The IAF plans to acquire 10 anti-drone systems (CUAS) in the wake of the country’s first terrorist drone strike at Jammu Air Station on June 27.
The force floated a Request for Information (RFI) to invite bids last week.
According to the media reports, the current air defense systems of the Indian Air Force, with advanced radars and missile systems, are geared towards thwarting aerial interference by drones, aircraft and helicopters.
“CUAS aims to detect, track, identify, designate, and neutralize hostile UAS. Laser-guided energy weapons (Laser-DEWs) are primarily required as a kill option,” RFI said.
The IAF is keen to start delivery of the CUAS as soon as possible after the contract is signed and completed within a year.
The CUAS should provide a “multi-sensor, multi-kill solution” to effectively enforce no-fly zones for micro and mini drones while causing “minimum collateral damage” to the environment.
Active phased array radars with 360-degree coverage and a 5-kilometer range, RF (radio frequency) sensors, electro-optical, and infrared systems should all be included in the sensors.
Global navigation satellite jamming systems (GNSS) should be utilised in the “soft kill” settings to disrupt or spoof the GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, and Galileo used by drones. The Laser-DEWs will then be used to complete the “hard kill.”
“All the ten CUAS are required in mobile configuration mounted on indigenous vehicles with cross-country capability and powered by indigenous electrical power supply systems,” said the RFI.
