8 mins to 60 seconds: Artillery units slash target strike time
The Indian Army’s Regiment of Artillery is undergoing a significant transformation, incorporating advanced technology to identify and strike targets up to 70 to 80 km inside enemy territory using drones. These drones provide real-time virtual imagery, enabling commanders on the ground to launch an attack within just 60 seconds.
Lt Gen Adosh Kumar, Director General (DG) of Artillery, while addressing the media ahead of Gunners Day — marking the 198th anniversary of the Regiment on September 28 — stated, “The response time from detecting a target to launching a strike has now been reduced to one minute.” He explained that after a drone identifies a target, loitering munitions, capable of staying airborne for several hours, are directed at the target, completing the process within a minute. The Army’s Surveillance and Target Acquisition (SATA) units have been reorganised, resulting in a significant reduction in response times from 8-9 minutes to just one minute, according to Lt Gen Kumar.
This revamp of the SATA units is the first major overhaul since Operation Vijay in 1999. The DG emphasised that the Army is focusing on indigenous options for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with a range of 70-80 km, along with loitering munitions. He added that these indigenous projects are progressing well and will soon undergo trials.
Lt Gen Kumar mentioned that the Pralay missile, with a range of 400 km, is under development and will be tested soon.
