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India.com
3 days ago
- Business
- India.com
Rs 21700 crore weapon: India to get much stronger as this project..., bad news for Pakistan, China due to...
Rs 21700 crore weapon: India to get much stronger as this project..., bad news for Pakistan, China due to... A leading Indian defence company — Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), known for making Akashteer — is once again making headlines by playing a crucial role in Project Kusha – an initiative to develop a powerful air defence system like the Russian-made S-400. The ambitious project aims to neutralise aerial threats like missiles, suicide drones, and aircraft attacks. Notably, Project Kusha is led by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). As a development partner, BEL is working closely with the DRDO and sharing its insights to the design and production of crucial subsystems like – radars and control systems. BEL Chairman and Managing Director Manoj Jain, during the company's March quarter earnings call, confirmed that BEL is jointly developing several components of Project Kusha. 'We are jointly developing many components of Project Kusha,' he said. Project Kusha: Prototype Phase To Begin Soon As per reports, the prototype phase of Project Kusha is likely to begin in the coming months with BEL is working to build the first working model within 12-18 months. Once developed, the system will undergo severe trials and testing which will take 1-3 years. A decision on the system integrator(s) is yet to be made. BEL expressed confidence in their selection, should the authorities opt for two integrators. Project Kusha is designed to fill the gap between India's MR-SAM (Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile), and Russian-made S-400. MR-SAM has a range of 80 km, whereas S-400 covers up to 400 km. Project Kusha: Three Types Of Interceptor Missiles India plans to deploy a three-tiered missile defence system by 2028-2029. This system will comprise interceptor missiles with ranges of 150km, 250km, and 350km, intended for use by both the Indian Air Force and Navy. Project Kusha: Standout Feature Kusha's major feature includes its ability to intercept high-speed anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) which can travel at speeds of Mach 7, as per a report by Project Kusha: High-Speed Naval Defence Project Kusha's key feature is a naval adaptation of the M2 missile, capable of intercepting anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) travelling at speeds up to Mach 7 (approximately 8,645 km/h). This capability provides crucial protection for naval vessels against high-speed, sea-based missile attacks. Project Kusha: Strengthening India's Air Defence Another key feature of the project includes its ability to work smoothly with existing systems such as IAF's Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) and Russian made S-400 missile system. Project Kusha can achieve an 80 percent single-missile kill rate. It can exceed 90 percent when using multiple missiles simultaneously. Once inducted, the system will enhance India's layered air defences against any aerial threat. Project Kusha: Budget-Backed and Battle-Ready It is worth mentioning that the project was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security in 2022. The budget of the project was Rs 21,700 crore. The budget was sanctioned to build five squadrons for the IAF. Another major feature of the project is its naval version, which is capable of destroying anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs). With this the Indian Navy will have a powerful tool to protect its frontline warships. This new system will enhance the navy's defences by complementing existing systems like Barak-8 and the Naval Ballistic Missile Defence System, creating a more robust overall defence.


India Gazette
19-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Operation Sindoor: India's Armed Forces foiled Pakistan's 1,000-drone aerial assault in unprecedented joint defence, says Lt Gen D'Cunha
New Delhi [India], May 19 (ANI): After the strategic success of the ongoing Operation Sindoor, Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D'Cunha, Director General of the Army Air Defence, said that Pakistan had launched nearly 800 to 1000 drones across the western border over four days, and highlighted their successful neutralisation through coordinated efforts by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. He confirmed that all drones carrying weapons were successfully intercepted, preventing any civilian casualties. In an interview with ANI, he explained how all three services worked together to defend against drone and missile attacks. '..I would say anything between 800 to 1000 across the whole western border in four days. A large number of them were destroyed. One thing for sure is that all the Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles [UCAV] which carried a payload, although they intended to harm our civilian population and they were directed towards population centres, we ensured that they did not cause any damage, and I think the proof of the pudding is actually in what we actually saw, that there were no civilian casualties...' Lt Gen D'Cunha told ANI in an exclusive interview. The top Army officer credited Operation Sindoor for its success and praised the joint coordination between the Army, Navy, and Air Force in countering drone and missile threats from Pakistan. Explaining the division of responsibilities among the services, he said, 'The role for air defence is shared between the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The Air Force is the primary respondent, but each service has its part. The Army is in charge of the airspace and rear areas within the Tactical Battle Area (TBA), while the Air Force protects important places like major cities and refineries. If we have a strong radar system to detect threats like drones and a well-layered defence setup, we can respond effectively. The first layer could be guns with a range of around three kilometres, then missiles at 10 kilometres, and then you have a leaker, which comes through to be very unfortunate.' Lt Gen D'Cunha described India's layered air defence system, saying there are multiple levels of protection. The first includes guns with a two-kilometre range, followed by V-SHORAD missiles with a 3.5 km range, the Akash missile system with an 18 km range, and longer-range systems like MR-SAM and S-400. 'Whether it's a gun, a shoulder-fired missile like V-SHORAD, the indigenous Akash system, or the MR-SAM, each weapon operates at a specific altitude. Guns can engage targets up to 1.8 to 2 km, V-SHORAD up to 3.5 km, Akash up to 18 km, MR-SAM around 14 km, and the S-400 can also go up to 18 km. The altitude of the threat helps determine the most suitable weapon system to use. In an automated system like Akash Teer, which is still being rolled out, this process becomes highly efficient. Akash Teer of the Army and the IACCS of the Air Force work together to ensure proper use of resources and timely weapon allocation,' he said. He added that although the S-400 system is operated by the Air Force's IACCS due to its cost and long range, close coordination now exists between the Army and Air Force through automated systems. When asked about the nature of the drone attacks, Lt Gen D'Cunha said, 'Many flew very low to confuse gunners and saturate our radars. These drones were within the range of our guns and were effectively brought down. As they moved higher, into the next engagement zone up to 2 km, they were targeted again. Our jammers and electronic warfare systems also played a role, using techniques like jamming, cyber spoofing, and even cyber takeover to neutralise the threats.' He also praised the indigenous Akashteer system, which plays a key role in coordinating air defence operations. 'We have rolled out the Akash system, and in fact, the complete translation of the Air Force's IACCS (Integrated Air Command and Control System) picture into the Tactical Battle Area is done through Akash Teer. It's an outstanding system that provides a centralised view of the airspace, clearly identifying enemy targets and passing that information all the way down to the weapon systems on the ground. Akash Teer is fully indigenous and completely integrated.' Akashteer provides a common, real-time air picture to all involved parties (control room, radars and Defence Gun), enabling coordinated air defence operations. It is a system designed to automate detection, tracking and engagement of enemy aircraft, drones and missiles. It integrates various radar systems, sensors and communication technologies into a single operational framework. Akashteer gathers data from multiple sources, processes it and allows for automated, real-time engagement decisions. Akashteer is part of the broader C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) framework, working in coordination with other systems. The system is vehicle-based, which makes it mobile and easier to handle in a hostile environment. (ANI)


India Gazette
19-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Operation Sindoor: India's Armed Forces foil Pakistan's 1,000-drone aerial assault in unprecedented joint defence
New Delhi [India], May 19 (ANI): After the strategic success of the ongoing Operation Sindoor, Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D'Cunha, Director General of the Army Air Defence, said that Pakistan had launched nearly 800 to 1000 drones across the western border over four days, and highlighted their successful neutralisation through coordinated efforts by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. He confirmed that all drones carrying weapons were successfully intercepted, preventing any civilian casualties. In an interview with ANI, he explained how all three services worked together to defend against drone and missile attacks. '..I would say anything between 800 to 1000 across the whole western border in four days. A large number of them were destroyed. One thing for sure is that all the Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles [UCAV] which carried a payload, although they intended to harm our civilian population and they were directed towards population centres, we ensured that they did not cause any damage, and I think the proof of the pudding is actually in what we actually saw, that there were no civilian casualties...' Lt Gen D'Cunha told ANI in an exclusive interview. The top Army officer credited Operation Sindoor for its success and praised the joint coordination between the Army, Navy, and Air Force in countering drone and missile threats from Pakistan. Explaining the division of responsibilities among the services, he said, 'The role for air defence is shared between the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The Air Force is the primary respondent, but each service has its part. The Army is in charge of the airspace and rear areas within the Tactical Battle Area (TBA), while the Air Force protects important places like major cities and refineries. If we have a strong radar system to detect threats like drones and a well-layered defence setup, we can respond effectively. The first layer could be guns with a range of around three kilometres, then missiles at 10 kilometres, and then you have a leaker, which comes through to be very unfortunate.' Lt Gen D'Cunha described India's layered air defence system, saying there are multiple levels of protection. The first includes guns with a two-kilometre range, followed by V-SHORAD missiles with a 3.5 km range, the Akash missile system with an 18 km range, and longer-range systems like MR-SAM and S-400. 'Whether it's a gun, a shoulder-fired missile like V-SHORAD, the indigenous Akash system, or the MR-SAM, each weapon operates at a specific altitude. Guns can engage targets up to 1.8 to 2 km, V-SHORAD up to 3.5 km, Akash up to 18 km, MR-SAM around 14 km, and the S-400 can also go up to 18 km. The altitude of the threat helps determine the most suitable weapon system to use. In an automated system like Akash Teer, which is still being rolled out, this process becomes highly efficient. Akash Teer of the Army and the IACCS of the Air Force work together to ensure proper use of resources and timely weapon allocation,' he said. He added that although the S-400 system is operated by the Air Force's IACCS due to its cost and long range, close coordination now exists between the Army and Air Force through automated systems. When asked about the nature of the drone attacks, Lt Gen D'Cunha said, 'Many flew very low to confuse gunners and saturate our radars. These drones were within the range of our guns and were effectively brought down. As they moved higher, into the next engagement zone up to 2 km, they were targeted again. Our jammers and electronic warfare systems also played a role, using techniques like jamming, cyber spoofing, and even cyber takeover to neutralise the threats.' He also praised the indigenous Akashteer system, which plays a key role in coordinating air defence operations. 'We have rolled out the Akash system, and in fact, the complete translation of the Air Force's IACCS (Integrated Air Command and Control System) picture into the Tactical Battle Area is done through Akash Teer. It's an outstanding system that provides a centralised view of the airspace, clearly identifying enemy targets and passing that information all the way down to the weapon systems on the ground. Akash Teer is fully indigenous and completely integrated.' Akashteer provides a common, real-time air picture to all involved parties (control room, radars and Defence Gun), enabling coordinated air defence operations. It is a system designed to automate detection, tracking and engagement of enemy aircraft, drones and missiles. It integrates various radar systems, sensors and communication technologies into a single operational framework. Akashteer gathers data from multiple sources, processes it and allows for automated, real-time engagement decisions. Akashteer is part of the broader C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) framework, working in coordination with other systems. The system is vehicle-based, which makes it mobile and easier to handle in a hostile environment. (ANI)


India.com
19-05-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Operation Sindoor: Pakistan Launched 1,000 Drones Against India; Majority Of Them Neutralised By Army
New Delhi: After the strategic success of the ongoing Operation Sindoor, Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D'Cunha, Director General of the Army Air Defence, said that Pakistan had launched nearly 800 to 1000 drones across the western border over four days, and highlighted their successful neutralisation through coordinated efforts by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. He confirmed that all drones carrying weapons were successfully intercepted, preventing any civilian casualties. In an interview with ANI, he explained how all three services worked together to defend against drone and missile attacks. "..I would say anything between 800 to 1000 across the whole western border in four days. A large number of them were destroyed. One thing for sure is that all the Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles [UCAV] which carried a payload, although they intended to harm our civilian population and they were directed towards population centres, we ensured that they did not cause any damage, and I think the proof of the pudding is actually in what we actually saw, that there were no civilian casualties..." Lt Gen D'Cunha told ANI in an exclusive interview. The top Army officer credited Operation Sindoor for its success and praised the joint coordination between the Army, Navy, and Air Force in countering drone and missile threats from Pakistan. Explaining the division of responsibilities among the services, he said, "The role for air defence is shared between the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The Air Force is the primary respondent, but each service has its part. The Army is in charge of the airspace and rear areas within the Tactical Battle Area (TBA), while the Air Force protects important places like major cities and refineries. If we have a strong radar system to detect threats like drones and a well-layered defence setup, we can respond effectively. The first layer could be guns with a range of around three kilometres, then missiles at 10 kilometres, and then you have a leaker, which comes through to be very unfortunate." Lt Gen D'Cunha described India's layered air defence system, saying there are multiple levels of protection. The first includes guns with a two-kilometre range, followed by V-SHORAD missiles with a 3.5 km range, the Akash missile system with an 18 km range, and longer-range systems like MR-SAM and S-400. "Whether it's a gun, a shoulder-fired missile like V-SHORAD, the indigenous Akash system, or the MR-SAM, each weapon operates at a specific altitude. Guns can engage targets up to 1.8 to 2 km, V-SHORAD up to 3.5 km, Akash up to 18 km, MR-SAM around 14 km, and the S-400 can also go up to 18 km. The altitude of the threat helps determine the most suitable weapon system to use. In an automated system like Akash Teer, which is still being rolled out, this process becomes highly efficient. Akash Teer of the Army and the IACCS of the Air Force work together to ensure proper use of resources and timely weapon allocation," he said. He added that although the S-400 system is operated by the Air Force's IACCS due to its cost and long range, close coordination now exists between the Army and Air Force through automated systems. When asked about the nature of the drone attacks, Lt Gen D'Cunha said, "Many flew very low to confuse gunners and saturate our radars. These drones were within the range of our guns and were effectively brought down. As they moved higher, into the next engagement zone up to 2 km, they were targeted again. Our jammers and electronic warfare systems also played a role, using techniques like jamming, cyber spoofing, and even cyber takeover to neutralise the threats." He also praised the indigenous Akashteer system, which plays a key role in coordinating air defence operations. "We have rolled out the Akash system, and in fact, the complete translation of the Air Force's IACCS (Integrated Air Command and Control System) picture into the Tactical Battle Area is done through Akash Teer. It's an outstanding system that provides a centralised view of the airspace, clearly identifying enemy targets and passing that information all the way down to the weapon systems on the ground. Akash Teer is fully indigenous and completely integrated." Akashteer provides a common, real-time air picture to all involved parties (control room, radars and Defence Gun), enabling coordinated air defence operations. It is a system designed to automate detection, tracking and engagement of enemy aircraft, drones and missiles. It integrates various radar systems, sensors and communication technologies into a single operational framework. Akashteer gathers data from multiple sources, processes it and allows for automated, real-time engagement decisions. Akashteer is part of the broader C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) framework, working in coordination with other systems. The system is vehicle-based, which makes it mobile and easier to handle in a hostile environment.


The Print
02-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Pahalgam attack: Indian Navy intensifies operations in Arabian Sea, conducts exercise in EEZ
The Indian Coast Guard has also deployed vessels in forward areas near the international maritime boundary off the Gujarat coast, working in close coordination with the Navy to enhance surveillance. According to defence sources, warships are on high alert, with multiple anti-ship and anti-aircraft firings executed recently to demonstrate combat readiness and deter potential threats in the region. New Delhi: The Indian Navy has intensified its operations in the Arabian Sea, conducting extensive exercises within India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to bolster maritime security amid heightened regional tensions following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Earlier on Sunday, the Indian Navy warships carried out multiple successful anti-ship missile firings, as per a statement by the Indian Navy. Taking to the social media platform X, the spokesperson of the Indian Navy stated that the firings were done to revalidate and showcase the operational readiness of platforms, systems, and crew for long-range precision offensive strikes. The exercise was aimed at demonstrating the Navy's combat readiness and its capability to safeguard India's maritime interests. The warships were deployed in the Arabian Sea. 'Indian Navy Ships undertook successful multiple anti-ship firings to revalidate and demonstrate readiness of platforms, systems and crew for long-range precision offensive strike. Indian Navy stands Combat Ready, Credible and Future Ready in safeguarding the nation's maritime interests Anytime Anywhere Anyhow,' the post stated. This came in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, where 26 people were killed, following which tensions between India and Pakistan had escalated. Earlier, the Indian Navy's warship INS Surat carried out a successful test firing of the Medium range surface-to-air missile (MR-SAM) air defence missile system in the Arabian Sea. The test has taken place before the scheduled surface-to-surface missile testing by the Pakistan Navy in the Arabian Sea. The MR-SAM is highly effective against surface-to-surface missiles and other aerial targets. 'Indian Navy's latest indigenous guided missile destroyer INS Surat successfully carried out a precision cooperative engagement of a sea skimming target, marking another milestone in strengthening our defence capabilities,' the Indian Navy wrote on X. Also Read: 'All options are on the table' as India deliberates on response to Pahalgam attack