Defence Ministry charts 15-year plan for drones, space-based warfare tech

Months after Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, the Ministry of Defence has, for the first time, announced a major push towards deploying drones and outer space technologies for surveillance, military communication and identification of enemy targets.

The plan envisages the acquisition of a couple of thousand drones, many of which would go beyond surveillance roles to carry out missile strikes. Outer space, meanwhile, is to be used primarily for surveillance and secure communication.

The MoD has released the Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap (TPCR) and uploaded the document on its website, describing it as a programme for the next 15 years, till 2040. This is the third iteration of the TPCR, following earlier versions in 2013 and 2018.

At the top of the list is a stratospheric airship capable of relaying communication and picking up signals emitted by enemy aircraft and missiles. The airship is expected to operate at an altitude of 35 km and use artificial intelligence to provide precise information on enemy targets.

Another key space-based system envisaged is a ‘multi-band space-based sensor’ capable of detecting enemy radio waves. The MoD has also outlined plans for a solar-powered high-altitude pseudo satellite system designed to collect enemy communication data. It would be required to have an endurance of at least two months while loitering at 60,000 ft.

Among drones, the services have projected a requirement for systems that can fly up to 1,500 km and operate at 60,000 ft, with stealth features to evade enemy radars. These drones are expected to carry specialised payloads, including communication interception devices, jamming systems and the capability to direct artillery fire on enemy positions.

Some 360 of these ‘high-altitude long endurance’ drones are projected for acquisition, with numbers to be divided equally among the Army, Navy and the IAF.

The Navy is seeking drones that can takeoff and land vertically from ship decks, carry multiple payloads, operate up to 40,000 ft and have an endurance of 25 hours. Another projected requirement is drones with a range of 200 km and capacity to fly at 20,000 ft.

The Army, meanwhile, has projected the need for 700-800 drones for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) to enable precision targeting by ground weapons. It also requires UAVs that can loiter, carry a warhead and, when commanded, carry out kamikaze strikes on designated targets.

The TPCR seeks to reach out to industry and convey the armed forces’ perspective on emerging futuristic combat technologies and their stated requirements for enhancing warfighting capabilities.

The MoD said the roadmap will help private industry step up R&D, establish production lines and build assemblies within the desired timeframe. Since 2018, emphasis has been on indigenisation and strengthening public-private partnerships in defence technology.