Defence Technology

Context: Indian Army is all set to begin receiving another set of Russian Igla-S very short-range air defence systems (VSHORAD), filling a critical void in its air defence requirement.

About Igla-S system: 

• In 2023, the Army contracted 48 Igla-S launchers, 100 missiles, 48 night sights, and one missile testing station under a ₹260 crore contract and deliveries are set to begin by end of this May, 2024. 
• In April 2024, India received the first batch of 24 Igla-S launchers. 

• Igla-S is a man-portable air defence system (MANPADS) developed by Russia.
  • It is being assembled by Adani Defence Systems And Technologies Limited (ADSTL) in India under technology transfer from Rosoboronexport (Russia).
• The hand-held defence system can be operated by an individual or crew.
• The anti-aircraft missile launcher can bring down low-flying aircrafts, helicopters and can also identify and neutralise air targets such as cruise missiles and drones to provide a comprehensive air defence solution.
• Range:
  • Interception Range: upto 6 kms
  • Limiting altitude of effective target destruction: 3.5 km
• Igla-S has a 2.5 kg high-explosive fragmentation (HE-FRAG) warhead, contact and timed fuzes, and infrared homing guidance. 
• It has the fire and forget guidance system i.e., the operator is not required to guide the missile to its target. They are fitted with infrared seeker that identify and target the airborne vehicle through heat radiation being emitted by the latter.

Significance:

• The Igla-S system would enhance the Indian Army’s Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) capabilities.
• The Igla-S acquisition addresses the Indian Army's need to replace the outdated Igla-1M systems, replacing the obsolescence of existing air defence systems.

Context: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) tested a next-generation Supersonic Missile-Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) system aimed at boosting the Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

About Supersonic Missile-Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) system: 

• It is a missile-based system designed to significantly extend the range of lightweight torpedoes that can target submarines hundreds of kilometres away far beyond the conventional range of lightweight torpedoes (around 20-40 km). 
• It will be particularly employed in the absence of other assets for immediate action when an enemy submarine is detected.
• The canister-based missile system comprises several advanced subsystems including two-stage solid propulsion, precision inertial navigation, and a precision inertial navigation system, among others.
• It carries an advanced lightweight torpedo missile as a payload along with a parachute-based release mechanism.
• The system has been designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability far beyond the conventional range of the torpedo.

Context: The counter-drone system developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is ready for production and was already demonstrated to armed services and other internal security agencies with some orders already placed. 

Counter-drone Technology: 

• DRDO has developed a comprehensive integrated anti-drone system which comprises detection, identification, and neutralization of a drone.
• Transfer of Technology (ToT) for the above technologies has been handed over to private industries, including BEL, Adani, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Icom.
• The technology is capable of countering attacks, soft kill, and hard kill of all types of drones, including micro drones, which is being developed in the DRDO.

Technologies under development: 

• DRDO is now focusing on high endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) while the capability for smaller drones exists with the industry.
• Tapas Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV developed for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) application is in the advanced stage of developmental trials.
  • Tactical Aerial Platform for Advanced Surveillance(TAPAS) is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
  • Indigenously-developed by: Bengaluru-based Aeronautical Development Establishment.
  • It is a multi-mission UAV to carry out the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance roles for the three armed forces with an endurance of 24 to 30 hours.
  • It uses a Lithium Ion-based battery with indigenous battery management system developed by the DRDO. 
• Short range armed UAV Archer is being developed for reconnaissance, surveillance and low intensity conflict and developmental flight trials are under progress. 

Need of Anti Drone Technology:

• Drone strikes have emerged as major threats to military installations and must be detected early enough to protect assets and troops.
  • In the last three years, drone sightings across the international border have increased considerably. Of the nearly 500 sightings, over 300 were in 2022 itself, an exponential increase from previous years. 
  • About 75 percent were in the Punjab sector, 15 percent were in Jammu, and 10 percent were in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
• An unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) can carry ordnance such as rockets, missiles, and bombs. Until recently, most drones were usually under real-time human control. However, Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology now supports more significant flight and decision-making autonomy levels.
• Drones are cheap and available commercially off-the-shelf and have replaced human smugglers and even terrorists in some cases. The technology is being used to smuggle illegal arms, ammunition, drugs, currency, propaganda pamphlets, and other items to their supporters and operatives.

Flying bases and areas up to three kilometers of radius have been classified as a ‘no drone zone.’ With enhanced surveillance through handheld static and vehicle-mounted anti-drone systems, border security forces are working towards thwarting the attempts made for drone strikes as well as smuggling. 

Context: Russia has test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile “Bulava” capable of carrying nuclear warheads from one of its submarines. The 12-metre-long missile has a range of over 8,000 kilometres.

The launch comes just days after the Russian withdrew its ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in a move Russia argued was needed to bring its position in line with the United States. 

Ballistic Missiles

• Ballistic missiles are long range rocket-propelled munitions/weapon systems that follow a parabolic trajectory to deliver a payload from its launch site to a predetermined fixed target. 

Types of Ballistic Missiles:

• Short-range ballistic missile (SRBM): Range from 300 to 1,000 kilometres.
• Medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM): Range from 1,000 to 3,500 kilometres.
• Intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) or long-range ballistic missile (LRBM): Range from 3,500 to 5,500 kilometres.
• Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM): Range greater than 5,500 kilometres. E.g., Agni-V 

• Ballistic missiles follow a specific ballistic parabolic trajectory whose path is determined primarily by gravity and the missile's initial velocity. However, they are not actively guided like cruise missiles throughout their entire flight.
• Ballistic missiles travel at extremely high speeds (upto 24 Mach) during their terminal phase, making it challenging for defensive systems to track and intercept them in real-time. The rapid speed reduces the time available for a defence system to respond effectively.
• Ballistic missiles are rocket-powered, their rocket engines use a combination of fuel and oxidizer to generate thrust. This allows the missile to continue operating in the vacuum of space.
  • Two primary components of the rocket propulsion system are the fuel and the oxidizer.
  • The fuel is typically a chemical substance that can burn and release energy, while the oxidizer is another chemical component that provides the necessary oxygen for combustion of fuel.
• Ballistic missiles can carry conventional high explosives as well as chemical, biological, or nuclear munitions.

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

• Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) bans all nuclear explosions, whether for military or peaceful purposes. 
• Objective: To end nuclear testing and promote nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. By prohibiting all nuclear explosions, it aims to prevent the development of new nuclear weapons and promote global security.
• Negotiation and Adoption: The treaty was subsequently opened for signature on September 24, 1996, and it has been signed by 187 countries and ratified by 178 countries as of October 2023.
• Entry into Force: CTBT has not entered into force as of November 2023. CTBT requires that all 44 “nuclear capable” states (also known as “Annex II” states) ratify the treaty before it may enter into force. Eight Annex II states have yet to ratify the CTBT.
  • Countries that have signed but not ratified CTBT: United States, China, Egypt, Iran, and Israel. 
  • Those that have neither signed nor ratified: India, Pakistan and North Korea.
• Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization was established to oversee the implementation and verification of the CTBT. It is headquartered in Vienna, Austria, and is responsible for managing the International Monitoring System (IMS) and the International Data Centre (IDC) to detect and analyse nuclear test events.