SOURCE: AFI
In a rapidly evolving global security landscape, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC), has emphasized the urgent need for India to bolster its anti-stealth radar and long-range air defence systems (ADS) to counter the growing threat posed by enemy fifth-generation fighter jets. Speaking at the CNN-News18 Defence Townhall on June 28, 2025, Air Marshal Dixit highlighted the strategic imperative of enhancing India’s air defence capabilities to maintain superiority in the face of advanced stealth platforms, such as China’s J-20 and FC-31, and Pakistan’s potential acquisition of similar technologies.
This call to action comes amid heightened regional tensions and India’s recent demonstration of military prowess in Operation Sindoor, underscoring the critical role of indigenous innovation in safeguarding national airspace.
Fifth-generation fighter jets, such as the U.S. F-35, China’s J-20, and Russia’s Su-57, represent a paradigm shift in aerial warfare. These platforms are characterized by advanced stealth capabilities, sensor fusion, supercruise, and network-centric warfare, enabling “first look, first kill” advantages. Their low radar cross-section (RCS) makes them difficult to detect with conventional radars, while their ability to integrate with drones and hypersonic weapons amplifies their lethality. China’s deployment of the J-20 along the Sino-Indian border and its ongoing development of the FC-31 for potential export to allies like Pakistan have raised concerns for India’s air defence planners. Pakistan’s access to Chinese-made systems, including the YLC-8E anti-stealth radar, further complicates the threat landscape, as demonstrated during Operation Sindoor in May 2025.
Air Marshal Dixit, drawing on lessons from Operation Sindoor—a four-day military confrontation with Pakistan triggered by a terror attack in Pahalgam—underscored that “the side that sees first, sees farthest, and sees most accurately prevails.” He noted Pakistan’s use of Chinese fifth-generation systems and emphasized that India must counter these advanced threats by developing cutting-edge anti-stealth radars and long-range ADS to detect and neutralize stealth jets before they can engage Indian assets.
India’s Current Air Defence Architecture
India’s air defence network, showcased during Operation Sindoor, is a multi-layered system integrating indigenous and imported technologies. Key components include:
- Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS): Developed by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), the IACCS integrates data from radars, airborne sensors, and command centers to provide real-time situational awareness. It played a pivotal role in neutralizing Pakistani drone and missile attacks during Operation Sindoor, coordinating assets like the Akash, MR-SAM, and S-400 systems.
- Akash and Akash-NG SAM Systems: The DRDO-developed Akash SAM, with a range of 25–45 km (up to 70–80 km for Akash-NG), is designed to counter fighter jets, drones, and cruise missiles. Its Rajendra phased-array radar and indigenous seekers enhance its effectiveness against low-flying targets, with a demonstrated success rate in Operation Sindoor.
- Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MR-SAM): A joint Indo-Israeli system with a 70–100 km range, the MR-SAM uses active radar homing to intercept aircraft and missiles. Its integration with IACCS ensured high accuracy against Pakistani threats in May 2025.
- S-400 Triumf (Sudarshan Chakra): India operates three of five contracted S-400 squadrons, with a 400 km range capable of engaging stealth jets, ballistic missiles, and drones. Its 91N6E Big Bird radar provides long-range detection, forcing adversaries like Pakistan to reposition assets deeper inland.
- Arudhra Radar: This DRDO-developed radar, with a 300 km detection range, can track targets with an RCS as low as 2 m², making it critical for detecting drones and low-observable aircraft.
- Project Kusha (ERADS): Announced by DRDO on June 8, 2025, Project Kusha is an indigenous long-range ADS equivalent to Russia’s S-500, designed to counter stealth jets, hypersonic missiles, and anti-ship ballistic missiles. Its Long-Range Battle Management Radar (LRBMR) can detect targets over 500 km away, integrating seamlessly with IACCS. The system aims for an 80–90% interception rate and is targeted for deployment by 2028–2029.
Despite these advancements, Air Marshal Dixit stressed that India’s air defence must evolve to counter the stealth and electronic warfare capabilities of fifth-generation jets, which can evade conventional radars and exploit gaps in shorter-range systems.
Stealth aircraft rely on low RCS, advanced coatings, and electronic countermeasures to reduce detectability. Conventional radars, operating in higher frequency bands (X-band or S-band), struggle to detect these platforms due to their small radar signatures. Anti-stealth radars, such as those operating in lower frequency bands (VHF or UHF) like China’s YLC-8E, exploit longer wavelengths to detect low-observable targets, though at the cost of reduced precision. India’s Arudhra radar and the upcoming LRBMR under Project Kusha represent steps toward anti-stealth capabilities, but Dixit emphasized the need for further advancements in:
VHF/UHF Radar Development: Enhancing low-frequency radars to detect stealth jets at long ranges, coupled with AI-driven signal processing to improve accuracy.
Multi-Band Integration: Combining VHF, UHF, and S-band radars to create a composite air picture, reducing the limitations of any single frequency band.
Quantum and Passive Radars: Exploring quantum radar technologies and passive detection systems that rely on ambient radio signals to detect stealth aircraft without emitting detectable signals.
Project Kusha, described as a “game-changer” by DRDO, is central to India’s strategy to counter fifth-generation jets. Its three interceptor missiles—M1 (150 km), M2 (200 km), and M3 (350 km)—offer a layered defence against stealth aircraft, hypersonic missiles, and ballistic threats. The LRBMR’s 500–600 km detection range enables early warning, while AI-driven systems enhance target tracking and engagement. Unlike the S-400, which relies on Russian technology, Kusha’s indigenous design supports India’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative, with potential for export to countries seeking alternatives to Western and Russian systems.
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