Low-flying, buzzing drones with little or no sound can be a nightmare for security guards as they are difficult to spot and tools for carrying out destruction. This was last seen in the attack on the Indian air force station in Jammu on June 27th.
A drone’s ability to fly low makes it difficult for radar to detect. Plus, it makes very little noise when in use, which adds to the camouflage that makes its detection a challenge.
Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane has issued a warning that drones will continue to be used by state and non-state actors. With this in mind, India needs to develop its drone counter capabilities and seek internal and external solutions to address the threat.
India saw a small trailer about the drone war when two bombs were dropped on the high security air force station from Jammu on June 27th.
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WHY ANTI-DRONE TECH IS IMPORTANT
Drone strikes are not new and in the past have been used not only to hit military targets, but also to target civilian infrastructure and high-ranking personalities.
Trained eagles, radio interference technology, and laser beams to crash drones – anti-drone warfare is still evolving as the challenges with cheaper destruction options keep changing.
Drone strikes are a cheap and easy option that India needs to be better prepared for. Experts believe that technological methods of combating them are also evolving as the use of drones increases rapidly.
Group Captain RK Narang, who has done an in-depth study of the challenges posed by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), says there are many innovators in India, but the question remains as to why they haven’t been charged so far.
“This is the time when we need to use existing skills and take responsibility and give responsibility to a unit. If we set priorities, we can achieve the deployment of new technologies in a short period of time, ”said Narang.
Anshuman Tripathi, a drone technology expert who is also a member of the National Security Advisory Board, says, “Drones are still evolving and solutions for handling them are incomplete – you’re moving forward.”
WORLDWIDE DEVELOPED ANTI-DRONE SYSTEMS
ISRAEL’S DRONE DOME
Just like Israel’s Iron Drome, which can detect and neutralize missiles, the Drome Drone is an effective system for taking on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones.
The system developed by the Israeli company Rafael detects, blocks and then shoots down the suspicious drone.
A 360-degree radar system enables precise detection, followed by visual tracking by the built-in camera. The manufacturers describe it as an end-to-end solution for intercepting and destroying enemy drones.
The drones can be brought down by their jammers or the powerful laser beams.
One of the biggest challenges for any anti-drone system is to identify small or miniature drones that are readily available in stores. The Drone Dome System claims to detect targets as small as 0.002m2 at a distance of 3.5km, according to the Rafale website.
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The company claims the system makes sure it doesn’t cause collateral damage because it doesn’t fire the laser beam until it’s 100 percent on the target.
The system has been in operation in Israel since 2019.
SMASH 2000
The SMASH 2000 system is mounted on a rifle and can be used to shoot down drones. The Israeli system detects, tracks, and fights targets in the air with precision.
While the Indian Navy has already opted for the Israeli anti-drone smash rifles, the Jammu attack is a reality check for other armed forces to bring in similar capabilities to protect against drone attacks.
The Israeli and US forces are among those using the system that can track and hunt multiple targets.
The SMASH system developed by the Israeli company Sharpshooter enables every soldier on the ground to be equipped with anti-drone capabilities, as the system can easily be mounted on rifles.
“Our proprietary targeting and tracking algorithms are integrated with sophisticated image processing software in a robust hardware solution and offer a user-friendly and cost-effective solution,” claims the Israeli company on its website.
DRONE HUNTER
The US-made Drone Hunter can intercept suspicious drones with its sophisticated radars.
“DroneHunter captures these dangerous or malicious drones without collateral damage and tows them away,” says Fortem Technologies’ website.
The anti-drone system works in different modes depending on the scenario. In tracking mode, it investigates suspicious drones through its on-board optical cameras.
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It has a warning mode in which it uses flashlights to send a warning alarm to the threatening drone.
In defense and attack modes, it fires a net cannon before capturing the drones and dragging them away with a net shield that it uses to attack.
WHAT OUR FORCES HAVE APPROVED IN THE LAST YEAR
The US military last year compiled a list of anti-drone technologies to address the new challenges posed by UAVs. In January 2020, the Ministry of Defense formed a joint committee for the defense of small unmanned aerial systems in order to identify and develop the future strategy against drone threats.
The seven approved systems were divided into three categories: (1) Fixed and Semi-Fixed Systems, (2) Disassembled and Portable Systems; and (3) mounted mobile systems.
CORIAN, or the Counter Remote Controlled Model Aircraft Integrated Network System, falls into the fixed and semi-fixed category selected for protecting defense installations against drone threats. The US Navy has also opted for this system.
CORIAN is a modular, scalable mission technology system that detects, identifies, tracks, and mitigates threats from unmanned aerial vehicles, a company press release last year after it was selected for the Department of Defense mission.
NINJA (Negation of Improvised Non-State Joint Aerial-Threats) was offered to the US Air Force under the same category.
One of the portable counter drone technologies on the list is the drone buster, which is used by U.S. forces.
“With the Dronebuster, the operator can quickly intercept the drone command link and order the drone to dismount or go home. All the operator has to do is point the Dronebuster at the drone and pull the trigger, ”claims the manufacturer FlexForce.
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The Smart Shooter, which can be used with conventional rifles, is the other approved system in the handheld category for the US armed forces.
The Light Mounted Air Defense Integrated System is in the mounted category. This drone, known as the killer drone, is used by the US Marines.
INDIA’S OPTIONS
The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has developed anti-drone technology to detect, intercept, and shoot down drones that are currently being tested.
“It has both soft-kill and hard-kill capabilities. We interact with all security agencies and try to improve the system. The industry has already taken over the technology transfer. Bharat Electronic Limited is the owner of ToT DRDO chairman G Sateesh Reddy speaking to journalists.
He said the system had been developed and trials were underway. “More contributions are being solicited from the armed forces, and there is a discussion about modifying it further.”
The DRDO used the system at events such as Republic Day last year, but many are in the mood for 24×7 surveillance in more hostile areas, the system needs further testing.
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The system is designed to block drones up to 3 km and can shoot targets with a laser weapon at targets 1-2 km away.
There are other options available from industry that need to be carefully investigated.
The Hyderabad-based company Grene Robotics claims to have developed India’s own drone dome “Indrajaal”, which can protect against drone threats.
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