New UAVs to help armed forces thwart Pulwama- type attacks

Gadget will be able to spot vehicles parked in isolated areas or those moving in suspicious manner

In order to thwart attacks by terrorists such as the one in Pulwama, Bengalurubased Alpha Design Technologies Ltd ( ADTL) has offered “Skylark” and “SkyStriker” Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ( UAV) to the Indian armed forces, and both will be on display at Aero India 2019 commencing here on February 20.

“Skylark”, designed to operate at day and night, and peer across the border to provide advance information to the field commander of forward brigades on movement of troops or weapons or even vehicles of militants, is undergoing trials by the armed forces somewhere in Ladakh region. Within the border, it would be able to spot vehicles parked in isolated areas or those moving in suspicious manner and alert the armed forces to enable them to intercept and look for explosives, says Col. H. S. Shankar ( Retd), chairman and managing director of ADTL, Bengaluru.

He said in comparison, “SkyStriker” is a fully autonomous loitering munitions ( LM) system capable of long- range precise tactical strikes. “SkyStriker” improves situational awareness and survivability by providing direct- fire aerial precision capabilities to manoeuvring troops and Special Forces. A cost effective mobile platform, “SkyStriker” offers quick deployment and ease of operation. “Based on inputs on targets like ammunition dumps or bunkers of terrorists, it can decimate the target as it is tipped with an explosive. The Indian army has evinced interest in this UAV,” he added.

In addition, the rear fuselage assembly of LCA Mk II fighter aircraft, which would be part of 80 LCA Mk II fighter jets scheduled for manufacture by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd ( HAL), would also be displayed at the air show. A new version of the low weight hand- held thermal imager sight with combined day / night sight, eye safe laser range finder and GPS, which has been offered to the army’s infantry and artillery divisions, would be exhibited at the air show.

Col. Shankar said his organisation’s foray into rocket science would be on display through Isro’s IRNS ( i), the first medium sized satellite made by Indian production organisation, and now orbiting the earth. ADTL would also showcase large number of satellite ground receiving terminals manufactured, integrated, installed in all nine northeastern states.

◗ Global aerospace major Lockheed Martin will present a selection of fixed- wing and rotary aircraft, as well as the unmanned aerial system at Aero India 2019