BHUBANESWAR: In a strategic leap for India's defence capabilities, the indigenously developed low-cost counter-drone system Bhargavastra was successfully test-fired in hard kill mode off the Gopalpur coast in Odisha on Tuesday, effectively neutralising multiple targets with precision.
Sources said a series of trials were conducted at the seaward firing range on Tuesday validating the system's battle readiness. The tests came days after a major military standoff between two nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan.
The system, designed to swiftly respond to large-scale drone threats, demonstrated high accuracy in all trials.
Developed by Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL), the Bhargavastra system uses micro rockets to eliminate drone targets.
According to SDAL, three trials were conducted in the presence of senior Indian Army officials, two involving single rocket launches and one featuring a salvo of two rockets fired within two seconds. All four rockets met the required launch parameters, validating the system’s effectiveness.
"The Bhargavastra system uses a combination of unguided micro rockets and guided micro missiles to neutralise drone threats with high precision and lethality. It can detect and track small drones from over 6 kms away and engage them at distances of up to 2.5 kms. The performance of the rockets used in this counter-drone system was excellent. It is a strategic leap in counter-drone warfare," SDAL sources said.
The new counter-drone system's first layer of defence comprises unguided micro rockets with a lethal radius of 20 metres, designed to tackle drone swarms.
The second layer features guided micro missiles, already tested successfully, that offer pinpoint accuracy for targeted neutralisation. It has been developed in such a way that upto 64 micro missiles can be launched at once, targeting several drones at the same time.
The system comes with a sophisticated command and control centre equipped with command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) technology that ensures seamless coordination.
When required, electro-optical, infrared and radio frequency receivers can be configured as per operational requirements for a layered and tiered air defence setup.
"Its modular architecture allows for the integration of additional soft-kill measures such as jamming and spoofing, providing a comprehensive shield against unmanned aerial vehicles. The successful field trials in the presence of senior army officials paved the way for its deployment in the armed forces," the sources added.