The Indian Air Force has accelerated efforts to develop indigenous loitering munitions tailored for Destruction of Enemy Air Defences (DEAD) missions, following their proven effectiveness in the brief May 2025 conflict with Pakistan, known as Operation Sindoor.

This push comes after the successful deployment of Israeli-made HAROP systems, which neutralised key Pakistani air defence assets of Chinese origin, marking the IAF's first combat use of such munitions against an active integrated air defence network. The conflict, spanning 7 to 10 May, highlighted the strategic necessity of suppressing enemy radars and missile launchers to secure air superiority in contested environments.

HAROP loitering munitions demonstrated exceptional capabilities during the operations, loitering for up to nine hours over target areas while autonomously detecting radar emissions through electro-optic seekers and radiation homing.

Launched from canister-based ground vehicles, these systems struck high-value targets such as surveillance radars, fire-control units, and command nodes in locations including Lahore, Rawalpindi, and border sectors. Unlike traditional missiles reliant on fixed coordinates, HAROP's man-in-the-loop control allowed for real-time target verification and attack abortion, proving resilient against jamming and ideal for countering mobile, emission-controlled defences.

The operational success validated loitering munitions as force multipliers, enabling saturation attacks that forced adversaries to either emit radar signals—risking detection—or remain passive, thus creating exploitable gaps for manned strikes.

In Operation Sindoor, alongside HAROP, the IAF employed other systems like Polish Warmate, indigenous Nagastra-1, and Elbit Sky Striker, though HAROP bore the brunt of DEAD roles with its 23 kg warhead and extended range. This experience underscored vulnerabilities in relying on imports during high-intensity scenarios, prompting a doctrinal evolution towards persistent, low-cost suppression options.

Aligning with India's Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the IAF now engages domestic firms to indigenise DEAD-specific loitering munitions, focusing on custom sensors for emitter hunting, enhanced payloads, and seamless integration with IAF's surveillance architecture.

Key requirements include extended endurance, autonomous navigation, and rapid upgradability to address layered, networked threats like those from Chinese-origin systems encountered in May. Firms such as Tata Advanced Systems, with their ALS-50 demonstrator, and others like Adani-Elbit and Solar Group, already active in loitering tech, are prime candidates for accelerated development.

This initiative mitigates supply chain risks exposed by foreign dependencies, ensuring wartime availability and tailored adaptations for South Asian threats, including high-altitude and maritime operations.

Early-stage discussions emphasise mass production scalability and interoperability with systems like Akash missiles and future TEJAS variants. By institutionalising indigenous DEAD capabilities, the IAF aims to degrade enemy umbrellas pre-emptively, sustaining air dominance in sensor-fused battlefields.

Modern air defences' mobility and low-emission tactics demand persistent loiterers over stand-off weapons alone, a lesson reinforced by global precedents like Azerbaijan's use against Armenia.

India's prior acquisitions, including emergency procurements post-2020 Ladakh standoff, provide a foundation, but the May conflict catalysed a dedicated IAF programme. Expected outcomes include prototypes within 18-24 months, bolstering deterrence against regional adversaries.

Strategic implications extend to broader force structuring, with loitering munitions offering cost-effective alternatives to expensive SEAD assets like BrahMos or SCALP cruise missiles used in the conflict. Integration with quantum-secure Comms and AI-driven targeting will enhance resilience, aligning with IAF's push for network-centric warfare. Ultimately, this development translates May's tactical victories into enduring operational autonomy, reshaping India's aerial posture.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)

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