As India prepares to celebrate the 78th Independence Day, the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) has announced that it is making potent swadeshi (indigenous) Kamikaze Drones. These do-and-die unmanned aerial vehicles with home-built engines can power them to fly up to 1,000 kilometres. These vehicles have been widely used in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, where Ukrainians have used them extensively to target Russian infantry and armoured vehicles.
They are also used in the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
The Kamikaze suicide missions were first seen towards the end of World War II, pilots of a depleted Japanese air force would ram their fighter planes on Allied aircraft and ships.
These unmanned aerial vehicles loiter in the general area of interest for an extended period, carry explosives and ram the target when commanded by a human controller sitting far away. They can be sent in swarms, i.e. multiple drones and attack enemy installations by overwhelming the radars and enemy defences.
Dr Abhay Pashilkar, Director of the National Aerospace Laboratories, who is spearheading the research says, "India is developing these fully indigenous kamikaze drones, they are a game-changing 21st century new age war machine".
The Indian kamikaze drone will measure approximately 2.8 meters in length, with a wingspan of 3.5 meters, weigh around 120 kg, and carry a 25-kilogram explosive charge.
Dr. Pashilkar informed that this Indian loitering munition will have an endurance of about nine hours, allowing it to remain continuously in the target area once launched. After identifying the target, the operator can authorize the drone to carry out its suicide mission.
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