The war over Nagorno-Karabakh was the indisputable proof of the strategic advantage provided by armed drones to the militaries possessing them.
Azerbaijan had acquired a substantial fleet of Turkish Bayraktar TB2 and Israeli Kamikaze drones. The drone strikes by Azerbaijan targeting Armenian troops, destroying military installations, tanks, air defense systems, and artillery tilted the balance of the war in favour of the Turkey-backed country. Thus, the decisive advantage attack drones could bring to any battlefield was clearly demonstrated in the 44 days war between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020.
Armed with the success of the Bayraktar TB-2 drones in the above conflict against modern air defense systems such as Russian Pantsir and S-300 air defense systems, Turkey sold these drones to countries like Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Qatar, Libya, Poland, Latvia, Pakistan and others. Further, in 2020, the Turkish military deployed drones in Syria and Libya, where Ankara supported the Tripoli-based government against eastern forces backed by Russia, the UAE, and Egypt.
Closer home, the threats of attacks from low-flying sub-conventional aerial platforms including UAVs, their use for the cross-border smuggling of arms, ammunition, narcotics and counterfeit money across western border has been on the rise.
The routine assertion of claimed areas by the adversary dominating the skies across northern borders has also been reported from time to time for several years in the past by own troops on ground. In addition, these threats do not just come only from across the borders today, even Naxalites are now reportedly deploying drones in their operations against Indian security forces.
Closer home, the threats of attacks from low-flying sub-conventional aerial platforms including UAVs, their use for the cross-border smuggling of arms, ammunition, narcotics and counterfeit money across western border has been on the rise.
Although the United States was the world’s leading user of combat drones for more than a decade, the technology is now in the hands of a number of countries.
The procedure of procuring armed Predator and Reaper drones in the United States is still lengthy and convoluted due to congressional and military control. This may have prompted many countries to turn towards China, which has sold the CH-4 drones to almost a dozen countries although Chinese UCAV is less sophisticated than the Reaper.
Pakistan racing ahead
Pakistan earned the distinction of being the fourth country in the world after the US, UK & Israel to have successfully deployed unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) in an active operation in 2015 where in the Pakistan military claimed to have eliminated three high-profile Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists using its indigenous Burraq combat drone during an operation in North Waziristan’s Shawal Valley.
In the week ending September 8, 2021, a controversy broke out after Zia Arianjad, who represented Samangan in the Afghan Parliament, alleged that the Pakistani Air Force had launched drone strikes on the National Resistance Front (NRF) in the Panjshir valley.
Pakistan has been investing significantly in UAVs. Its Navy, reportedly, has inducted a new Spy Plane that Can ‘Track & Hunt Down’ Indian Submarines. Over the past few years, there have seen extensive developments in this domain in both Pakistan Army as well as Pakistan Navy. The Pakistan Navy is already operating several UAVs for surveillance such as the Scan Eagle and Uqab.
Pakistan has signed a contract with Turkey for the co-production of ANKA UCAV in 2021. Pakistan also acquired CH-4 and Wing Long UCAVs from China.
Thus, it may be seen from the above that Pakistan has a blend of both indigenously designed and externally procured drones. The Burraq was initially designed for intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance (ISR) purposes but was later made combat capable. Research and development into the project began in 2009, following which the drone was unveiled in 2015.
Prior to Burraq’s development, Islamabad was trying to procure the American Predator drones, but it did not pan out. Pakistan then turned to China; however, the designs did not meet Pakistani military requirements. These procurement challenges prompted Pakistan to indigenously develop a combat drone.
The Burraq drone of Pakistan
The National Engineering and Scientific Commission, a civilian research facility, which functions under the Strategic Plans Division, collaborated with the Pakistan Airforce to develop the Burraq. It was based on the Predator and Chinese CH-3 Rainbow.
The drone derives its name from a mythical horse, which is believed to have carried Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem. Since its induction, the Burraq has been used in counterterrorism operations in Pakistan’s northwest regions as brought out above.
The Burraq carries the Barq air-to-surface laser-guided missile during combat operations. While the specifications of Barq remain classified, its profile is believed to resemble the American Hellfire missile and another Chinese missile. It has a 1,000 km range and a maximum speed of 215 km/h with a service ceiling of 7,500 m.
Other drones with Pakistan
The Shahpar is another indigenous tactical UAV in Pakistan’s inventory. The UAV has a maximum take-off weight of 480kg and a maximum operating altitude of 5,000m. NESCOM had collaborated on this project. Pakistan’s defense ministry commissioned the first fleet of Shahpar into the Pakistan Army and Air Force in November 2013, mandated to carry out ISR missions and assist in disaster management.
The Shahpar II, a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone, was revealed in March 2021 and builds upon its previous variant.
Other than its indigenous drones, Pakistan has a fleet of top-of-the-line imported UAVs. The SELEX Galileo from Italy, the CH-4 from China, and the AAI RQ-7 Shadow from America comprise its foreign procurements.
The SATUMA Jasoos II is another indigenous drone in the Pakistan air force’s inventory fulfilling dual purposes; ISR and training.
Other than its indigenous drones, Pakistan has a fleet of top-of-the-line imported UAVs. The SELEX Galileo from Italy, the CH-4 from China, and the AAI RQ-7 Shadow from America comprise its foreign procurements.
Pakistan is also known to have acquired 50 Wing Loong II armed drones from China, which according to official Chinese media, could turn out to be a “nightmare for Indian ground formations in high-altitude areas,” with India having the little capability to repel advanced stand-off weapons.
Janes Defense had recently reported that Islamabad received five CAI Hong 4 MALE UAVs from Beijing. The CAI Hong 4s are a potent drone, which has been used against Houthi rebels by Saudi forces during the conflict in Yemen.
China – A rising drone power
Rivaling Turkey in the attack drone capabilities is China, which is fast gaining a major chunk of the global drone market, having snatched most of the business from the US and Israel in the last decade.
China has been exporting its models CH-4 and Wing Loong I, and now Wing Loong II to many countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan.
China is also arming India’s neighbor Pakistan with advanced attack drones and the two countries are reportedly negotiating on joint production of some models.
Is India prepared to counter Pakistan and China?
Thus, it may be seen from the above that both Pakistan and China are bolstering their unmanned aerial attack capabilities with Pakistan turning to China and Turkey while India, having signed two key pacts with the US – COMCASA in 2018 and BECA in 2020, is preparing to lease the US, and Israeli armed drones to boost its capability at the borders.
The Indian armed forces have a large number of UAVs, mainly Israeli-origin, for real-time reconnaissance and precision targeting. The IAF also has Israeli Harop “killer” or Kamikaze drones that act as cruise missiles by exploding into enemy targets and radars. There is also the Rs 3,500 crore upgrade programme for over half of the around 80-90 Israeli Heron UAVs inducted by the armed forces over the years with laser-guided bombs and air-to -ground anti-tank missiles as well as advanced reconnaissance capabilities under ‘Project Cheetah’.
However, India currently does not have full-fledged unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) like the American Predators and Reapers, which are controlled by satellites and can fire missiles on enemy targets before returning to re-arm for further missions.
Domestically, India is ramping up its drone capabilities by investing in the research and development of such projects with leading public institutions.
The proposed $ 3 billion (around Rs 22,000 crore) acquisition of 30 “hunter-killer” armed MQ-9B Predator or Sea Guardian drones from the US is on hold because of the high costs involved and the thrust on ‘Aatma nirbhar ’ in defense production. Often called the “Predator-B,” this was the first hunter-killer UCAV (unmanned combat aerial vehicle), meaning that it can independently recognize and annihilate targets. The Predator-B is a battle-tested drone and was deployed in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Mali, Yemen and Pakistan to name a few.
Domestically, India is ramping up its drone capabilities by investing in the research and development of such projects with leading public institutions. One of the projects India’s HAL is working on is modeled on the US project Skyborg, under which multiple unmanned aircraft and vehicles have teamed up with manned jets. The drones will operate alongside fighters such as LCA Tejas and Rafale to boost the effectiveness of these planes.
India’s indigenously developed medium-altitude long-endurance drone Rustom-2 using its own GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) system demonstrated critical capabilities in November 2021 after many shortcomings were overcome by the scientists at DRDO.
Ghatak
The DRDO Ghatak in particular merits a mention. The homegrown stealth UCAV is still under development and details are classified. The Ghatak project, currently, has gained flagship status. The Central Government is reportedly putting its weight behind the project and is likely to include a deck-based UCAV variant for the Indian Navy as well. A full-scale prototype is likely to be rolled out between 2024 and 2025.
The Ghatak drone is a replica of India’s Ghatak stealth UCAV currently under-development. The unmanned aerial vehicle, known as the SWiFT, is intended to serve as a proof-of-concept for a planned production combat drone, the Ghatak, which is reportedly being developed primarily as an unmanned strike aircraft. The said project is clearly an enormously important one that could bring a significant regional and even strategic advantage to the Indian Air Force, if realized.
Importantly, however, India is now playing serious catchup to China when it comes to developing combat drones of this type. China, which is increasingly becoming a major regional antagonist to India, already has developed the Sharp Sword stealth flying wing UCAV, with later iterations of what the People’s Liberation Army designates the GJ-11 also featuring refined low-observable features, including a stealthier exhaust.
This is not the only flying-wing combat drone developed by China, with the broadly similar CH-7 and the significantly smaller Tian Ying also having been offered for export, among others. With that in mind, India’s efforts to field a similar system may also simply be about achieving some kind of parity with China, the earlier, the best.
India’s progress
In an initial but crucial step towards eventually building a full – fledged stealth combat drone capable of firing missiles and dropping bombs, India conducted the successful maiden flight of an unmanned ‘autonomous flying wing technology demonstrator’ on Jul 1, 2022. This flight marks a major milestone in terms of proving critical technologies towards the development of future unmanned aircraft and is a significant step towards self-reliance in such strategic defense technologies.
It has also been reported that a total of 76 Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial Surveillance (TAPAS), on the lines of General Atomics MQ-1 Predator, combat drones are heading towards user evaluation trials before induction into the armed forces—the Army, 60; the Air Force, 12; and the Navy, four in near future.
However, analysts believe India is lagging behind in terms of indigenously developed UCAVs as Pakistan made their Burraq combat drone operational in 2015 and battle-tested it while India will be rolling out the first indigenous combat system in 2025.
There is no doubt that India is making an all-out effort to bridge the above gap expeditiously by various means such as import of small drones from Turkey called ‘variable volume’ UAVs capable of completing tasks that begin in congested locations and end in rural areas without requiring the use of another platform from Zyrone Dynamics including a partnership agreement in 2021 with the Indian Company DCM Shriram as also on lease of new advanced Heron drones from Israel to keep an eye on the activities along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
However, the country needs to leapfrog and address the technology differential in the specialized domain with both the adversaries on an urgent basis to achieve parity, if not superiority in a time bound roadmap.
