Aero India 2023 | Threat from the Sky

Atul Chandra

The Indian armed forces today need to cater to a wide range of operational scenarios which are not only unpredictable and increasingly challenging but cluttered with asymmetrical threats. This has made the creation of an effective air defence network even more challenging than ever before. Missile-based air defence systems must not only cater to the emergence of hypersonic weapons, but they also must meet the increasing challenge from stealthier aircraft and uncrewed platforms. The proliferation of a wide range of drones continues to pose a challenge for short range air defence systems.

Akash SAM System

Air defence networks are often hard to upgrade because of their enormous procurement cost and the vast infrastructure created to base and support these systems, in addition to training the highly specialised personnel required to operate an air defence system at peak efficiency. For the Indian armed forces, the modernisation of their air defence systems has proved particularly challenging as the cost of replacing their Soviet era systems has proved a budget buster. However, the success of indigenously developed air defence systems such as the Akash coupled with well performing homegrown radar systems have allowed the armed forces to substantially modernise their respective air defence networks.

Over the Horizon

India has invested heavily in long-range air defence and ballistic missile defence, which are both served by the potent Russian S-400 Triumpf long-range surface to air missile (SAM) system. The October 2018 contract worth 5.4 billion USD for the supply of S-400 Triumpf (SA-21 Growler) systems has brought to India one of the most sophisticated air defence systems in the world. The S-400 is a potent addition to India’s defensive posture against its northern and western adversaries. The first two S-400 missile squadrons are already operational on India’s northern and eastern borders. The third S-400 air defence system is due to be delivered shortly.

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