This Bengaluru-Made 'Suicide Drone' Wreaked Havoc In Pakistan As India Launched Operation Sindoor
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The suicide drones were part of India's retaliatory action on terror camps.
As India avenged the April 22 Pahalgam attack, the Indian Army deployed indigenously-built 'suicide drones' to launch precision strikes on terror bases deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Officially referred to as Low-Cost Miniature Swarm Drone or Loitering Munition System (LMS), the Skystriker suicide drones are designed to locate, acquire and strike operator-designated targets with a warhead installed in the fuselage.
The suicide drones were part of India's retaliatory action on terror camps. According to The Times Of India, an unspecified number of these suicide drones were manufactured in an industrial estate in western Bengaluru as part of a joint venture involving Bengaluru-headquartered Alpha Design and Israel's Elbit Security Systems.
The Army reportedly had placed an emergency procurement order in 2021 for 100-odd SkyStrikers.
With a range of 100 km, each suicide drone is an autonomous system carrying a 5 kg or 10 kg warhead. Its electric propulsion offers a minimal acoustic signature, allowing covert operations at low altitude.
The SkyStriker is considered as a cost-effective loitering munition, capable of long-range precision. The drone improves performance, situational awareness and survivability by providing direct-fire aerial-precision capabilities to manoeuvrable troops and special forces.
It is believed that the Skystriker flies like a UAS (unmanned aircraft system) and strikes like a missile.
First Published:
May 08, 2025, 08:19 IST
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