India Inducts New Strike-Capable Drones At Forward Air Base In Northern Sector To Cover Both Adversaries
Exclusive look of deadly drones deployed at forward base in northern sector
In a mega capability boost, the Indian Air Force has inducted its latest Heron Mark-2 drones, which have strike capability and can carry out surveillance along the borders with both China and Pakistan in a single sortie itself.
The four new Heron Mark-2 drones, which can be equipped with long-range missiles and other weapons systems, have been deployed at a forward air base in the northern sector, where Team witnessed their operations.
The drones with satellite communication capability have given a long desired capability to the Indian Air Force, as its drones can operate at very long distances for close to 36 hours at a stretch and can also laser illuminate enemy targets from very long ranges to help fighter aircraft destroy them using their long-range weapons.
“The Heron Mark-2 is a very capable drone. This is capable of longer endurance and has ‘beyond line of sight’ capability. With this, the entire country can be surveilled from the same place,” the commanding officer of the drone squadron, Wing Commander Pankaj Rana, said in an exclusive interaction at the base.
He said the longer endurance also ensures that multiple missions can be flown and multiple sectors can be addressed in one mission itself.
“The drone simply amalgamates into the Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance matrix of the Indian Air Force,” Rana said. Highlighting the major strength of the drone, Rana said it can provide 24×7 surveillance of targets. Modern avionics and engines have ensured that the operational ceilings of the aircraft have been increased.He said the drone can operate in any weather and on any terrain to address its targets and complete the mission.
“Flying from here, the drone can cover both the adversaries in the same sortie itself,” Rana said while highlighting the major strengths of the latest unmanned machine of the force.
Defence officials said the drones are capable of being equipped with weapons, and work towards weaponizing them is in progress.
The drones can be equipped with different types of weapons, as the original equipment manufacturers can equip it with air-to-ground missiles, air-to-ground anti-tank weapons, and bombs.
Squadron Leader Arpit Tandon, who is a pilot of the Heron Mark-2 drone, said the new version of the Heron drones has multiple advantages over the previous versions, which started getting inducted into the IAF in the early 2000s.
“The payloads and the onboard avionics of the Heron Mark-2 can operate at sub-zero temperatures and in any weather condition. This is helping the Indian Air Force achieve footprints over any type of terrain,” he said.
The Indian Air Force is also working on Project Cheetah, under which around 70 of the Indian Armed Forces’ Heron drones are to be upgraded with satellite communication links and weaponised to meet the requirements of the armed forces.
The Indian armed forces are also getting 31 Predator drones, which are in the high altitude, long endurance category and are helping the Navy presently to cover large tracts of the Indian Ocean region.
India is getting a version of the drones that can be equipped with weapons and will have sensors for different roles in different terrains.
Fifteen of these drones are to be operated by the Indian Navy, while the other two forces would be getting eight each.
@media only screen and (min-width: 480px){.stickyads_Mobile_Only{display:none}}@media only screen and (max-width: 480px){.stickyads_Mobile_Only{position:fixed;left:0;bottom:0;width:100%;text-align:center;z-index:999999;display:flex;justify-content:center;background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0.1)}}.stickyads_Mobile_Only .btn_Mobile_Only{position:absolute;top:10px;left:10px;transform:translate(-50%, -50%);-ms-transform:translate(-50%, -50%);background-color:#555;color:white;font-size:16px;border:none;cursor:pointer;border-radius:25px;text-align:center}.stickyads_Mobile_Only .btn_Mobile_Only:hover{background-color:red}.stickyads{display:none}
- SEO Powered Content & PR Distribution. Get Amplified Today.
- PlatoData.Network Vertical Generative Ai. Empower Yourself. Access Here.
- PlatoAiStream. Web3 Intelligence. Knowledge Amplified. Access Here.
- PlatoESG. Automotive / EVs, Carbon, CleanTech, Energy, Environment, Solar, Waste Management. Access Here.
- PlatoHealth. Biotech and Clinical Trials Intelligence. Access Here.
- ChartPrime. Elevate your Trading Game with ChartPrime. Access Here.
- BlockOffsets. Modernizing Environmental Offset Ownership. Access Here.
- Source: https://www.indiandefensenews.in/2023/08/india-inducts-new-strike-capable-drones.html
- :has
- :is
- :where
- 1
- 13
- 31
- 36
- 70
- a
- Absolute
- Achieve
- address
- advantages
- AIR
- Air Force
- aircraft
- along
- also
- an
- and
- any
- ARE
- armed
- around
- arpit
- AS
- At
- AUGUST
- base
- BE
- been
- being
- Beyond
- boost
- border
- borders
- both
- Bottom
- by
- CAN
- capability
- capable
- carry
- Category
- Center
- China
- clear
- Close
- color
- Communication
- complete
- condition
- country
- cover
- defence
- deployed
- desired
- destroy
- different
- Display
- drone
- Drones
- each
- Early
- eight
- Engines
- ensures
- Entire
- equipment
- equipped
- Ether (ETH)
- Exclusive
- fixed
- flying
- For
- Force
- Forces
- Forward
- four
- from
- getting
- given
- Have
- he
- help
- helping
- here
- High
- highlighting
- HOURS
- HTML
- http
- HTTPS
- illuminate
- in
- increased
- india
- Indian
- Intelligence
- interaction
- into
- IT
- ITS
- itself
- jpg
- large
- laser
- latest
- leader
- left
- Line
- links
- Long
- longer
- Look
- machine
- major
- Manufacturers
- Matrix
- max-width
- Meet
- Mega
- missiles
- Mission
- missions
- Modern
- multiple
- name
- New
- next
- None
- ocean
- of
- Officer
- officials
- on
- Onboard
- ONE
- only
- operate
- operated
- operational
- Operations
- original
- Other
- out
- over
- Pakistan
- pankaj
- PHP
- pilot
- Place
- plato
- Plato Data Intelligence
- PlatoData
- predator
- presently
- previous
- Progress
- project
- provide
- region
- Requirements
- roles
- Said
- same
- satellite
- Screen
- sector
- Sectors
- sensors
- Sight
- simply
- single
- started
- strength
- strengths
- strike
- surveillance
- Systems
- targets
- team
- that
- The
- their
- Them
- These
- this
- to
- top
- towards
- Transform
- true
- two
- type
- types
- under
- upgraded
- using
- version
- versions
- very
- Weapons
- Weather
- which
- while
- white
- WHO
- will
- Wing
- with
- witnessed
- Work
- working
- would
- z-index
- zephyrnet
More from Indian Defense News
Coast Guard Radar Stations To Double In West Bengal, Odisha
Source Node: 2465393
Time Stamp: Feb 1, 2024
Maritronics India To Manufacture Specialised Equipment For Defence Sector
Source Node: 2254858
Time Stamp: Sep 5, 2023
China Increasingly Displaying Military’s Aggression In Establishing Military Base In Indo-Pacific Region: Indian Army Chief
Source Node: 2034466
Time Stamp: Mar 27, 2023
Army Aims To Fast-Track Future Ready Combat Vehicle To Replace T-72 Tank, Induct It From 2030
Source Node: 2214573
Time Stamp: Aug 15, 2023
‘Zorawar’ Light Tank For China Border Will Go Under Testing In March 2024; Here Is Everything You Need To Know
Source Node: 2392099
Time Stamp: Nov 21, 2023
‘Men in Blue’: What Went Into Making of Gaganyaan Astronauts’ Suits?
Source Node: 2512061
Time Stamp: Mar 12, 2024
GE’s Fighter Jet Engine Manufacturing Deal Most Important Agenda During PM Modi’s U.S. Visit
Source Node: 2113980
Time Stamp: May 30, 2023
TATA Group Becomes First Indian Company To Manufacture iPhones
Source Node: 2457568
Time Stamp: Jan 26, 2024
China’s Still Spreading Lies About Galwan; Modi Govt, Army Must Bring Closure With Formal Inquiry
Source Node: 2144351
Time Stamp: Jun 23, 2023
Resolved To Reinforcing Peace In IOR: Indian Navy After Seizing Hijacked Ship From Somali Pirates
Source Node: 2517650
Time Stamp: Mar 17, 2024