Aerial weapons have to evolve to stay relevant amidst emerging technologies
Prof D.K. Pandey
Modern warfare necessitates aerial weapons that give them necessary capabilities beyond ground and naval forces. Attacking targets previously uncaptured because they were simply out of reach or prohibitively challenging to attack necessitated the introduction of aerial weapons. Therefore, these weapons provide a strategic edge to the fighting forces.
Aerial weapons are military armaments deployed from aircraft, including fixed-wing planes and rotary-wing helicopters. These weapons can be used for various purposes, including air superiority, ground attack, and strategic bombing, by aircraft for offensive or defensive purposes. These weapons are designed to engage targets in the air, on the ground, or at sea. They play a critical role in modern warfare, enabling air forces to achieve strategic objectives such as air superiority, precision strikes, and close air support.
Significance of Aerial Weapons
Necessity is the mother of invention. Aerial weapons resulted from the necessity to defeat the limitations of the ground and naval armies and extend power more widely. Introducing aerial weapons in air warfare brought a paradigm shift to offensive missions. This presented a new level in warfare that made warfare more ‘global’ and broader in the sky.
Aerial weapons make possible the bombing of enemy installations, strategic targets, and large concentrations of enemy troops at a given distance. This capability enables such disruption to enemy supply lines, infrastructure, and morale without direct ground engagement.
Aerial weapons equipped on fighter aircraft allow them to fight to gain control of air space by engaging in dogfighting or combat. It’s a control that will enable combatant commanders to protect friendly forces and exclude the enemy from conducting air operations. Reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft are often used to carry aerial weapons for self-defence from enemy aircraft and anti-aircraft defences as they collect intelligence.
Close air support attack aircraft armed with aerial weapons can then engage enemy positions and vehicles beyond the range of ground-based weapons. This support, cutting through enemy defences or opening the way for ground operations, can be the decisive factor.
Naval aviation depends on aerial weapons to attack enemy ships and coastal targets. This capability gives naval forces further reach out, as well as the possibility to conduct coordinated sea and air operations.
Airborne forces (troops) are employed with aerial weapons used with transport and helicopter aircraft, either for support or strategic purposes. The self-protection capability made it easy to deploy quickly to conceal surprise attacks, resulting in conclusive results.
Advantages of Aerial weapons
In military operations, aerial weapons provide multiple advantages. Aerial weapon systems aim to reduce the number of troops needed for a specific mission while boosting effectiveness. Given this, aerial weaponry, especially Precision Guided Munitions (PGMs), achieves precision in targeting hostile sites, thereby improving mission success while minimising collateral damage.
Air-launched ballistic missiles have more kinetic energy than ground-launched systems, and thus, they are more effective and have a higher impact in combat situations. Drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are safer than conventional approaches because they reduce the chance that troops will be harmed during reconnaissance and combat operations.
Operational flexibility is possible in aerial warfare as targets approach from varying heights and distances, reducing dependence on terrain and enhancing the variety of possible tactical options.
Multiple Aerial Weapons
Aerial weapons can be broadly categorised into two main types, each serving distinct roles in combat scenarios.
Air-to-air weapons: The weaponry that is meant to engage and destroy enemy aircraft while they are in flight from a plane in the air, are known as air-to-air weaponry
Air-to-ground weapons: Air-to-ground weaponry aims to strike targets on the ground or at sea from the flying position of the aircraft.
The sophistication of technology is enhancing these aerial weapons. With R&D, lethality is being improved, and at the same time, efforts are being made to introduce systems to mitigate the threats from such weapons.
Air-to-Air Weapons
Air-to-air weapons are missiles or other armaments launched from an aircraft to destroy another aircraft. These weapons are essential for achieving and maintaining air superiority during aerial combat.
The most common air-to-air weapon is the missile, which can be guided or unguided. Guided missiles use various targeting systems, such as infrared homing (heat-seeking) or radar guidance, to track and intercept enemy aircraft. Examples include the AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) and the AIM-9 Sidewinder.
Air-to-air missiles (AAMs) are the most common type of air-to-air weapon globally used, and can be classified into two primary categories based on their range:
Short-Range Missiles (SRAAMs or WVRAAMs): These are referred to traditionally as ‘dogfight missiles’ and are designed to combat within visual range (WVR) of 30–40 kilometres. They are better than Close Combat missiles (CCM). Instead, they excel at swift manoeuvrability, not range, for close quarters combat,’ these are designed explicitly for combats within visual range (WVR), generally ranging 30–40 kilometres. They emphasise swift manoeuvrability rather than range to excel in close-quarters combat. Most short-range missiles are infrared-guided and, thus, heat-seeking missiles designed to lock onto the thermal signature of an adversary aircraft’s engines. Modern innovations allow complete heat-seeking systems to gather targets from all sides instead of just the rear.
Medium and Long-Range Missiles (MRAAMs or LRAAMs) are beyond visual range missiles (BVRAAMs) designed for engagement at long ranges. Radar guidance systems that include active radar homing, semi-active radar homing or inertial navigation with mid-course updates are frequently used. Advanced models integrate multiple guidance to increase precision and flexibility.
Other Aerial Weapons: In addition to AAM, inbuilt guns, and aircraft launched drones are aerial weapons commonly used in aerial combats.
Cannons: Certain fighter jets possess onboard cannons that discharge bullets at high velocities. These are generally employed in close-range aerial combat when precise targeting is essential. Cannons are typically, though not invariably, linked to a turret that enables them to be discharged at an angle relative to the aircraft’s trajectory. These often manifest as 20 or 30-mm cannons and utilise dual-purpose ammunition designed to be effective against infantry and some types of armour.
Cannons are competent in eliminating infantries, destroying light vehicles, neutralising light and medium armoured threats, demolishing structures and fortifications, and, depending on their calibre, can occasionally harass, track, or otherwise impede heavier armour with sustained fire.
Drones: Historically, air-to-air combat has been the domain of manned fighter aircraft. Advancements in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, especially in manoeuvrability, sensor technology, and weapon miniaturisation, have enabled the integration of air-to-air missiles on drones. UAVs, therefore, can be used as air-to-air platforms, armed with missiles or other armaments to engage enemy aircraft, in air.
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