The Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided to buy 100 small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to keep an eye on air force bases all over the country. After a drone attack on an IAF base in Jammu last year, the government wants to buy more weapons to protect its air bases. The border with Pakistan is only 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) away.
The service wants to buy a high-altitude system with electro-optical and thermal imaging that can find land and air targets from far away. The IAF wants the drone to protect them both from enemy drones and from terrorists, the news source said.
For the base security upgrade, the IAF has already put in an order for counter-drone systems made in India that will cost Rupees 1.5 billion ($19.5 million). The mini UAVs would also be bought from a local company, the news source said.
In response to the incident, the Indian Army has also ordered a “large” number of drones from Indian companies. These include “swarm drones, logistics drones, and explosives-carrying loitering munitions that can find a target and blow up there.”
The country also wants to improve the drones it already has by adding sensors and satellite communication gear to make them better at surveillance and reconnaissance. There are also plans to add air-to-ground missiles and laser-guided bombs to some UAVs.
