City-based Solar Group has added another feather in its cap as it successfully test fired guided micro-missile as a counter drone system called ‘Bhargavastra’. Economic Explosives Ltd (EEL), the subsidiary of Solar Group, has indigenously designed and developed the micro-missile for multi-layer counter drone system to inflict hard kill on enemy unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at an affordable cost. First control flight test of guided micro-missile against an electronic target was conducted successfully on Sunday at Gopalpur Seaward Firing Ranges (GSFR), Gopalpur, Odisha.

 

The indigenous micro-missile was fired by a full authority Fire Control System. The missile, upon being launched, directed itself towards the designated virtual target at a distance of 2,500 meter and height of 400 meter above ground and achieved a perfect hit. The second control flight test of Guided Micro-Missile was conducted at the same location on Monday against the moving electronic target mimicking a flying UAV. The micro-missile again achieved a perfect hit. Additional layer of soft-kill is also being integrated to make the system a one-stop solution for all UAV threats. The system is also capable of integration with existing networks of armed forces for network-centric warfare. The system is engineered to operate effectively across diverse Indian terrains, including deserts and mountains, upto 5,000 m altitude above sea level, ensuring robust defence against drone attacks from any direction along India’s borders. The Command-and-Control Centre, equipped with C4I, comprises radar capable of detecting medium to large UAVs at 10 km and very small drone at 6 km as well as an EO/IR system to ensure detection of targets with low RCS. This system will deliver a situational awareness overview of enemy drones and evaluate the necessity to neutralise either stand-alone or swarms of enemy drones.

 

The system will be extremely useful to neutralise threats posed by Swarm of Autonomous drones which cannot be jammed or spoofed. EEL took a proactive step by developing the Counter Drone System based on Micro Missile, anticipating the growing threats posed by loitering munitions and weaponised drones, even without formal confirmation of its necessity from the Armed Forces. This forward-looking approach by EEL has proven to align with modern warfare realities, as demonstrated in conflicts such as Azerbaijan-Armenia and the Ukraine-Russia war, where over 1 lakh drones are deployed annually.

 

Many of these drones are being countered using costly surface-to-air missiles. As per the sources, the Counter Drone System using micro-missile is under development by few technologically advanced countries. However, this class of multi-layer counter drone system tested by EEL has not been deployed anywhere in the world with swarm neutralisation capability. This successful test demonstrates the indigenous development of state-of-the-art and globally competitive weapon systems by EEL, a private Indian company, committed to Atma Nirbhar Bharat policy of the Prime Minister of India.