Mission Sudarshan Chakra: Army To Get AK630 Air Defence Guns; Know How It Will Shield Civilians Along Pakistan Border

In a major development to bolster India's defence capabilities, the Indian Army is set to procure AK-630 air defence guns from the state-owned Advanced Weapon and Equipment India Ltd (AWEIL).

The procurement is being made under the Sudarshan Chakra initiative, an ambitious air defence and national security initiative announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day Speech on August 15 this year.

The mission aims to shield the Indian territories which are accessible to the Pakistani misadventure, especially areas along the Indo-Pakistan border and Line of Control (LoC).

News agency ANI quoted a defence official saying, "Indian Army Air Defence has floated an RFP (Request for Proposal) for the procurement of six AK-630 Air Defence Gun Systems with AWEIL".

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"The system sought is a 30mm multi-barrel mobile air defence gun system with a high rate of fire," he added.

How will AK630 shield Indian territories?

The AK630 gun system is a fully automatic, rotary cannon and short-distance air defence system that is mounted on a trailer and towed by a high mobility vehicle and act as a part of the Army's layered defence network.

It will be used to thwart the threat from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Rockets, Artillery and Mortar (URAM). With a range of up to 4 km, the gun system will protect the air littoral up to 10,000 meters above ground level.

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The AK630 system is capable of firing at a cyclic rate of up to 3,000 rounds per minute. The system detects incoming threats through an all-weather Electro-Optical Fire Control system that uses advanced sensors, thermal images, TV cameras and laser rangefinders.

With the detection system, AK630 will become capable of engaging targets in any weather conditions, day or night. 

India's robust air defence during Op Sindoor

The Indian Army's Army Air Defence played a key role in thwarting Pakistani aerial attacks using drones and aircraft during Operation Sindoor. India's layered air defence detected, engaged and distroyed the enemy incoming with overwhelming accuracy and precision. 

The Defence Minister also recently visited the Army Air Defence troops in Bhuj in Gujarat, where they had foiled multiple Pakistani attacks during Op Sindoor.

(With ANI Inputs)