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New Delhi, Oct 9 (IANS) Nearly five months after Operation Sindoor showcased the strength of the Indian security apparatus, which also included neutralizing nearly 400 drones fired by Pakistan to target Indian defense structures and civilian areas, the Indian Army has now started procuring the indigenously developed ‘Saksh’ counter unmanned aerial system (UAS) grid system.
According to defense officials, the system is designed to “detect, track, identify and neutralize hostile drones and unmanned aerial systems in real time, ensuring the complete security of the airspace now defined as the Tactical Battlefield Space (TBS), an extended domain that includes the air littoral, the airspace from the ground up to 3,000 meters (10,000 ft).”
It is pertinent to note here that the need for a comprehensive counter-UAS framework emerged prominently during Operation Vermillion, where hostile UAS activity highlighted the need for “rapid detection, coordinated response and airspace control beyond traditional ground limitations”.
“The Indian Army has evolved its operational concept from the earlier Tactical Battle Area (TBA) to the more inclusive Tactical Battlespace Space (TBS), recognizing that future wars will be fought not only on the ground but also in the air directly above it,” an official said.
This new approach ensures that the airspace up to 3,000 meters above ground, the air littoral, remains under the control of ground forces, allowing unrestricted movement of friendly air assets while detecting, tracking and neutralizing hostile drones or aircraft.
In particular, in the field of modern warfare, drones have become increasingly involved in modern conflicts for surveillance and strikes, particularly as seen during the Russia–Ukraine War, Israel–Palestine, Israel–Iran conflicts and Operation Vermillion, in which Pakistan fired nearly 400 drones (all of which were neutralized by security forces).
The acronym Situational Awareness for Efficient, Kinetic Soft and Hard Kill Assets Management, envisioned as a high-end, modular command and control system, has been developed in collaboration with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Ghaziabad.
Saksham aims to provide integrated situational awareness for counter-UAS management through an effective CUAS network grid in the tactical battlefield area.
It also aims to “integrate own and enemy UAS data, CUAS sensors and soft/hardkill systems onto a common GIS-based platform”.
Similarly, it will enable automated decision support and real-time visualization for field commanders and offer a modular, scalable and flexible architecture suited to evolving UAS threats.
Its key capabilities include AI-enabled threat analysis for predictive detection and faster decision making.
The system is completely indigenous, embodying the government’s vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ in defense technology.
Designed and developed by BEL, the system incorporates AI-driven fusion technologies for future combat systems, enabling scalability and upgradation as the threat environment evolves.
To ensure early induction, the project has been approved under the Fast Track Procurement (FTP) route, which is targeted to be rolled out in all regional formations within the next year.
–IANS
SAS/DPB