NEW DELHI: With Ukrainian drones destroying thousands of Russian tanks in the ongoing war, the Indian Army now wants new advanced counter-drone systems with both “soft and hard kill options” to be integrated on their Russian-origin T-90S and T-72 main-battle tanks.
In just the last one year, Russia is estimated to have lost around 3,000 tanks and 9,000 armoured vehicles to drones, artillery and anti-tank guided missiles fielded by Ukraine, some its own and others provided by western countries.
Ukraine, of course, has also suffered huge military losses in the debilitating war underway since Feb 2022, which has led a few experts to even sound the death knell for the lumbering tanks in modern-day warfare.
The over 11.5-lakh strong Indian Army is obviously worried about its fleets of the old 2,400 T-72 `Ajeya’ tanks and the relatively newer T-90S `Bhishma’ tanks (around 1,300 inducted of 1,657 being produced by the Heavy Vehicles Factory under licence from Russia), which are primarily meant for swift multiple thrusts into Pakistan during a conflict.
Consequently, the force is looking for “platform-based” counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS), which can detect and neutralize FPV (first-person view) drones, swarm drones, loitering UAVs and kamikaze drones.
Towards this end, a RFI (request for information) was recently issued for the preliminary acquisition of 75 C-UAS, with active and passive detection measures, and soft kill options like the capability to jam satellite-based navigational systems and RF (radio frequency) communication links of the hostile drones.
For the hard kill, the C-UAS should provide requisite inputs to the anti-aircraft machine guns already mounted on T-90S and T-72 tanks. “The modular C-UAS will have to be integrated with the tanks without affecting their mobility. The sealing of tanks for deep fording and NBC (nuclear, chemical, biological) warfare protection should also not be affected,” an officer said.
The design of tanks is based on the “equilateral triangle” of lethality, mobility and survivability, which leaves little scope for adding more armour protection. “Therefore, the need for integration of light-weight C-UAS,” he added.
On the China front, the Army had managed to deploy some of the heavy T-90S and T-72 tanks (40 to 50 tonne each) in eastern Ladakh after the confrontation erupted in April 2020. The plan now is to induct 354 indigenous light tanks (25-tonne each) for high-altitude warfare under Project Zorawar for around Rs 17,500 crore.
“The light tanks will come with integral counter-drone systems. All our future tank projects are being planned with enhanced survivability, especially against aerial threats, as well as connectivity. Requisite anti-drone safeguards will ensure both individual tank protection as well as area protection for force survivability,” another officer said.
In just the last one year, Russia is estimated to have lost around 3,000 tanks and 9,000 armoured vehicles to drones, artillery and anti-tank guided missiles fielded by Ukraine, some its own and others provided by western countries.
Ukraine, of course, has also suffered huge military losses in the debilitating war underway since Feb 2022, which has led a few experts to even sound the death knell for the lumbering tanks in modern-day warfare.
The over 11.5-lakh strong Indian Army is obviously worried about its fleets of the old 2,400 T-72 `Ajeya’ tanks and the relatively newer T-90S `Bhishma’ tanks (around 1,300 inducted of 1,657 being produced by the Heavy Vehicles Factory under licence from Russia), which are primarily meant for swift multiple thrusts into Pakistan during a conflict.
Consequently, the force is looking for “platform-based” counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS), which can detect and neutralize FPV (first-person view) drones, swarm drones, loitering UAVs and kamikaze drones.
Towards this end, a RFI (request for information) was recently issued for the preliminary acquisition of 75 C-UAS, with active and passive detection measures, and soft kill options like the capability to jam satellite-based navigational systems and RF (radio frequency) communication links of the hostile drones.
For the hard kill, the C-UAS should provide requisite inputs to the anti-aircraft machine guns already mounted on T-90S and T-72 tanks. “The modular C-UAS will have to be integrated with the tanks without affecting their mobility. The sealing of tanks for deep fording and NBC (nuclear, chemical, biological) warfare protection should also not be affected,” an officer said.
The design of tanks is based on the “equilateral triangle” of lethality, mobility and survivability, which leaves little scope for adding more armour protection. “Therefore, the need for integration of light-weight C-UAS,” he added.
On the China front, the Army had managed to deploy some of the heavy T-90S and T-72 tanks (40 to 50 tonne each) in eastern Ladakh after the confrontation erupted in April 2020. The plan now is to induct 354 indigenous light tanks (25-tonne each) for high-altitude warfare under Project Zorawar for around Rs 17,500 crore.
“The light tanks will come with integral counter-drone systems. All our future tank projects are being planned with enhanced survivability, especially against aerial threats, as well as connectivity. Requisite anti-drone safeguards will ensure both individual tank protection as well as area protection for force survivability,” another officer said.
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