Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, a new counter-drone system has been introduced — officially named ‘Vargavastra’. Specially designed to neutralize enemy drone attacks, the system has been developed by Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL).
On May 13, a successful trial of Vargavastra was conducted at Gopalpur, Odisha, in the presence of senior officials of the Indian Army.
The system draws its name from the mythological ‘Vargava Astra’ mentioned in the Mahabharata, which had the power to neutralize even divine weapons like Brahmastra and Brahmashira. The modern-day Vargavastra similarly has the capability to detect and destroy swarms of enemy drones. No aerial object within a 6 km radius can escape its range.
The system first identifies enemy drones or aircraft, then uses guided micro-munitions to destroy them. It has the ability to fire more than 64 micro-missiles.
According to SDAL, the system is cost-effective, mobile platform-based, and can be easily deployed. It is suitable for all terrains, including high-altitude mountainous regions.
Two trial launches were conducted in Gopalpur. In one trial, two rockets were fired in salvo mode within just 2 seconds.
SDAL claims that Vargavastra will play a pivotal role in countering large-scale drone attacks in the future.
