Gun systems L-70, Zu-23, Schilka extremely effective in thwarting Pakistan's drone swarm attacks: Top Army Air Defence officer

Time of India

19-05-2025

Air defence gun systems
played a crucial role in neutralising drone swarm threats from Pakistan, with a top Army official describing their performance as "extremely effective."
Following the success of
Operation Sindoor
, Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D'Cunha, Director General of the Army Air Defence, underlined how India's decision to retain and upgrade its gun-based air defence system proved to be a strategic advantage.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, when asked which weapon system emerged as the hero of the conflict, Lt Gen D'Cunha said, "It is indisputable that the air defence gun system has been extremely effective. We in the army have to thank my predecessors. Unlike other countries, which started moving away from guns into the realm of missiles, the
Indian Army
held on to its guns."
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He added that even the next-generation gun system, set to begin trials in July, reflects the enduring importance of guns in modern air defence. "Even our successor gun, which is to come up for trials in July, we realised over some time that the gun is an irrepressible form of air defence. Whether it's the L-70, the Zu, the Shilka, or even an LMG or MMG in ACAC role, which the infantry has, is going to make a huge difference as far as drone destruction goes."
When asked about the effectiveness of the guns, the officer said that estimating that they brought down 60 per cent of the drones would be a "reasonable assumption."
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"In a span of four days, Pakistan sent -- large, small, and medium-sized drones, anything between maybe 800 to 1000, across the whole western border, and all UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle) drones carrying payloads aimed at civilian targets were intercepted, preventing any civilian casualties," he said.
"The proof of the pudding is that there were no civilian casualties," Lt Gen D'Cunha noted. "But this is something that we've got to be very, very careful of in the coming years ahead because if this is a form of conflict, then our civil population areas are as important, if not more than, anybody else's border," he added.
In response to questions about protecting urban and civilian areas, Lt Gen D'Cunha stressed the need to evolve India's air defence strategy to protect not just military and VVIP zones but also population centres, especially those near the borders.
He cited international models like the US C-RAM system and Israel's Iron Dome, which are specifically designed to protect civilian infrastructure from aerial threats.
"The US has a very interesting system called the C-RAM. It is counter to rockets, artillery and mortars. So, they have a gun that fires at about 4,500 rounds per minute, and are largely in population centers. So they are meant to protect population centers. The Iron Dome is another concept and a form of population center protection," he said.
When asked whether India has now joined the elite club of nations with fully integrated and automated air defence command and control capabilities, Lt Gen D'Cunha was cautious in his assessment and said, "There's tremendous work in progress that is required. While we have been successful in tackling the current challenge, we must not rest on our achievements."
He called for a robust, multi-layered air defence system that can detect, identify, and neutralise enemy drones swiftly. "To truly dominate this domain, we need to expand our detection systems, include more and better types of sensors, and rapidly disseminate information across command networks to ensure interdiction occurs as far forward as possible. So that you can make sure that you bring them down in as many numbers as come. A very minuscule number will be able to cross. If you've got a couple of layers."
While the Akash series of missile systems has proven effective against larger aerial threats like UAVs, helicopters, and aircraft, Lt Gen D'Cunha admitted it still needs refinement to handle smaller drones, which played a key role in the recent conflict. "The Akash-Thir system hasn't yet been fully configured to handle the drone warfare domain. We must evolve our drone management systems accordingly."
He also revealed that Pakistan had used Kamikaze drones in the conflict, but failed to cause damage due to India's preparedness. Pakistan first sent cheap drones in large numbers to low altitudes to saturate the radar system. Still, the Army had anticipated the drone threat and conducted a simulation exercise on April 26-28 to prepare for potential drone attacks.
India's Operation Sindoor showcased its preparedness in modern warfare, particularly in neutralising drones and other advanced technologies. The operation highlighted India's integrated command structures, enabling seamless coordination between different military branches.
Operation Sindoor reflected India's "Shishupala Doctrine," which involves exercising patience until a predefined threshold of provocation is crossed, followed by decisive action.