Why in News?

India thwarted Pakistani attacks, targeted multiple Pakistani air defence systems, reportedly neutralising one in Lahore. The Indian Army stated that its response matched Pakistan's in domain and intensity.

Air defence systems are crucial in modern warfare for protecting against enemy air strikes, and disabling them exposes a nation to aerial attacks, as seen in Pakistan’s inability to inflict damage on India.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Air Defence System Operations
• Methods of Interception in Air Defence Systems
• India's Air Defence Response to Pakistani Attacks
• Use of HAROP Loitering Munition in Operation Sindoor

Air Defence System Operations

• The main goal of an air defence system is to eliminate aerial threats such as enemy fighter aircraft, drones, and missiles.
• Components of an Air Defence System
  • An effective system integrates radars, control centres, defensive fighter aircraft, ground-based missile and artillery units, and electronic warfare tools.
• Key Operations of Air Defence
  • Detection
    • Radars (and sometimes satellites) identify incoming threats by emitting electromagnetic waves, which bounce off objects like aircraft and return to receivers, helping determine their distance, speed, and type.
  • Tracking
    • After detection, threats are continuously tracked using radar and other sensors (infrared cameras, laser rangefinders). This process helps manage multiple threats in real-time and avoids friendly fire.
  • Interception
    • Based on the threat’s nature (type, range, speed), air defence systems launch appropriate countermeasures to neutralise it.
• Role of C3 (Command, Control, Communication)
  • For all three operations to function seamlessly, a strong C3 system is essential.
  • It ensures quick and accurate decision-making, coordination, and execution during engagements.

Methods of Interception in Air Defence Systems

• Fighter Aircraft (Interceptors)
  • Purpose: Engage and neutralise enemy aircraft, especially bombers, before they can strike.
  • Features: Equipped with cannons, rockets, visual- and beyond-visual-range missiles, and electronic warfare (EW) systems.
  • Capabilities: Fast scramble, rapid climb, agile combat.
  • Indian Examples: MiG-21 Bison, MiG-29, Su-30MKI, HAL Tejas, Dassault Rafale.
• Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs)
  • Role: Primary weapon in most modern air defence systems, safer and more versatile than aircraft.
  • Types (Unofficial Classification):
    • Heavy Long-Range SAMs: Fixed/semi-mobile; e.g., S-400 (targets hundreds of km away).
    • Medium-Range SAMs: Mobile, quick-launch; e.g., Akash, Barak.
    • Short-Range (MANPADS): Man-portable; effective against drones, helicopters, low-flying jets.
  • Guidance Systems: Radar, infrared, or laser-guided.
  • Deployment: Land-based or ship-launched.
• Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA)
  • Role: Once dominant, now a secondary but still valuable defence against low-altitude threats.
  • Capabilities: Fires over 1,000 rounds per minute; shells explode at preset altitudes, creating shrapnel fields.
  • Use Cases: Last-ditch defence, anti-drone roles, and in environments where SAMs are less practical.
• Electronic Warfare (EW)
  • Purpose: Neutralise threats without physical destruction by manipulating the electromagnetic spectrum.
  • Methods:
    • Jamming enemy radars and targeting systems.
    • Disrupting guidance of missiles and drones.
  • Platforms: Land-based units and specialised aircraft like the Boeing EA-18G Growler.
  • Effects: Confuses and misguides incoming threats, reducing their effectiveness.

India's Air Defence Response to Pakistani Attacks

• On May 8, Pakistan launched a coordinated attack with drones and missiles targeting 15 Indian military bases and cities.
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) swiftly activated its Integrated Counter-UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) Grid and air defence systems, successfully intercepting and neutralizing the threats.
• Key Air Defence Systems Deployed
  • S-400 Triumf: Deployed on the northern border; three squadrons received from Russia.
  • Barak 8 MRSAM: Medium-range system developed jointly with Israel.
  • Akash: Indigenous Indian missile system.
  • S-125 Pechora: Legacy Russian system still in active use.
  • Guns, Radars, and Electronic Warfare Systems: Used to track and destroy UAVs and spoof enemy drones.
• Integrated Counter-UAS Grid in Action
  • The IAF used jamming and spoofing techniques to mislead and neutralize UAVs.
  • The counter-UAS system forms a key part of India’s layered air defence strategy.
  • Debris from intercepted drones and missiles is currently being collected.

Use of HAROP Loitering Munition in Operation Sindoor

• On May 8, India thwarted Pakistani retaliation and simultaneously targeted multiple Pakistani air defence systems, including one in Lahore.
• HAROP loitering munitions, made by Israel, were reportedly used in the operation.
• HAROP: A Modern Loitering Munition
  • Definition: Loiters near the target area before crashing into it with an explosive payload.
  • Nickname: Known as “suicide drones” or “kamikaze drones.”
• Capabilities:
  • Equipped with nose-mounted cameras for target selection.
  • Some variants are recoverable if not used.
  • Capable of both autonomous and operator-assisted precision strikes.
  • Also used for target surveillance.
• Israeli Origin and Battlefield Capabilities
  • Developer: Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI).
  • Features:
    • Combines features of UAV and missile.
    • Effective against high-value targets like tanks, command posts, and air defence systems.
    • Endurance of up to 9 hours with 360° attack capability.
    • Immune to GNSS jamming, enhancing operability in hostile environments.
    • Launched from land or naval platforms, suitable for diverse terrains.