News Analysis India

Tag: Jammu drone attack

  • Post Jammu attack, IAF to acquire 10 anti-drone systems

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Days after terrorists used armed drones to attack its airbase in Jammu, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has initiated a process of acquiring 10 counter unmanned aircraft systems (CUAS).

    As per the Request for Information (RFI) issued on Monday for the project, the main weapon of Made in India anti-drone system should be a Laser-based Directed Energy Weapon.

    The IAF will deploy these systems at different airbases and has asked vendors to provide a multi-sensor, multi-kill solution to enforce effectively.

    “No- Fly zones for unmanned aircraft while inflicting minimal collateral damage to the surrounding environment. It should generate a composite air situational picture for the operator and generate alerts based on user-defined parameters,” the RFI said.

    In a bid to use the systems across its bases, the IAF has mandated that all the ten CUAS are required in mobile configuration mounted on indigenous vehicles with cross-country capability. The CUAS should have provision for dismounting of all sub-systems including integral power solution from the vehicle and mounting on roof top/ open ground.

    Two drones had been used by the terrorists to drop bombs on the Jammu airbase, causing damage to a building and causing injury to two personnel. The probe into the attack is being conducted by the National Investigation Agency.

  • Jammu Air Base drone attack triggers RFI for anti-drone system

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: The surprise attack using two drones inside the Jammu Air Base has triggered the process to procure anti-drone systems.

    The Indian Air Force has issued a Request For Information (RFI) to procure 10 Counter Unmanned Aircraft System (CUAS) through indigenous route within one year after the contract is signed. 

    “The Ministry of Defence, Government of India, intends to acquire ten CUAS for IAF through indigenous route under Buy (Indian-IDDM)/ Buy (Indian)/ Buy and Make (Indian) category of Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 (DAP-2020),” the RFI said. 

    The RFI was issued just a day after of twin drones attacks in Jammu on June 27.

    As per the RFI, only the Indian Original Equipment Manufacturers will be allowed to participate.

    As for the delivery of the systems, the RFI fixes a stipulated time period. “It is envisaged to commence delivery of CUAS at the earliest after the signing of the contract and to be completed preferably within 12 months.” says the RFI.

    The anti-drone systems should be able to detect, track, identify, designate and neutralize hostile Counter Unmanned Aircraft System. 

    RFI has set Laser Directed Energy Weapon (Laser-DEW) as the essential requirement which will be used as a kill option.

    Since the date of the issuance of the RFI the vendors will have to furnish the information within a month only. 

    Once the equipments will be cleared by the Technical Evaluation Committee they would be put through a trial evaluation in India on a ‘No Cost No Commitment’ basis the RFI said. 

    Once the process is complete and after clearance from all levels, a Contract Negotiations Committee will decide the lowest cost bidder (L1) the contract will be concluded. 

    Keeping the maintenance aspects vendors will have to supply necessary spares for five years, consumables for two years. Further, the ministry can opt for annual maintenance contract for three years post completion of the warranty period.

  • Drone activity spotted again in Jammu

    By ANI
    JAMMU: Drone activity was spotted here in Kaluchak and Kunjwani on Wednesday morning, police said.

    “Two drones were spotted here in Kaluchak and Kunjwani this morning,” police said.

    Over the last week, at least five drone activities have been reported in Jammu.

    On the intervening night of June 27 to 28, alert troops successfully thwarted two drone activities near Ratnuchak-Kaluchak Military Station along the Jammu-Pathankot national highway, an Army official informed.

    On Sunday morning, two blasts were carried out by drones in the technical area of Jammu Air Force Station. One of the blasts caused minor damage to the roof of a building while the other exploded in an open area, the Indian Air Force (IAF) informed.

    No damage to any equipment was reported. However, two personnel suffered minor injuries.

    The Defence Minister has been monitoring the situation on the ground. Earlier, he was briefed by the Vice Chief of Air Staff on the matter and has been constantly updated by the Air Force on the issue.

  • LeT suspected to be behind IAF station attack in Jammu, drones may have come from across border: DGP

    By PTI
    JAMMU/ NEW DELHI: The banned Lashkar-e-Taiba terror outfit is suspected to have been behind the sensational drone attack on the Indian Air Force station in Jammu on Sunday morning with indication that the unmanned aerial vehicles had come from across the border, a top police official said on Tuesday.

    Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh told PTI that the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a terror outfit based out of Pakistan, is suspected to be responsible for the attack. Two drones dropped explosive material on the IAF station located at Jammu airport on Sunday injuring two personnel.

    A cocktail of explosive material, including RDX, is believed to have been used. The case was handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday. The decision to hand over the probe into the first-of-its-kind terror attack at the Indian Air Force station was taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

    A 1987-batch IPS officer, Singh, who has been monitoring the situation as well as the probe, said that in all likelihood, the unmanned aerial vehicles have flown in from across the border and returned after the operation. “We are still probing the case and will extend all our findings with other security agencies,” Singh said.

    Police also carried out a series of raids in Jammu and neighbouring locations but could not establish any concrete leads. “The drones are suspected to have come from across (the border) but we are still probing as of now,” he said.

    He said police have sensitised vital installations about the new threat from terror outfits. “All preventive measures have been taken for the same,” Singh said. He said that a general warning has also been issued to the public for no unauthorised use of drones in Jammu and Kashmir. “Strict actions would be taken for the same,” he added.

    In what was the first instance of Pakistan-based terrorists deploying drones to strike vital installations, two bombs were dropped at the IAF station in Jammu in the early hours of Sunday, causing minor injuries to two airmen.

    The explosions took place around 1.40 am within six minutes of each other. The first blast ripped off the roof of a single-storey building at the technical area of the airport manned by the IAF in Satwari on the outskirts of Jammu.

    The second one was on the ground. The aerial distance from the Jammu airport to the international border is 14 km.