Air Defence Systems

Prelims: Current events of national and international importance

Mains (GS III): Security challenges and their management in border areas

Why in News?

Recently, India deployed a range of air defence systems in response to Pakistan’s drone and missile attacks, which were immediately tracked and destroyed.

Primary objective – To take out threats from the skies like enemy fighter aircraft, unmanned drones, or missiles.
Technology used – It is done with the help of a complex system of radar, control centres, defensive fighter aircraft, and ground-based air defence missile, artillery, and electronic warfare systems.
Working – It can be sub-categorised into 3 interlinked operations
- Detection
- Tracking
- Interception
All these 3 aspects of an air defence system have to work together as a cogent whole called “C3” or a “command, control and communication” system.
Detection – It is typically done by radar, although satellites may be used in certain circumstances, such as an enemy launching an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM).
- Radar sends out beams of electromagnetic radio waves by a transmitter which are reflected by the objects that they hit.
- A receiver then collects the returning radio waves and makes inferences such as the distance of the threat, its speed, and its specific nature (what kind of aircraft/ missile).
Tracking – It is typically done using a combination of radar and other sensors such as infrared cameras or laser rangefinders.
The accuracy of tracking is crucial for effectively neutralising the enemy without targeting false threats.
Interception – Depending on the challenges they foresee; nations utilize a wide assortment of weapons to neutralise aerial threats.
- Fighter Aircrafts
- Surface-to-Air Missiles
- Anti-Aircarft Artillery
- Electronic Warfare

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Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA)

They fire shells rapidly, at rates of over 1,000 rounds per minute.
AAA shells are designed to explode at predetermined altitudes so as to disperse shrapnel over a wide area.
This makes an AAA battery effective even if it does not achieve a direct hit.
When augmented with automated fire-control systems, they remain crucial last-ditch defences, and are also used for specialised anti-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) roles.

Fighter aircrafts

These agile aircraft can be scrambled at a moment’s notice, and they climb quickly to altitude and neutralise an enemy aircraft before it deploys its weapons.
Interceptors are equipped for air-to-air combat with cannon, rockets, a suite of visual-range and beyond-visual-range missiles, and electronic warfare systems.

Surface-to-Air Missiles

They are more effective than anti-aircraft artillery (AAA), and do not put pilots in danger like interceptors.
They are radar-, infrared-, or laser-guided. In addition to being operated from the ground, SAMs can also be launched from ships.
- Heavy long-range systems which are fixed or semi-mobile;
- Medium-range vehicle-mounted systems that can fire on the move
- Short-range man-portable air-defense systems (or MANPADS)

Electronic Warfare

It is most often used to jam enemy radar and targeting systems, so as to impede its ability to accurately and effectively deploy its weapon.
It can confuse attack drones or prevent enemy air-to-surface missiles from homing in on targets.
These can operate from both land and air, including from specialised EW aircraft, such as the US Navy’s Boeing EA-18G Growler.

Beyond the technical capabilities superior communication and decision-making capabilities are crucial for an effective air defence.

Reference

The Indian Express| Working of Air Defence System

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