Future of high altitude warfare lies in use of cutting-edge tech: Army Commander

Lt. Gen. M.V. Suchindra Kumar said the extreme cold, reduced oxygen levels, rough terrain in Ladakh test both human endurance and equipment.

The Drone-a-thon conducted by the Army in Ladakh gave an overview of the capabilities of the Indian industry in terms the various types and categories of drones available, officials said on the sidelines of Himtech symposium, exclusively showcasing high altitude technologies, that began in Leh on Friday.

Since the 2020 standoff with China in Eastern Ladakh, the Army has taken up major technology accretion, especially in high altitude areas as it reoriented its order of and redeployed troops.

Addressing the two-day news exhibition, Northern Army Commander Lt. Gen. M.V. Suchindra Kumar said the rugged terrain of Ladakh demands specialised equipment whether it be cold weather gear, terrain adaptive vehicles or energy-efficient shelters.

“Future of warfare especially in high altitude areas lies in the strategic use of cutting-edge technology by using AI-infused autonomous systems like UAVs and UGVs. We can reduce the burden of our soldiers to some extent and extend our operational reach to areas previously inaccessible,” he said.

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Noting that Ladakh’s extreme altitudes often exceeding 15,000 feet present unique hurdles, Lt. Gen. Kumar said the extreme cold, reduced oxygen levels, rough terrain test both human endurance and equipment. With temperatures dropping to -40 degrees Celsius or less, maintaining operational preparedness becomes a daunting task, and basic activities such as mobility, communication and logistics turn into complex challenges in these conditions, he said.

Stressing that the armed forces rise to the occasion every day and on every occasion, he added, “But courage alone if not enough. To protect our sovereignty, we must equip our forces with the best tools and technology available.”

Himtech, with the theme “Harnessing Defence Technology for High Altitude Areas”, is being organised by the Indian Army in coordination with industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and is seeing more than 90 vendors from various parts of India.

The Drone-a-thon 2 initiative conducted from September 17-18 at Wari La in Ladakh at an altitude of 15,000 feet aimed to tap into the power of cutting-edge indigenous technology, focusing on enhancing operational efficiency and tactical superiority in some of the most challenging terrain on the planet through the use of drones within the ambit of Atmanirbhar Bharat, the Army said.

Drones are increasingly playing a significant role in modern warfare as seen in recent conflicts in Ukraine and Israel. The roles are expanding across various domains to include surveillance, logistics, precision strikes, communication etc. Their growing role reflects their versatility, effectiveness and potential to transform military operations. Over 20 drone manufacturers showcased spectrum of drone solutions designed for high-altitude applications.

These products spanned across domains of surveillance, logistics, loitering munitions, swarm and FPV (first-person view) operations, the Army said. The extreme terrain of Ladakh provided an authentic testbed for validating the performance and global applicability of these systems, the Army said adding the event gave opportunity to the Indian Army to shortlist a number of products for potential procurement while products improvements were also recommended for a few products.

An official explained that a lot of drone manufacturers approach them to showcase their systems and this was an opportunity to test them in real field, extreme conditions. It gave the Army an opportunity to understand industry capabilities and a basis to formulate their requirements in future.

Published - September 20, 2024 11:11 pm IST