Appropriate method being devised to check Chinese parts in drones
Amid growing threats to data safety of strategic military equipment, the Indian Army and the Ministry of Defence are working to have an appropriate methodology to weed out any components of Chinese origin being used in new age technologies like drones.
The threat arose after the Ministry of Defence found some Indian companies supplied drones to the armed forces and had Chinese components. The three armed forces are looking at multiple types of unmanned systems for a wide spectrum of usage.
Major General CS Mann, Additional Director General, Army Design Bureau, while answering media queries at an event on Wednesday said, “There are methods to be evolved to weed out Chinese parts. We are examining this aspect.”
The Indian Army, he said, is organising the ‘Him-Drone’ event in Ladakh on September 17-18 where 25 companies will be participating at an altitude of 15,200 feet at Wari-La, a mountain pass, southeast of Leh. These companies will be asked to showcase the ability to take off from Wari-La and operate the drones.
Major General Mann was asked about the methods to weed out Chinese parts and he said, “An appropriate methodology will be adopted”.
Chinese parts means data could be transferred.
“We are finding out the method to overcome this,” General Mann added.
Drones, he said, have an impact on modern military operations and offer critical advantage.
On the event in Ladakh, General Mann said, “We will be testing the ability of drones to take off and perform at high altitude”.
The issues at high altitude are low temperature, high wind speed and ice formation on drones while batteries get drained out faster.
The Army will be looking at five types of drones used for—surveillance, carrying loitering munitions, kamikaze (self-destruct), logistics and specific electronic warfare that would include communication and electronic intelligence.
Major General PS Bhatti, who is handling the capability development at the Udhampur headquartered Northern Command of the Indian Army, said the ‘Him-Drone’ event would define the spectrum capability of operational challenges.
The Northern Command has procured some 800 drones through a technical evaluation committee that ensures no Chinese part is there in any critical component, he added.
The Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) will be part of the event in Ladakh. Ashish Kansal, co-chair, FICCI Defence and Homeland Security Committee, said the event will be crucial to understand the needs of the Army.