Army seeks indigenous drone-radars to see through dense foliage

New Delhi: The Indian Army is looking to procure indigenous drone-mounted radars that can peek through dense forests and thick tree cover to detect the movement of terrorists. In a note, the army said recent terrorist activities have validated the criticality of procuring the system that can track movement through dense foliage.

Counter-insurgency operations in both Jammu & Kashmir and the North East require troops to comb through large, thick forests that terrorists use both for movements and to set up hideouts. The hunt for terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam attack last year took over three months, with the killers finally being neutralised at the dense Dachigam forest as part of Operation Mahadev.

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With satellites being of limited use due to a lack of widespread real-time coverage and limitations of sensors, the army is seeking drone-mounted foliage-penetration radars that can detect human movement. The proposal has been floated as a Make II project, with the Infantry Directorate directing the acquisition.

Under the process, the industry will have to spend its own funds for research and development, with the army committed to buying the radars if they meet technical requirements. While no numbers have yet been specified, the army will require a significant number of the systems for all its counter-insurgency units in Kashmir and the North East.

The army is looking for a system that can be fitted onboard a lightweight drone with an all-up weight of not more than 20 kg, endurance of 60-120 minutes, and operating range of 5-10 km. It also wants the system to be able to peek through dense foliage penetration and transmit real-time data to troops on the ground.

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Secure communications and compatibility with NAVSTAR, GLONASS and IRNSS is also desirable.

A handful of Indian companies have already been working on the technology, while some have tied up with foreign technology partners. The army wants at least 60% indigenous content in the final product.