NEW DELHI: India has conducted the maiden test of an indigenous integrated air defence weapon system (IADWS), which has a combination of two surface-to-air missiles and a laser-based anti-drone weapon to tackle incoming aerial threats.The IADWS, which is controlled by a centralised command and control centre, was tested by DRDO off the coast of Odisha around 12.30 pm on Saturday. “The unique flight tests have established the country’s multi-layered air-defence capability. It is going to strengthen area defence for important facilities against enemy aerial threats,” defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday.The IADWS comprises quick reaction surface-to-air missiles (QRSAMs), advanced very short-range air defence system (VSHORADS) missiles and a high-power laser-based directed energy weapon (DEW).DRDO had been testing such systems separately till now. The QRSAM system is designed to intercept hostile fighters, helicopters and drones at ranges up to 30 km while the VSHORADS has a 6 km interception range. Similarly, DRDO has also developed two and 10 kilowatt lasers to disable or destroy drones and small remotely-piloted aircraft at a distance of 1-2 km.On Saturday, three different targets, including two high-speed fixed wing UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) and a multi-copter drone, were “simultaneously engaged and destroyed” by the IADWS at different ranges and altitudes. “All the IADWS components, including the missiles, drone detection & destruction system, weapon system command & control, along with communication and radars, performed flawlessly. This was confirmed by the range instruments deployed by the integrated test range at Chandipur to capture the flight data,” an official said.In the years ahead, the IADWS will add to the country’s existing multi-layered air defence network that played a crucial role under Operation Sindoor in thwarting multiple waves of Turkish-origin drones and Chinese missiles launched by Pakistan during the May 7-10 hostilities.
