SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully completed the development of the VISR-AX (Versatile ISR – AESA (X Band)), a next-generation software-defined Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) transceiver.
This cutting-edge technology is poised to redefine Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and will be integrated into the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Indigenous Stratospheric Tactical Airborne Relay (I-STAR) airborne program. The VISR-AX, featuring advanced Gallium Nitride (GaN) tile-based AESA technology and multi-channel RF front-end design, promises to enhance the IAF’s situational awareness, making it a cornerstone of India’s defense modernization efforts amid evolving regional security challenges.
The VISR-AX represents a significant leap forward in ISR technology, offering a compact, scalable, and future-ready solution tailored to meet the IAF’s evolving mission demands. Built around a tile-based architecture with multi-channel RFSoC (Radio Frequency System on Chip) backend, the transceiver provides seamless scalability and reconfigurability across a broad spectrum of ISR functions. Its software-defined multi-channel RF front-end allows for dynamic adaptability, enabling integration into various platforms, including UAVs, helicopters, fighters, and surveillance aircraft.
The system leverages cutting-edge GaN tile-based AESA technology, known for its efficiency and power, combined with advanced Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) processing. This enables the VISR-AX to create a cohesive distributed aperture system with full 360-degree coverage. The transceiver’s ultra-low Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) design, state-of-the-art RFSoC tile-based architecture, ensures it can be seamlessly integrated into the IAF’s I-STAR airborne platforms, which are designed for long-endurance, high-altitude operations.
Salient Features and Specifications
The VISR-AX operates in the X-band frequency range, utilizing an 8×16 GaN-based T/R (Transmit/Receive) tile module. Its software-defined RF system-on-chip and Radar-over-IP architecture support 32T2R (32 Transmit, 2 Receive) channels, providing robust performance for diverse operational needs. Key features include:
- MIMO Processing and Advanced Space-Time Adaptive Processing (STAP): Enhances target detection and tracking in cluttered environments.
- Digital Beamforming: Improves signal clarity and directionality.
- Advanced Jammer Resistance and LPI Features: Ensures low probability of intercept (LPI) for secure operations.
- X-Band LOS Communication, Joint Radar and Communication (JRC): Enables simultaneous radar and data transmission.
- Advanced Multifunctional Software-Defined Mode: Supports multiple operational modes, including surveillance, search, and periscope detection.
- High-Resolution SAR/ISAR: Delivers detailed imaging for reconnaissance.
- Drone Detection, Passive Sensing, Weather Monitoring, and LoS Communication: Offers versatile applications beyond traditional ISR.
These capabilities make the VISR-AX a multifunctional transceiver, capable of supporting the IAF’s I-STAR program by providing persistent surveillance, real-time data relay, and enhanced situational awareness at stratospheric altitudes.
The VISR-AX is specifically designed for the IAF’s I-STAR airborne program, which aims to deploy high-altitude, long-endurance platforms for ISR and communication relay missions. Building on the success of DRDO’s recent stratospheric airship trial on May 3, 2025, which reached 17 kilometers during a 62-minute flight, the I-STAR program seeks to develop solar-powered platforms capable of operating for weeks. The VISR-AX’s lightweight and power-efficient design aligns with this vision, enabling the integration of advanced sensors and communication systems into these platforms.
The IAF’s interest in such technologies is driven by the need to counter emerging threats, including low-flying cruise missiles, stealth aircraft, and drone swarms, particularly along its borders with China and Pakistan. The VISR-AX’s ability to provide 360-degree coverage and real-time data to ground-based systems like the Artillery Combat Command and Control System (ACCCS) “Shakti” enhances India’s multi-layered air defense network, complementing systems like the S-400 and indigenous Akash missiles.
NOTE: Article cannot be reproduced without written permission of idrw.org in any form even for YouTube Videos to avoid Copy right strikes. Websites doing illegal reproductions will get DMCA and Legal Notices.