Army introduces indigenous Nagastra1 kamikaze drones from Solar Industries
The Indian Army has introduced the indigenous Loiter Munition, Nagastra-1, developed by Nagpur-based Solar Industries.
The Indian Army has placed an order with Economics Explosives Ltd (EEL), a subsidiary of Solar Industries, for supply of 480 Loiter Munitions under an emergency purchase agreement, indicating readiness of indigenous defense capabilities, defense officials said industry.
Following the successful completion of the Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) between May 20 and 25, EEL delivered an initial batch of 120 Loiter ammunition to the Pulgaon ammunition depot, confirming the readiness of the system for deployment.
Operating in a “kamikaze mode,” Nagastra-1 possesses the ability to neutralize enemy threats with GPS-enabled precision strikes, with an impressive accuracy of 2 meters. Weighing 9 kilograms, this portable electric fixed-wing UAV offers an endurance of 30 minutes, a man-walking range of 15 kilometers and an autonomous range of 30 kilometers. The electric propulsion system provides a low acoustic signature, making it undetectable to opponents at altitudes greater than 200 meters.
Equipped with day and night surveillance cameras and a 1-kilogram High Explosive Fragmenting Warhead, the Loiter Munition is ready to effectively engage soft-skinned targets. In particular, the ability to abort missions and perform soft landings with a parachute recovery mechanism allows multiple reuses, setting it apart from similar systems developed by advanced countries.
Economics Explosives Ltd (EEL), in collaboration with Z-Motion Autonomous Systems Pvt Ltd, Bangalore, has spearheaded the development of Nagastra-1, with over 75 percent indigenous content. The human-portable system, which weighs 30 kilograms in two backpacks, includes essential components such as the ground control station, communications control, payload and pneumatic launcher, defense industry officials said.
The advent of drone technology has proven to be a force multiplier in military operations worldwide, as evidenced by its successful application in recent conflicts around the world, including the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, the events in Syria, attacks on oil fields in Saudi Arabia and the ongoing conflict in Russia. -Ukraine conflict.
The increase in drone-related incidents along India’s northern borders underlines the urgent need for indigenous capabilities in using drones and UAVs for combat applications. Solar Industries has taken proactive steps to meet this need by developing armed drones that can neutralize a variety of targets, whether gravity bombs, guided missiles or kamikaze mode drones, as exemplified by the Nagastra-1 Loiter Munition.
The successful development and deployment of Nagastra-1 marks the first step in a journey towards augmenting India’s indigenous capabilities in using drones and UAVs as crucial components of war machines, promising a brighter future for the nation’s defense technology sector, officials said defense industry.
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First print: June 14, 2024 | 10:53 PM IST