Notably, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s handing over of Transfer-of-Technology (ToT) documents on April 7 also came close on the heels of the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) third list of 100 items to be procured/developed/manufactured domestically and not through imports.

Assigning the manufacturing of a drone detection system to a private Indian industry designed by state-run organizations marks the pivotal moment of a joint first step towards defence indigenization. Notably, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s handing over of Transfer-of-Technology (ToT) documents on April 7 also came close on the heels of the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) third list of 100 items to be procured/developed/manufactured domestically and not through imports. This bears the seriousness of the effort towards attaining defence indigenization.

From a pure technology and doctrinal perspective, the armed forces should now consider integrating counter-drone systems as a part of a larger highly networked, ‘intelligenized’ and ‘informationized’ environment– approaches that are employed by potential adversaries. Counter drone systems could also be airborne on other drones themselves, rather functioning as smaller Airborne Early Warning (AEW) systems fused with larger AEW aircraft and other ground-based Counter-UAV platforms.

Webbed into a larger and highly dense network connecting ground, sea-based, airborne, space and individual combatants, allow C-UAVs to evolve from standalone platforms to be a part of a bigger setup that enhances situational awareness of both the frontline combatants and military decision makers.

With a new concept of operations fuelled by new technologies (AI, Machine Learning, Big Data, Quantum Computing and Quantum Communications), the government should now undertake a study of whether the new techno-military doctrines are relevant to India. Simultaneous development of other relevant technologies like Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) should continue, standardized to be compatible with other C-UAVs.

Depending on the battlefield needs and doctrines, the C-UAVs can also deploy ‘hard-kill’ options like missiles and guns either attached as a part of the system ordirect other batteries or ground-based units to undertake fire. But arming all units with such portable and easy to deploy systems is vital as battlefield drones, both big and small, are likely to be used in nearly all scenarios. India is creating Integrated Battle Groups (IBG) with mixed armour, infantry, artillery, mechanised infantry, combat engineers, signals and air defence units, where C-UAVs of various sizes should be deployed with each arm.

Adversaries target not only fighting formations but also support and combat support units to degrade overall military fighting capability, especially during large force-on-force contacts. And while bigger armed drones can be taken down with missiles and guns, advanced soft-kill options like Radio Frequency (RF) jamming, spoofing and possibly hacking are equally effective. It is the capability to develop non-kinetic hard and soft-kill systems that reflect the industrial and technological advancement of a country. Also used in cyber and space warfare which are poised to be the next battlefield frontiers, developing electronics and electronic hardware manufacturing capability that go into soft-kill systems is crucial and should be a larger focus under the government’s ‘Aatmanirbharta’ aim.

For instance, millimetre microwave radars (MMR) that transmit radio frequencies at short wavelengths are said to be effective against smaller swarm drones. China recently tested vehicle mounted box launched swarm drones, released through multiple tubes stacked together, that once in the air in a group of dozens, deploy wings and can work together to perform a variety of tasks.

Possibly AI-enabled, they can overwhelm an air defence system or a ground formation drawing their fire, act as loitering munitions to take out well-defended targets, provide mass air surveillance capability, acting as a smaller part of its Communications Coordination Command Control Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) network to provide enhanced situational awareness. This is in line with China’s ‘informationized’ and ‘intelligenized’ warfare doctrines.

The possibilities are endless and taking out well networked small swarm drones are equally limited. This is where non-kinetic hard and soft kill systems come in. India should therefore develop an industrial capability to manufacture hi-tech electronics like powerful lasers, RF jammers, MMR and microwave weapons that can simultaneously disable swarm drones.

While this pertains to just counter-drone systems, drone manufacturing capability itself can be enhanced in India. While structures like arms, upper and lower sidings, fixed/retractable landing gears, internal support and payload carriers are manufactured in India, propellers and motors are largely imported from China, Taiwan and Germany. India even lags in electronics and avionics systems like speed controllers, GPS modules, power distribution boards, signals receivers, flight controllers, telemetry modules, communication devices and GPS hardware that go both into drone and counter-drone systems.

Our capability in building our own Electro-Optical IR/Thermal systems, Synthetic Aperture Radar and Medium Powered Radars leaves a lot to be desired for. Promoting MSMEs that develop and manufacture these can lead to massive economic benefits too. Over the next 15 years, the Indian Army plans to induct UAVs down to the battalion level, while the Indian Air Force aspires to have at least six 18-fleet squadrons of both armed and unarmed UAVs. With Requests for Information/Requests for Proposal (RFI/RFP) estimated to be to the tune of 100 a year, developing these advanced electronics in-house reduces imports, with India possibly becoming their exporter to the very countries we buy them from!

To sum up, India first needs to evolve a basic academic understanding of where counter-drone and drone systems fit in the larger scheme of things involving emerging technologies, military concepts, industrial capabilities and adversary nations’ capabilities. This should be a joint effort between the government, services, industry and academia.

Secondly, defence indigenization should not be looked at as a standalone effort but as a larger goal towards becoming industrially advanced with hi-tech and electronics manufacturing leading the charge. Drones and counter-drone systems use these very systems and having an integrated approach automatically synergizes efforts by all stakeholders, effecting the Comprehensive National Power and a ‘whole of nation’ approach that can withstand any adversity.

https://www.financialexpress.com/defence/counter-drone-systems-should-be-part-of-smart-air-defence-network/2494887/