India Plans to Equip Warships with Anti-Drone Laser Weapons
Reference News Network reported on October 23 According to a report by Bloomberg News on October 19, Indian Navy Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar stated that the country's navy is exploring new solutions for powering future warships, enabling these vessels to carry laser weapons and microwave weapons to shoot down swarms of inexpensive drones.
The report pointed out that the Indian Navy has learned lessons from the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the wars in the Middle East, believing that such weapons can address drone threats at a lower cost. These drones can be launched in batches, overwhelming traditional air defense systems with sheer numbers.
Kochhar told reporters on the 19th, "The cost of these drones is very low." He also stated that the enemy's extensive use of such drones aims to create an "overwhelming effect."
The cost comparison between the two sides is quite stark. Kochhar said that an Iranian-designed "Witness" attack drone costs about $35,000 to $50,000, while a missile used to shoot it down can cost as much as $2 million to $3 million.
"Using expensive missiles to target cheap drones is definitely not cost-effective," he said, "Therefore, directed energy weapons, which use lasers, microwaves, and other high-energy beams to directly destroy targets, play an extremely critical and important role."
He mentioned that directed energy weapons like microwave weapons require a large amount of electricity, and traditional diesel and gas turbine systems may struggle to meet this demand, prompting the Indian Navy to shift towards electric propulsion for future warships.
"We have already signed agreements on electric propulsion and received government approval," Kochhar said, but did not disclose specific details.
He also stated that the Indian Navy is researching navigation technologies that can function normally even when satellite positioning signals are lost or disrupted, including quantum positioning systems and astronomical navigation. (Translated by Liu Yuehua)
The Indian Navy is exploring the integration of laser and microwave weapons on future warships to effectively counter low-cost drone threats. This initiative, reported on October 19, 2023, aims to address the challenges posed by mass drone attacks, which can overwhelm conventional air defense systems. The Navy is also transitioning to electric propulsion to support these energy-intensive weapon systems and is investigating alternative navigation technologies.
- India's Navy is planning to equip future warships with laser and microwave weapons.
- These weapons are intended to counter low-cost drone threats.
- The Indian Navy is transitioning to electric propulsion systems to support these energy-intensive weapons.
- The cost of drones is significantly lower than traditional missile systems.
- India is researching navigation technologies that work without satellite signals.