Form of words:
New Delhi: The Indian Navy on Tuesday sealed a contract with defense PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the supply of the first indigenously developed Naval Anti Drone System (NADS), the Defense Ministry said.
NADS, developed by Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and manufactured by BEL, is the first indigenously developed anti-drone system to be inducted into the Indian Armed Forces.
“The Indian Navy has signed a contract with Public Sector Navratna Defense Undertaking BEL for supply of the first indigenous Comprehensive Naval Anti-Drone System with both hard-kill and soft-kill capabilities,” the ministry said in a statement.
NADS can quickly detect micro drones and uses a laser-based “kill mechanism” to eliminate targets.
Serious concerns over threats from enemy drones first emerged in June when two drones were used by suspected Pakistan-based terrorists to strike an Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Jammu.
Some explosives were dropped at the airbase using unmanned aerial vehicles, triggering alarm among national security planners.
The NADS was first deployed to provide security cover for the Republic Day parade this year and later during the Prime Minister’s Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort. “The system, which provides 360-degree coverage, was also deployed in Ahmedabad for the Modi-Trump roadshow,” the ministry said.
It said that NADS uses the help of radar, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors and radio frequency (RF) detectors to detect and jam micro drones.
“DRDO’s RF/Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) detects the frequency that is being used by the controller and then the signals get jammed,” the ministry said.
“DRDO’s anti-drone technology system provides the Indian Armed Forces with both ‘soft kill’ and ‘hard kill’ options to deal with rapidly emerging aerial threats,” it said.
The ministry said that both the stationary and mobile versions of the NADS will be supplied to the Indian Navy within a short time of signing of the contract.
Read also: IAF plans to procure 10 anti-drone systems from Indian vendors after attack on Jammu airport
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