The Author is Former Director General of Information Systems and A Special Forces Veteran, Indian Army

DRDO & Indian Navy Conduct Successful Trial of BMD Interceptor from Naval Platform

The continued warmongering by the US-led NATO and China's aggressive stance has resulted in rapid advances in weapon systems. The US is constantly violating Russian redlines in Ukraine, with Russia dangling Zircon missiles atop US aircraft carriers in response. Ballistic missiles are playing a major role in the war zones of today. Traditionally used for land-based targets, these missiles have been repurposed as anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) in recent years to effectively breach enemy air defences and damage warships using kinetic energy.

Recognising their potential to counter advanced naval capabilities, China was the first to develop ASBMs. China has developed many types of ASBMs, like the short-range CM-401, medium-range DF-21D, and YJ-21; with varying ranges and payload capacities, tailored to target different types of naval vessels. The DF-21D has been termed "carrier killer" due to its ability to strike aircraft carriers at long distances. The United States is also developing the anti-ship version of its short-range Precision Strike Missile (PrSM). ASBMs' speed, accuracy, and destructive potential make them a significant threat to navies worldwide, necessitating robust countermeasures.

The Indian Navy and DRDO successfully tested the Naval Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) System in 2023, capable of intercepting nuclear missiles in space and within the atmosphere.

The Indian Navy has been working on defence against the ballistic missile threat. In 2023, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in conjunction with the Indian Navy successfully tested the Naval Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) System that is capable of intercepting nuclear missiles in space and within the Earth's atmosphere, offering a robust sea-based defence. This demonstrated India's capability to protect its naval assets from long-range missile threats, enhancing the overall security of India's maritime operations.

According to news reports of August 20, 2024, the DRDO is presently developing a new long-range surface-to-air missile for the Indian Navy, which will have a range exceeding 250 km. This weapon system will also be capable of intercepting ASBMs travelling at speeds up to Mach 7; thus providing a formidable shield for warships against a wide range of aerial threats.

The above missile is likely the naval version of a missile from the Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LRSAM) system being developed under Project 'Kusha', which involves development of three long-range air defence missiles with ranges of 150 km, 250-300 km, and 400 km, drawing parallels to the Russian S-400 system. The development of this naval variant is especially crucial given the increasing threat posed by ASBMs.

DRDO is developing a new long-range surface-to-air missile for the Indian Navy, capable of intercepting ASBMs traveling at speeds up to Mach 7, offering a formidable shield for warships.

The naval BMD system is specifically designed to counter nuclear-tipped missiles and ASBMs, but the naval long-range surface-to-air missile will have dual capability similar to the American SM-6. The SM-6 is a ship-borne missile that can defeat a range of targets from supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles to threats from surface ships; its seeker and terminal guidance electronics derived from technology developed in the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile Programme.

The new missile being developed by the DRDO for the Indian Navy is capable of intercepting aircraft at long distances and intercepting ballistic missiles in their terminal phases. This will act as a lower-tier defence against ballistic missiles, providing a comprehensive multi-layered defence system. The DRDO is simultaneously working on a ballistic missile defence shield to protect India from long-range nuclear-tipped missiles The LRSAM system will significantly enhance India's defences against tactical and short-range ballistic missiles, particularly during their terminal phase.

Concurrently, media reports of August 20, 2024 have stated that 'Rekise Marine Private Limited' has won the Indian Navy's iDEX Aditi 1.0 Challenge with its Jalkapi AUV. This will give a significant contract to Rekise Marine Private Limited for developing and providing these AUVs to the Indian Navy in conjunction with the Indian Navy's Directorate of Naval Design (DND – SDG).

The Jalkapi AUV is designed to undertake extended underwater survey missions. This Jalkapi AUV is about 10 metres in length and two metres in diameter. It is equipped with a multiple sensor suite, including EOIR cameras, multi-beam echo sounders and sonar system. With advanced navigation and obstacle avoidance system to ensure safe and efficient operations, The Jalkapi AUV can operate for up to 45 days without resupply. The AUV is designed to operate at a depth of 300 metres and has an onboard diesel generator, which recharges its batteries at sea.

Rekise Marine Private Limited won the Indian Navy's iDEX Aditi 1.0 Challenge for its Jalkapi AUV, significantly boosting the Navy's underwater capabilities.

Acquisition of the Jalkapi AUVs will be a boost to the Indian Navy's underwater capabilities. This development also indicates India's growing potential in indigenous development of underwater technology and its potential to contribute to India's maritime dominance.

At the same time, while we are developing systems to defend enemy missiles travelling at Mach 7 speed, it is very important to keep track of global developments, especially related to China. According to news reports of August 13, 2024, China has claimed that its hypersonic weapons technology is about to undergo a groundbreaking upgrade, driven by a new project focused on enhancing hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs); at Mach 15, China's Hypersonic its gliders can 'Power-Jump' across the globe, dramatically boosting their range. This would be a cause of concern even to the US.