Why Anti-Drone Rifle Vajra-Shot Is A Major Problem For Indian Armed Forces – Firstpost

As Israel continues its fight in Gaza and Russia wages war in Ukraine, there is one thing that is certain. Drones are becoming a crucial part of military operations around the world. In such circumstances, counter-drone technology is crucial.

And with this in mind, India has a new contribution in this field: the Vajra-Shot, a hand-held anti-drone rifle developed by Chennai-based Big Bang Boom Solutions.

The new weaponry has become a talking point after it was showcased at the ‘Swavlamban 2024’ – the Indian Navy’s Naval Innovation and Indigenization Organization (NIIO) seminar – held at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi.

We take a closer look at this Indian-made anti-drone rifle and why it could be a big boon to the country’s armed forces.

What is the Vajra Shot?

The Vajra-Shot is a portable anti-drone rifle that can detect and jam drone signals, disrupting communications between drones and their operators. Designed by Chennai-based Big Bang Boom Solutions, it has a range of up to four kilometers.

The Vajra-Shot has the ability to adjust the interference output via software, making it effective at neutralizing a wide range of drones.

The Vajra-Shot is also portable, making it easier for soldiers to use. Weighing only three and a half kilograms, it is easy to take with you in the field. The Indian-made anti-drone rifle also features a simple LED display and has a battery that lasts for nine hours of continuous use.

#WATCH | Delhi: Ravi Kumar, representative of Big Bang Boom Solutions, says, “We are into anti-drone solutions and this is ‘Vajra Shot’. It is a hand-held anti-drone gun that can go up to a range of 4 km detecting and also jamming. We have deployed it in Indian Army and Air Force.… pic.twitter.com/M4TVMI26Vo

— ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2024

A company representative, speaking about the success of Vajra-Shot, said the company had received orders worth around $25 million (Rs 210 crore) so far.

According to the makers of the anti-drone gun, the Vajra-Shot can be integrated with a portable drone detector, which converts it into a Vajra Super Shot.

How does it compare to other anti-drone systems?

India is not the only country making progress in the fight against drones. The United States has the DroneDefender, developed and produced by Battelle. Dan Stamm, who developed the DroneDefender, said the system works by disrupting the radio control frequencies between the drone and the pilot. “It basically makes the drone think it’s out of range. The drone enters its safety protocols, which include one of three options. It will either remain in position until the pilot can regain control link, it will land so the pilot can physically restore it, or it will return to the point of origin,” he said. Shame.

The DroneDefender weighs about four kilograms, making it slightly heavier than the Vajra-Shot. Although Battelle says using the DroneDefender requires no special training, it is more complex to use than the Vajra-Shot.

Meanwhile, China has the Skyfend Blader, a portable jammer that specifically targets small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Although the Blader weighs slightly more than the Vajra-Shot, it has a jamming range of only 1,500 meters, which is much smaller than the Indian version.

Russia also has its own version of the Vajra-Shot, known as REX-1. It is a handheld device that neutralizes drones using radio frequency and electromagnetic pulses. While similar to the Vajra-Shot, it is bulkier and offers less flexibility to soldiers.

Why are weapons like Vajra-Shot important?

Weapons like Vajra-Shot are critical as drones have transformed war dynamics worldwide. In fact, the use of drones in the ongoing conflicts in both Gaza and Ukraine highlights the urgent need for counter-drone systems such as the Vajra-Shot.

Many defense experts note that the extensive use of drones has made it possible for smaller countries such as Ukraine to engage in conflict with larger states. As a result, one study found that between 2018 and 2023, the number of states using drones increased from 16 to 40, an increase of 150 percent. Furthermore, a report from Vision of Humanity shows that the number of drone attacks and fatalities has also increased. In 2023, more than 3,000 deaths occurred as a result of drone strikes, or just under two percent of all combat deaths. This represented a 168 percent increase since 2018. The number of drone attacks saw a much more dramatic increase, with 4,957 attacks recorded in 2023, compared to just 421 in 2018.

Experts note that thanks to the use of drones, countries have reduced the human costs of conflict. Drones have been used extensively in the war between Russia and Ukraine and also in the conflict that has erupted in West Asia between Israel and Iran-backed allies Hamas and Hezbollah.

As Stanley McChrystal, former commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, said at a 2015 Royal United Services Institute conference: “increasing use of drones in combat and support roles will reduce the risk to military personnel and thereby potentially changing the threshold for military operations. the use of violence. Fewer casualties can reduce political risk and public reluctance for a military response…’

In India, military experts also see how drones are changing warfare. In February 2021, then Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane (retired) claimed that drones are the future of warfare. “Large platforms that were once the mainstay of the 20th century battlefield: the main battle tanks, combat aircraft and large surface combatants, have become relatively less important in the face of emerging battlefield challenges in newer domains,” the chief said. Indian Army.

In such circumstances, it is imperative that India steps up its fight against drone warfare, and the Vajra-Shot is the right step in that direction.

With input from authorities