Why in the News?

After Operation Sindoor and Pakistani drone incursions, the Army is upgrading air defence with advanced radars to counter low-RCS (radar cross-section) drones and other aerial threats along northern and western borders.

What are Radars?

• About: Radar stands for Radio Detection and Ranging; it uses radio waves to locate, track, and measure speed of objects.
• Components: Transmitter emits radio signals, receiver captures reflections.
• Functions: Measures direction, distance (via time delay), and velocity (via Doppler shift).
• Types in air defence:
  • Surveillance radars: Monitor airspace and detect aerial objects, not directly linked to weapons.
  • Fire control radars: Provide targeting data to guide anti-aircraft guns or missiles.

Current Indian Capabilities:

• Indian Air Force: Operates High-Power Radars and Medium-Power Radars for long-range, high-altitude threats such as jets, AWACS, and large transport aircraft.
  • For fire control, the Air Force employs systems like the 3D Central Acquisition Radar and Rajendra radar.
• Indian Army: Uses Low-Level Light-Weight Radars, designed to pick up low-flying, small radar cross-section objects like drones.
  • Upgraded Flycatcher and Air Defence Tactical Control Radar systems to aim weapons and manage local defence.

India’s Air Defence Infrastructure:

• Missile systems: Includes Russian S-400 and the indigenous Akash missile system.
• Army’s Akashteer system: Integrates radars, sensors, air defence guns, and communications into a real-time operational air picture.
• IAF’s IACCS (Integrated Air Command and Control System): Unifies data from multiple assets for coordinated detection and interception.
• Mission Sudarshan Chakra: Ongoing modernisation programme; DRDO recently tested the Integrated Air Defence Weapon System.

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