Source: TOI
Subject: Defence
Context: India is set to boost its counter-drone warfare capabilities as the Army and IAF prepare to procure 16 indigenous Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System (Mark-2) units.
About Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System (Mark-2):
What it is?
- An advanced indigenous counter-drone warfare platform designed to detect, track and neutralise hostile unmanned aerial systems using a combination of sensors, jammers and high-energy laser weapons.
Developed by: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), led by its lab CHESS – Centre for High Energy Systems & Sciences, in collaboration with the Armed Forces.
Aim: To provide India with a rapid-response, precise and high-energy counter-drone system capable of neutralising surveillance drones, weaponised UAVs and swarm attacks across sensitive borders, military bases and critical infrastructure.
Key Features:
- 10 kW Laser Neutralisation: Engages and destroys enemy drones at up to 2 km, doubling the range of the earlier Mark-1 system.
- Multi-Sensor Detection Suite: Radar, EO/IR sensors, RF detectors and AI-enabled algorithms for real-time drone detection and classification.
- Hard-Kill + Soft-Kill Capability: Disables drones using both laser beams (hard kill) and RF jamming/GNSS spoofing (soft kill).
- Vehicle-Mounted & Rapidly Deployable: Mobile platform suited for border areas, forward bases, airports and urban protection zones.
- Next-Gen Integration: Built to integrate with future 30 kW high-energy laser systems capable of strikes up to 5 km.
Significance:
- Strengthens Drone Warfare Preparedness: Meets urgent national security needs amid rising drone threats from Pakistan and in global conflicts (Ukraine, Middle East).
- Indigenous Laser Weapon Capability: Positions India among a select group of nations (US, China, Russia) with demonstrated directed-energy weapons.
- Protects Critical Infrastructure: Enhances defence of borders, ammunition depots, nuclear sites, VVIP events and airports against both single drones and swarm attacks.
