SOURCE: AFI
In a significant step toward modernizing its armored forces, the Indian Army has released a Request for Information (RFI) on April 6, 2025, for the procurement of approximately 75 platform-based Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) with both soft-kill and hard-kill capabilities. These systems are intended to be integrated into the Army’s fleet of T-90 and T-72 main battle tanks (MBTs), enhancing their survivability against the growing threat of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in modern warfare. This move underscores India’s commitment to adapting its military capabilities to address emerging battlefield challenges, particularly in the context of recent global conflicts where drones have played a pivotal role.
The Indian Army’s decision to equip its T-90 and T-72 tanks with advanced C-UAS systems comes in response to the evolving nature of warfare, where unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including loitering munitions and kamikaze drones, have become increasingly prevalent. The ongoing Ukraine conflict has demonstrated the vulnerability of armored units to such threats, with drones and top-attack anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) causing significant losses to tanks lacking adequate countermeasures. Observations from this conflict have highlighted the need for integrated defense systems that can detect, track, and neutralize aerial threats autonomously, prompting the Indian Army to prioritize the protection of its armored assets.
The RFI specifies that the C-UAS systems must be platform-based, meaning they will be directly integrated into the T-90 and T-72 tanks without compromising their existing capabilities. The systems are required to feature both soft-kill and hard-kill measures to counter a wide range of aerial threats, including loitering UAVs, first-person view (FPV) drones, swarm drones, and kamikaze drones. Soft-kill measures typically involve non-kinetic methods such as jamming, spoofing, or disrupting drone communications and navigation signals using radio frequency (RF) or electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) jammers. Hard-kill measures, on the other hand, involve kinetic countermeasures, such as deploying projectiles or directed-energy weapons like lasers to physically destroy incoming threats.
The Indian Army has emphasized that the C-UAS systems must be capable of operating in diverse environmental conditions, including the deserts, plains, and high-altitude regions of India, where the T-90 and T-72 tanks are deployed. This requirement is particularly significant given the Army’s operational commitments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan, both of which involve challenging terrains and altitudes. The systems are expected to provide 360-degree autonomous detection, recognition, and identification (DRI) of targets, ensuring comprehensive protection against omnidirectional threats.
The integration of C-UAS systems into the T-90 and T-72 tanks is part of a broader modernization effort by the Indian Army to enhance the survivability and effectiveness of its armored units. The Army has been actively upgrading its tank fleet in recent years, with initiatives such as the procurement of 1,000-horsepower engines for the T-72s to improve mobility and the planned induction of 464 T-90MS tanks, which feature advanced fire control systems and improved armor. Additionally, the Army has issued an RFI in February 2025 for Active Protection Systems (APS) for the T-90S/SK tanks, which also include soft-kill, hard-kill, and C-UAS capabilities, indicating a multi-pronged approach to countering modern threats.
The focus on countering UAS threats is particularly relevant in the context of India’s strategic challenges along its borders. Along the LAC, China has deployed advanced drones and light tanks like the Type-15, which are optimized for high-altitude warfare. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has also been experimenting with drone swarms and loitering munitions, posing a significant threat to Indian armored units in the region. Similarly, along the LoC, Pakistan’s growing use of drones for surveillance and potential weapon delivery, as seen in recent years, necessitates robust countermeasures to protect Indian forces.
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