After Infantry, armoured and artillery regiments to get Ashni specialist drone warfare units
The Army has about 385 infantry battalions across 27 different regiments that now include Ashni platoons
With unmanned aerial systems (UAS) becoming a critical component in contemporary warfare, the deployment of Ashni platoons, the Army’s newly raised specialist drone units that have an integral part of all infantry battalions, will be expanded across other combat arms like the Armoured Corps and the Regiment of Artillery.
“Since the employment of UAS has become very important, we have created sub-units in infantry battalions that specialise in drone operations. These will also form part of other regiments shortly to enhance their operational capability,” Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar, General Officer commanding-in-Chief, Western Command said on the sidelines of a demonstration at the Mamun Military Station.
The Army has about 385 infantry battalions across 27 different regiments that now include Ashni platoons. Equipped with different types of drones for tactical surveillance, reconnaissance and attack, these are part of the Army’s ongoing expansive modernisation drive to become a more technology-enabled force and enhance real-time intelligence and precision strike capability down to the sub-unit level.
Pointing out that UAS are now being used in all types of military operations, he added that drones now form a big part of the Army’s continuing preparedness to cater to any contingency post-Operation Sindoor.
The Army has inducted a vast array of tactical drones to meet different operational requirements. Some of these were demonstrated at Mamun. “Most of these drones have been fabricated in-house by Western Command workshops and we are doing it on a large scale. Our workshops understand our operational requirements and the technology we need and these can meet them more effectively,” Lt Gen Katiyar said.
Earlier this month, formations under the Western Command validated surveillance and targeting capabilities of the Ashni platoons, besides testing counter-UAS defences during field exercises. Similar drills are also being conducted by other Commands.
The Regiment of Artillery is also undergoing a doctrinal shift by raising Shaktibaan units, which are regiment that have replaced traditional artillery guns with different types of unmanned aerial systems like swarm drones, loitering munitions and long-range unmanned aerial vehicles capable of strikes from 5 km to 500 km. This marks a change from the earlier philosophy of massed firepower to ‘smart’ precision strikes.
The Corps of Engineers is also using different types of armed UAS for obstacle breaching and reduction of enemy defences. Drones can also be used for other tasks such as mine laying and clearing. Earlier, many of these tasks were carried out manually or with equipment in close proximity to the site of the operation and the use of drones operated remotely from a distance enhances the speed of operations while reducing risk to life.
The Armoured Corps is also working on plans to integrate drones with tanks and mechanised combat vehicles for surveillance and attack, while also retrofitting them with sensors and anti-drone devices to enhance their survivability. Drones tethered with tanks and armoured vehicles for surveillance are also on the cards.
