In a significant leap towards military self-reliance, the Indian Army has inducted its first indigenous man-portable suicide drone, Nagastra-1. Developed under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, this loitering munition highlights India’s growing capabilities in drone warfare and advanced defense technologies.
What is Nagastra?
Nagastra is an indigenous loitering munition (suicide drone) designed to carry out precision strikes without risking soldier lives. The Indian Army has recently received the first batch of 120 Nagastra-1 drones out of a total order of 480, making it the first armed force in the country to field such a system.
Nagastra: Development and Procurement
- It is developed by Economics Explosives Ltd (EEL), a subsidiary of Solar Industries Nagpur, in collaboration with Bangalore’s Z-Motion
- The company in April 2023 bagged an order to supply unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Nagastra to the Indian Army, beating competitors from Israel and Poland.
- ‘Nagastra-1’ is capable of carrying out precision strikes on enemy camps without endangering the lives of soldiers.
- The drones, ordered by the Army using its emergency procurement powers, will be used to meet urgent requirements along the China and Pakistan borders
Key Features of Nagastra-1
- Functionality:Nagastra-1 is a UAV-based system that functions as an aerial ambush. It can hover above the target area and is capable of aborting an attack if necessary, allowing for safe retrieval.
- In Kamikaze Mode, Nagastra-1 can neutralize hostile threats with GPS-enabled precision strikes, achieving an accuracy of 2 meters. It destroys both the target and itself.
- Stealth Capability:The UAV can fly at an altitude of over 4,500 meters, making it undetectable by radar. It can loiter in the air and strike when the target arrives, for example, a caravan carrying a militant leader.
- Endurance and Range: The fixed-wing electric UAV has an endurance of 60 minutes. It has a man-in-loop range of 15 km and an autonomous mode range of 30 km.
- Warhead: Capable of carrying a 1-kilogram warhead. It utilizes a pre-fragmented high explosive for effective targeting.
- Surveillance:Equipped with day-night surveillance cameras, Nagastra-1 has a warhead capable of defeating soft-skin targets.
- Advanced Features: The loiter munition can abort missions, recover, and be reused. It can make a soft landing using a parachute if the target is not detected or the mission is aborted.
- Its electric motor system is made to make little noise, so it can stay hidden at great heights without being seen.
- Highly Portable System: The system is very portable, weighing a total of 30 kilograms split between two backpacks.
- Easy to Carry: This lightweight, fixed-wing electric drone, which can be carried by a single person, weighs 9 kg and can fly for 30 minutes
Why Nagastra is a Game Changer
- Strategic Advantage: Ideal for targeting terrorist camps, launch pads, and infiltrators along volatile borders.
- Global Benchmark: Similar systems were effectively used in the Russia-Ukraine and Armenia-Azerbaijan conflicts.
- Tactical Flexibility: Can loiter for extended periods and strike only when the target is identified.
Indigenous Power: Make in India Success Story
- 75% Indigenous Components: Includes Ground Control Station, Communications Unit, Payload, and Pneumatic Launcher.
- Cost-Efficient: Reduces dependency on expensive foreign technologies.
- Innovative Recovery: Unique parachute recovery system allows mission abortion and reusability – a global rarity.
What is a Loitering Munition?
- A loitering munition (also known as a suicide drone, kamikaze drone, or exploding drone) is a kind of aerial weapon with a built-in munition (warhead), which can loiter (wait passively) around the target area until a target is located; it then attacks the target by crashing into it.
- Loitering munitions enable faster reaction times against hidden targets that emerge for short periods without placing high-value platforms near the target area, and also allow more selective targeting as the attack can be changed midflight or aborted.
- Loitering weapons first emerged in the 1980s for use in the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) role against surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), and were deployed in that role with a number of military forces in the 1990s.
- Over the last decade, loitering munitions have become assets for future battlefields. Their adaptable nature permits transport by land or special forces, enabling installation on vehicles and integration with onboard systems.
Significance of Nagastra for India’s Defense
- Reinforces India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative in defense.
- Showcases technological prowess in drone warfare.
- Strengthens border security with advanced unmanned strike capability.
- Acts as a force multiplier in modern asymmetric warfare scenarios.
Conclusion
With the acquisition of Nagastra-1, India enters an elite league of nations with indigenous loitering munitions. This marks a turning point in India’s defense manufacturing sector and showcases its ability to innovate in high-stakes battlefield technologies.
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