Akash Weapon System AND WLR Swathi

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Context

The Defence Ministry signed contracts for procuring improved Akash Weapon System and 12 Weapon Locating Radars WLR Swathi (Plains) for the Indian Army at an overall cost of over Rs 9,100 crore in another boost for Make in India initiative.

Details

The contract for procurement of improved Akash Weapon System (AWS) for third and fourth regiments of Army Air Defence was signed with Bharat Dynamics Limited for over Rs 8,160 crore.
The contract for WLR Swathi (Plains) was signed with Bharat Electronic Limited (BEL) at a cost of over Rs 990 crore.

About Akash Weapon System

The AWS is a Short Range Surface to Air Missile (SRSAM) Air Defence System, indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation.
In order to meet aerial threats, two additional regiments of AWS with upgradation are being procured for Indian Army for the Northern borders.

FEATURES:

Range of Operation: 4.5 km to 25 km
Altitude of Operation: 100 m up to 20 km
Guidance System: Command Guidance
Target types: Helicopters, Fighter aircrafts, UAVs etc.
Fully automatic with quick response time from target detection to kill.
Open system architecture ensures adaptability to existing and futuristic Air Defence environments.
High immunity against active and passive jamming.
Secured mode of communication between combat elements.
Self-sufficient in electrical power with in-built power sources.
Road and rail transportable with quick mobilization and deployment capabilities.
In-built safety features with IFF.

Benefits of the improved system

Improved AWS has Seeker technology, reduced footprint, 360° engagement capability and improved environmental parameters.
The project will give a boost to the Indian missile manufacturing industry in particular and the indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem as a whole.
The project has overall indigenous content of 82 per cent which will be increased to 93 per cent by 2026-27.
This project will play a role in boosting the overall economy by avoiding outgo of precious foreign exchange to other countries, increasing employment avenues in India and encouraging Indian MSMEs through components manufacturing.
Around 60 per cent of the project cost will be awarded to the private industry, including MSMEs, in maintaining the supply chain of the weapon system, creating large scale of direct and indirect employment.

About Weapon Locating Radar

Weapon Locating Radar (WLR) is an electronically scanned phased array radar.
The radar automatically locates hostile artillery, mortars and rocket launchers and tracks friendly fire to locate the impact point of friendly artillery fire to issue necessary corrections.
The radar is designed to detect projectiles with small cross section across the battle space horizon, and has the capability to handle simultaneous fire from weapons deployed at multiple locations.
The radar is designed for high mobility, quick deployment and decamp.
The physical profile consists of radar shelter, antenna and cooling mechanisms which are placed on a slewable platform.
System is designed to survive physical rigours of battlefield and soft hostile electronic warfare.

Weapon Locating Radar Swathi

It is an indigenously designed WLR which is capable of locating guns, mortars and rockets firing own troops, thereby facilitating their destruction through counter bombardment by own firepower resources.
This will enable troops to carry out their operational tasks without any interference from the enemy and also provide them safety against enemy fire.
Induction is planned to be completed in 24 months.

Interesting Fact:

WLR is a derivative of the fire-control radar system used on board an Akash surface-to-air missile.
While testing the missile, engineers observed that the Akash’s FCR (called the Rajendra radar) could also track artillery shells being fired in a range nearby, and therefore used the same design while developing the Swathi

FEATURES:

The radar array is designed to detect and track incoming artillery rounds, mortar rockets and the launchers
It can also provide fire correction by tracking friendly counter-battery fire
Large calibre artillery rounds (105 mm & 155mm) can be tracked from a distance of 30km.
The WLR utilizes a C-Band radar with a frequency range of between 4 – 8 GHz and a wavelength span of 3.75 and 7.5 cm
The Swathi WLR is a passive electronically-scanned array radar, which means that the beam can automatically lock on to a target without having to move the transmitter.
The radar can track rounds fired at both low and high angles, and at all aspect angles – from behind or towards the radar, or at an oblique angle to the array.
The radar is of a coherent type, which helps clear out the background clutter (trees, buildings etc are not tracked).

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q) Upgraded Akash Weapon System will be a boon for the Indian Army in the northern borders. Elaborate. (150 words)