According to a Solar Industries official, the first indigenous loiter munition (LM), Nagastra-1, has been designed and developed by Economics Explosives Ltd (EEL), a 100% subsidiary of Solar Industries Nagpur, in collaboration with Z-Motion, Bangalore, in response to the government's initiative to bring Atmanirbharta in ammunition and defence systems.
Solar Industries Nagpur, an Indian defence manufacturer, announced that it has won an order to supply unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to the Indian Army.
The company's Nagastra-1 loitering munition was selected over competitors from Israel and Poland, marking a significant milestone for the company and the Indian defence industry as a whole.
The Nagastra-1 is the first indigenous loitering munition designed and developed by Economics Explosives Ltd (EEL), a subsidiary of Solar Industries Nagpur, in association with Z-Motion, Bangalore.
The loitering munition has an indigenous content of more than 75% and features world-class technology that provides precision strike capabilities with an accuracy of 2m.
In a 'Kamikaze mode', the Nagastra-1 can neutralise any hostile threat with GPS-enabled precision strike, making it a powerful weapon in the Indian Army's arsenal.
The fixed-wing electric UAV has an endurance of 60 minutes with a man-in-loop range of 15 km and an autonomous mode range of 30 km.
The loitering munition is equipped with day-night surveillance cameras and a fragmenting warhead that can defeat soft-skin targets.
It can also be called back and made to land softly using a parachute recovery mechanism, enabling it to be reused multiple times.
The abort, recover, and reuse features of the Nagastra-1 make it superior to similar systems developed by advanced countries.
The Nagastra-1's capabilities are a significant step forward for India's defence industry, which has been pushing for greater self-reliance in defence systems and ammunition.
The Indian government's initiative to bring 'Atmanirbharta' (self-reliance) in defence has led to the development of the Nagastra-1, which has many indigenous features that are not available in foreign-made systems.
The Nagastra-1 loitering munition was recently displayed at the Army Commanders conference held in New Delhi, where it garnered attention for its advanced capabilities.
The drone technology has proven to be a force multiplier in military operations, as demonstrated in various recent conflicts worldwide.
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the strike on oilfields in Saudi Arabia, and the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict are just a few examples of how drones have been used in recent conflicts.
Solar Industries Nagpur has taken the initiative to develop a wide array of weaponised drones to neutralise various targets using gravity drop bombs, guided missiles, or in a Kamikaze mode, thereby enhancing the indigenous capability of using drones/UAVs as war machinery.
Solar Industries Nagpur's Nagastra-1 loitering munition is a significant achievement for the Indian defence industry, as it showcases the country's self-reliance and technological advancements.
With its world-class features and capabilities, the Nagastra-1 is sure to be a valuable addition to the Indian Army's arsenal, enhancing its operational capabilities and keeping the country's borders safe.
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