- By Aditya Jha
- Fri, 09 May 2025 08:20 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Indian armed forces on Thursday attacked the Pakistani Air Defence System and Air Defence Radars in multiple cities after the tension escalated between the two nations. The officials stated that India had successfully neutralised an Air Defence System in Lahore, adding that India has attacked with the same intensity as Pakistan. India also destroyed several Pakistani drones and missiles by its Air Defence Systems on Thursday night in several cities, including Jammu, Bhuj, and Jalandhar.
Pakistani drones and missiles were destroyed by Indian Air Force S-400 Sudarshan Chakra air defence missile systems, reported ANI, citing experts. The experts stated that the Indian Air Defence System is advanced in comparison to Pakistan, adding that Pakistani drones and missiles were not able to breach it on Thursday.
Air Defence System are a very significant part of the defence set-up as modern wars have been fought largely through missiles, drones, and jets. The country with a solid Air Defence System has a superior edge, as it can protect itself from the attacks from the enemy nation.
How Do Air Defence Systems Work?
Air Defence Systems detect and destroy the drones, aircraft, and missiles with the help of defensive fighter aircraft, systems of radar, air defense missiles (ground-based), and artillery. The functioning of an air defence system can be divided into three interlinked operations.
Detection: The drones and missiles from the enemy nations are detected by the system of radar and satellites (in some of the complex cases). Radar sends beams of electromagnetic radio waves through a transmitter, and these waves get reflected back by the target they hit. The returning radio waves are further collected by a receiver, and it makes various inferences from the information, including the distance of the object, its speed, and the nature of the object.
Tracking: The tracking of missiles/aircraft is done by using radar and other sensors such as laser rangefinders or advanced cameras. An efficient tracking system is very necessary, as it has to track multiple attacks and also has to distinguish them from the friendly aircraft.
Interception: The air defence system neutralises the enemy aircrafts once it is detected and tracked. The air defence system functioning depends on several factors of the threat, including its range, speed, and type. All three aspects of the system work on the basis of "C3" or a “command, control and communication” system. Apart from this, super communication and precise decision-making capabilities are necessary for a capable air defence system.
How Do They Intercept?
Multiple weapons are utilised to intercept the target depending on various factors, including the target's speed, direction, and type. These are some examples of the weapons used to intercept the targets:
Fighter Aircrafts: The fighter aircrafts are used to intercept the threat with high speed and effect. India has the option to use several aircraft with “multirole capabilities”, including Sukhoi Su-35s, MiG-29s, HAL Tejas, MiG-21 Bisons, and Dassault Rafales for interceptor missions.
SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES (SAMS): The special thing about the SAMS is that they do not put pilots in danger while destroying the targets. Apart from grounds, it can also be launched from ships and can be used to target enemy fighters, helicopters, and missiles. India has the option to use heavy SAMS like Russian made S-400 system to intercept targets at long range.
ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY (AAA): While its usage has been limited due to the presence of advanced options in modern times, it remains crucial, especially for specialised anti-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) roles. The special thing about AAA is it fires shells rapidly, making it very effective.