What Types of Air Defence Systems Are Deployed Across India? All You Need to Know

India is now the main force in the sky, ranking among the top five countries in the world. The IAF has a large fleet of approximately 1,750 aircraft, of which about 900 are fighters ready for combat.

They recently made some big purchases, such as the $7.4 billion deal for 26 Rafale aircraft, which will boost our air power.

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India has a wide range of advanced systems when it comes to protecting its own country. The Three Kingdoms already have the S-400 victory system, which can hit targets up to 400 kilometers.

It also developed its own Akash-ng missile, which can reach a target of 70-80 kilometers. They worked with Israel to create the Barak 8 system, which can defend against threats from medium to long distances.

For the closer threat, they are developing the Vshorad system and plan to acquire 500 launchers and 3,000 missiles. India has also made rapid progress in hypersonic missile technology.

India has successfully tested a missile that travels five times faster than the sound speed (Mach 5) and can exceed 1,500 kilometers.

View | The Top 10 Best Fighter in the World

1. India’s long-range air defense system

The Indian Ballistic Missile Defense Program is a multi-layer initiative aimed at intercepting incoming ballistic missiles at high and low altitudes. It includes two critical interceptor systems:

I. Indian ballistic missile defense program

Source: Clearias

The Indian Ballistic Missile Defense Program is a multi-layer initiative aimed at intercepting incoming ballistic missiles at high and low altitudes. It includes two critical interceptor systems:

i) Prithvi air defense (PAD) missile

source: Direct national defense education

• Type: Atmospheric Interceptor
• Range: 300–2,000 km
• Maximum interception height: 80 km
• Speed: Mach 5
• Guidance: Inertial Navigation with LRTR Update and Terminal Radar Homing
• Radar: LRTR – Tracking 200 targets at 600 km
• Test: The first successful interception in 2006

ii) Advanced Air Defense (AAD) Missile

Source: Defense Position

• Type: Atmospheric Interceptor
• Range: 150–200 km
• Maximum interception height: 30 km
• Speed: Mach 4.5
• Guidance: Inertial navigation with active radar seekers
• Role: Intercept the target of penetration cushion

2. Medium and short-range missile systems (less than 100 kilometers)

India has adopted several surface upward missiles (SAM) systems to intercept aircraft, cruise missiles and drones. These are operated by the Indian Army and the Air Force.

i) Akash air defense system

See more : Know the New 7 Wonders of the World

source: Financial Express

• Range: up to 45 kilometers
• Speed: Mach 3.5
• Guidance: Midway command guide, terminal active radar return to the nest
• Warhead: 60 kg He-Fragmentation
• Platform: T-72, BMP-2, TATA truck
• Deployment: 8 IAF squadrons, 2nd Corps

ii) Spyder (Israel)

source: Global Defense Corporate

• Type: Low-level defense system that reacts quickly
• Missile: Python-5 (20 km), Derby (50 km)
• Radar: EL/M-2106 (SR) or EL/M-2084 (MR)
• Guidance: Infrared (Python-5), Activity Radar (Derby)
• Deployment: 1 squadron service, another 4

iii) 2K12 Kub (Kvadrat)

Source: Tank AFV

• Origin: Soviet Union
• Range: 24 km
• Height: 100 m – 14,000 m
• Guidance: Semi-active radar home
• Speed: Mach 2.8

iv) Barak 8 (LR-SAM/MR-SAM)

Source: Ajai Shukla’s Broadsword

• Range: 0.5-100 km
• Height: up to 16 kilometers
• Speed: Mach 2
• Guidance: Two-way data links, Active/IIR seekers
• Operators: Army, Air Force, Navy
• Famous deployment: Ladakh to China

v) QRSAM (Fast Response SAM)

Source: drishtiias

• Range: 3–30 km
• Height: 30 m – 6 km
• Speed: Mach 4.7
• Guidance: ins + data links, terminal activity radar seekers
• Mobility: Installed on Beml-Tatra 8WD Truck
• Deployment: in Ladakh

3. Legacy and Supplementary Systems

i) S-125 Pechora

Source: Military Observation Magazine

• Origin: Soviet Union
• Range: 30 km
• Speed: Mach 3–3.5
• Deployment: 25 squadrons

ii) 9K33 OSA-AK

Source: Army accreditation

• Range: 15–18 km
• Altitude: up to 12 kilometers
• Missile: Each TELAR 6
• Radar: Integrated and external early radar

iii) S-200 Angara (retired)

Source: Australian Air Force

• Range: 300 km
• Height: Up to 40 km
• Status: May retire in 2015

4. Very short air defense system (Vshorad) system

These are the last lines of defense, often deployed by frontline troops.

i) 9K35 strela-10

Source: Wikipedia

• Range: 5 km
• Height: 3.5 km
• Speed: ~Mach 2
• Guidance: IR/Optical Seekers

ii) 2K22 Tunguska

Source: aberonsystems.net

• Weapon: 30mm double cannon + 8 SAMS
• Missile: 9M311 series
• Speed: 65 km/h
• Radar: Integrated tracking and positioning

iii) ZSU-23-4 Shilka

source: Before белспец

• Gun: 4×23 mm
• Type: Radar-guided SPAAG
• User: Indian Army Limited

iv)ZU-23-2

Source: Army accreditation

• Type: Drag double 23mm Autocannon
• Valid range: ~2.5 km
• Fire rate: 2,000 rpm cycle

v) 40mm gun

Source: Naval History and Heritage

• Diameter: 40 mm
• Range: Maximum 12.5 km
• Use: Indian Army (small amount)

vi) KPV heavy machine gun

Source: Navalpunk Wiki

• Diameter: 14.5 mm
• Use: Air Defense and Anti-Grocery Store

What makes Akash air defense system a game changer in India? Everything you need to know

India is using local systems to modify its air defense capabilities to prevent air threats, especially Pakistan. One of the components of this work is the Akash air defense system.

What is the Akash system?

Source: NDTV

Akash is developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and is manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). It has become the backbone of India’s air defense system.

Akash is a medium-sized ground-oriented air missile system designed to protect important areas from air attacks. It can attack targets within a distance of 45 kilometers and have an altitude of between 4 and 25 kilometers.

• Type: Medium-range ground-oriented air missile (SAM)
• Range: up to 45 kilometers
• High participation: 4–25 km
• Target: Fighter, cruise missile, drone, air downward missile
• Radar: Rajendra 3D staged array can track 64 targets and guide 12 missiles at the same time
• This makes Akash ideal for controversial airspace where multiple threats must be managed immediately.

1. Advanced guidance and variations

Akash uses dual assist system:

• Midway command and guidance
• There are active seekers during the terminal

i) Akash-1s:

• Range: 18–30 km
• Use a mixing guide for improved accuracy
• Successful tests of Banshee drones in 2020 and 2019

ii) Akash-ng:

• Next Generation Version
• Extended range exceeds 70 km
• Better ECCM (electronic anti-environment) for obstructive obstructive

2. Effectively resist Pakistan’s threat

Pakistan’s aerial arsenal includes:

• F-16, JF-17 and Mirage jets
• Türkiye Bayraktar TB2 drone
• China CH-4 and Wing Loong II drones

Akash is perfect for fighting these:

• It uses 60 kg of highly explosive warheads and adjacent fuses to destroy jets of 30–45 km
• Its radar and seekers help it detect and shoot down drones before launching missiles
• In the 2023 drill bit, neutralize 4 drones at 25 km at the same time
• Shows the ability to block swarms or coordinate drone attacks

3. Mobility and integration

• Akash is mobile, suitable for wheeled or track platforms
• Integrate with other systems such as the S-400, Barak-8 and ZEN anti-drone platforms
• Protection Line of Control (LOC) and International Boundary (IB) infrastructure
• Especially useful for use in Pakistan’s drone use in Jamu and Punjab

4. Production and export

• As of 2016, BDL has produced 50-60 missiles per month
• Exports include US$720 million deals with 15 Akash Systems in Armenia
• Replaced imports worth Rs 345 crore in foreign exchange
• Help India maintain high preparations during conflict

5. Why it matters

• Pakistan uses advanced drones such as TB2, CH-4, Wing Loong II and new Shahpar II
• These drones have been proven in conflicts such as Nagorno-Karabakh and Yemen
• However, their slow speed and lack of invisibility make them vulnerable to Akash
• India’s use of systems such as Akash and Rajendra Radar enhances defense against jets and drones

Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Optical Illusion