Technological Perspectives of Countering UAV Swarms

Ranjana Nallamalli; Kulwant Singh; Indra Deo Kumar

doi:10.14429/dsj.73.18695

Ranjana Nallamalli DRDO-Directorate of Systems and Technology Analysis, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4037-5726
Kulwant Singh DRDO-Directorate of Systems and Technology Analysis, India
Indra Deo Kumar DRDO-Directorate of Systems and Technology Analysis, India

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.73.18695

Keywords: UAV swarms, Counter-UAV swarms, Air-defence systems, Heterogeneous swarm configurations, Layered engagement, Autonomous targeting, Soft kill, Hard kill, Target classification, Air-burst ammunition, High energy laser, RF sensing, EO/IR sensor, High power microwave, Anti-aircraft guns

Abstract

Conventional AD systems have been found less effective for countering UAVs and loitering munitions. This
has necessitated the development of counter-UAV systems with different functionalities. A cluster of armed UAVs
as swarm formations has further rendered the conventional AD systems far from effective, emphasizing the need to consider countering swarms as the most crucial element in new-generation aerial threat mitigation strategies. In this paper, the capabilities of UAV swarms and vital military assets exposed to such attacks are identified. To protect the vital assets from aerial swarm threats, ideal system characteristics of a counter-UAV (C-UAV) swarm system to overcome the challenges are discussed. Currently available acquisition & engagement technology is analyzed and the application of these systems to counter swarm applications is brought out. New requirements are discussed and a conceptual design of a layered system is derived which can handle a large spectrum of aerial threats including a swarm of UAVs. This system is expected to have a higher rate of engagement and can be designed with low-cost network-integrated systems.