technology, India is poised to witness its Russian-origin Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets evolve into a domestic platform. Speaking at a recent lecture.
The upgrade program is being led by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in partnership with the Indian Air Force and other partners. The upgrade is expected to cost US$7.5 billion.
This initiative is a part of a larger effort by the Indian Air Force to modernize its ageing fleet. Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari asserted the critical role of an offensive air force as demonstrated in current global conflicts and emphasized India’s move towards an indigenized arsenal. To this end, the IAF has been proactive, from upgrading its Mirage 2000 to enhancing its MiG-29 fleet.
In summary, the IAF’s commitment to updating their combat forces with the latest technology, including shifting to fifth-generation fighter jets, ensures operational preparedness and a strong deterrence capability. The gradual indigenization of its air fleet marks a pivotal shift in India’s defence landscape, reducing dependency on foreign imports and fostering technological sovereignty.
According to unconfirmed reports, Armenia is a top contender for an export order for Akash SAM system manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).
The Akash export version will also be slightly different from the one inducted by the armed forces. The 100-km range air-to-air Astra missiles, now entering production after successful trials from Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, also have “good export potential”, said sources.
Akash is a “tried, tested and successfully inducted systems”. Indian armed forces have ordered Akash systems worth Rs 24,000 crore over the years, and MoD inked a contract in Mar 2023 of over Rs 9,100 crores for improved Akash Weapon System
BDL is a government enterprise under the Ministry of Defence that was established in 1970. BDL manufactures surface-to-air missiles and delivers them to the Indian Army. BDL also offers its products for export.
Akash Weapon System
The AWS is a Short Range Surface to Air Missile (SRSAM) Air Defence System, indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). In order to meet aerial threats, two additional Regiments of AWS with Upgradation are being procured for Indian Army for the Northern borders. Improved AWS has Seeker Technology, Reduced Foot Print, 360° Engagement Capability and improved environmental parameters.
The project will give a boost to the Indian missile manufacturing industry in particular and the indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem as a whole. The project has overall indigenous content of 82% which will be increased to 93% by 2026-27.
The induction of the improved AWS into the Indian Army will increase India’s self-reliance in Short Range Missile capability. This project will play a role in boosting the overall economy by avoiding outgo of precious foreign exchange to other countries, increasing employment avenues in India and encouraging Indian MSMEs through components manufacturing. Around 60% of the project cost will be awarded to the private industry, including MSMEs, in maintaining the supply chain of the weapon system, thereby creating large scale of direct and indirect employment.
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