By Ajit Dubey
New Delhi [India], November 16 : At a time when Indian armed forces are looking to strengthen their capabilities against enemy drones, the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force are going to place orders for 16 indigenous drone detection and interdiction systems, which would be capable of hitting unmanned aerial systems at 2 kms with laser and disable them.
The Defence Ministry is likely to clear the Defence Research and Development Organisation's Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System (Mark 2), which has the capability of hitting enemy drones with laser beams at 2 kms. The 10 Kilowatt laser beam would double the distance at which they can engage drones with laser, as the first system was capable of targeting at around 1 kms only, defence officials told ANI.
The DRDO is developing long-range laser-based drone detection and interception systems, as the Pakistanis used a large number of drones in the Operation Sindoor against Indian targets, which were foiled in a big way.
The DRDO has also successfully test-fired the direct energy weapon system, which can target systems at 5 kms and is carrying out its trials with the involvement of the Indian defence forces. The 5 km strike capability will be achieved by a 30-kilowatt laser-based direct energy weapon.
India, for the first time this April, showcased its capability to shoot down fixed-wing aircraft, missiles, and swarm drones using a 30-kilowatt laser-based weapon system.
By doing so, India joined the list of selected countries, including the US, China, and Russia, that have shown such a capability.
The Centre for High Energy Systems & Sciences CHESS-- a lab of DRDO, had conducted a successful field demonstration of the Land version of Vehicle mounted Laser laser-directed weapon DEW MK-II(A) at Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh. It successfully defeated the fixed-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and swarm drones, causing structural damage and disabling the surveillance sensors.
India needs the IDDS in large numbers, as the role of drones in the recent wars, both within and outside the country, has shown a significant use of drones by enemy forces.
DRDO chief Dr Samir V. Kamat had said that the DRDO is also working on other high-energy systems, including high-energy microwaves, electromagnetic pulses, and a number of technologies that will give the Star Wars capability.