THE OPTIMAL EMPLOYMENT of drones depends on the synergy between three Ts―tactics, terrain and technology. While the broad tactical concepts might be similar across militaries worldwide, the execution of the same is exclusive to each nation's armed forces, and India is no exception. Terrain is country-specific, and in India’s case, it is highly diverse with a unique set of challenges, particularly in the high-altitude areas. The importance of terrain as a design factor can be best shown by comparing the Boeing AH-64 Apache and Prachand attack helicopters.
Prachand, designed specifically for India’s high-altitude conditions, has a higher operational ceiling and outperforms the Apache in the higher Himalayan regions. This highlights the significance of terrain as a critical design factor for UAS, with its effects being particularly notable for smaller, non-runway-dependent systems.
UAS are divided into various classes based on their performance parameters, and these parameters determine their applicability for various combat echelons. A brief analysis of these classes and emerging concepts:
BIGGER SYSTEMS
MALE (medium-altitude, long endurance) class systems can be employed both as a strike platform and for ISR (intelligence gathering, surveillance, reconnaissance) missions. The MALE strike UAS with limited warhead-carrying capability is best suited for precision strikes on high-value targets based on prior intelligence.
However, the MALE UAS as a strike platform is vulnerable to counterstrikes from capable air-defence systems because, upon firing, their location can be easily traced by electronic warfare (EW) systems.
MALE UAS in ISR missions can play a key role in providing critical battlespace information because of their ability to undertake persistent surveillance over a long duration, flying deep inside enemy territory at high altitudes. HALE (high-altitude, long-endurance) class systems like the Global Hawk have little relevance in the Indian context because the capabilities of MALE UAS are adequate.
‘KAMIKAZE’ OR THE ONE-WAY ATTACK DRONES
The capability to carry out a long-range attack over 1,000km with heavy warheads provides a distinct advantage. Their low radar signature and low-altitude flight, along with the ability to loiter till they detect and identify suitable targets to strike, adds to their lethality. From India’s perspective, it is essential for kamikaze drones to have high-ceiling altitudes and operate in high-altitude areas. As kamikaze drones can be tube-launched or aircraft-launched, terrain-imposed restrictions can be largely overcome. Considering the potentially significant role of one-way attack drones in future wars, it is imperative to have kamikazes in the inventory.
sUAS
The Chinese-made commercial DJI Mavic drone, costing around $2,000, is a quad-copter used by civilians worldwide for photography, and was quite popular in the initial stages of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. But once military-grade electronic warfare systems became effective, the toy drones quickly disappeared.
From an Indian perspective, sUAS (small unmanned aircraft system) should be capable of being launched from at least 5,000m and have a ceiling altitude greater than 6,000m. Operational ranges can vary from 10km to 100km, with endurance between two hours to six hours, depending on the combat echelon at which it is employed. However, battery-operated multi-copter drones that graduated from Chinese toys might not fulfil the challenging battlespace requirements, particularly in high-altitude terrain.
FPV
Small, nimble, extremely fast and difficult to intercept, (FPV) first-person view drones shot into the limelight in the Russia-Ukraine war. These can be guided to strike moving targets, making them much more accurate than traditional artillery and sometimes less expensive than artillery shells. However, the FPV drones' tiny warheads do not have the same explosive power as an artillery shell and are susceptible to jamming.
These small machines can be effective when employed by small teams to cover bottlenecks in mountains, counter-terrorist operations and urban warfare. For FPV drones to be effective, their payload capacity must be increased while concurrently enhancing their range beyond 20km, endurance over 30 minutes and building resistance to jamming.
SWARM DRONES
They are essentially a team of drones that communicate and collaborate to achieve a common goal by amalgamating artificial intelligence and machine learning. Ironically, despite the surge in drone deployment, the Russia-Ukraine war did not see swarm drones playing a major role.
At lower autonomy levels, swarms would require a huge number of soldiers to control a large number of drones. Costs will shoot up exponentially as autonomy increases, as it will demand more advanced technology. Moreover, warfare is too serious a business to be left to robots to make decisions. Given that India's land borders with its two adversarial neighbours span more than 5,000km, highly expensive smaller swarm drones with limited range and endurance are of little value.
SUBSYSTEMS
Apart from the unmanned aerial vehicle, UAS comprises various subsystems, including the ground control station (GCS), which acts as the cockpit for the system; the datalink to communicate between the UAV and the GCS; the flight control system (FCS) to control and navigate the aircraft; software to integrate the system; and the payload camera to deliver the output.
GCS, FCS and payload cameras―devoid of components that compromise data security and capable of withstanding cyber threats―are crucial for military UAS. The need for a secure datalink between the UAV and the GCS that is resistant to jamming underscores the importance of atmanirbharta in such vital technologies.
The importance of UAS as a force multiplier and a force in modern warfare cannot be overemphasised. Development of India-made UAS with indigenous subsystems is critical for Indian armed forces. Prachand serves as a shining example of meeting India’s unique technology demand―that is in synergy with tactical doctrines and terrain conditions―through a collaborative approach between the Indian armed forces and industry. This can be replicated for UAS as well.
The author, among the pioneers of UAS in India, has spent the past 20 years developing a niche specialisation in the technology. Apart from a PhD on UAS, he also has two masters level theses on unmanned systems.