INDIA’S LONG RANGE SWARM ATTACK DRONE: SHESHNAG

INDIA’S LONG RANGE SWARM ATTACK DRONE: SHESHNAG

Why this news?

• India is developing a new long-range attack drone called Sheshnaag-150.
• It is designed to strengthen India’s future drone warfare capability.
• The drone is currently under testing and development.

BACKGROUND: RISE OF DRONE WARFARE

Modern wars are increasingly using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Why drones are becoming important:

• They are cheaper than missiles or fighter jets.
• They can stay in the air for long periods.
• They can strike targets with precision.
• They reduce risk to soldiers.

Some well-known drones globally include:

• Shahed-136 – used widely in modern conflicts.
• LUCAS UAV – an advanced American drone system.

These drones show that low-cost drones can create strong battlefield impact.

WHAT IS SHESHNAG 150?

• Sheshnaag-150 is a long-range swarm attack drone being developed in India.
• It is designed by Newspace Research Technologies in Bengaluru.
• The drone completed its first test flight about a year ago.

Purpose

• To give India a powerful indigenous unmanned strike capability.
• To support the armed forces in future high-technology warfare.

ACCELERATION OF DEVELOPMENT

The development of the drone increased after Operation Sindoor.

During this period:

• The Indian military asked the company to deploy some drone systems near the conflict zone.
• This increased the need for faster development of long-range swarm drones.

So the project moved from a research project to a system with operational importance.

HOW THE SHESHNAG 150 WORKS?

Swarm Attack Concept

The drone uses a swarm warfare strategy.

Meaning:

• Many drones fly together as a group.
• They coordinate their actions.
• They attack targets simultaneously.

This helps to:

• Overwhelm enemy air defence systems.
• Increase the chances of hitting the target.

KEY CAPABILITIES

• Range
  • Operational range: more than 1,000 km
• Endurance
  • Can stay in the air for over 5 hours
• Payload
  • Can carry 25–40 kg warhead
• Possible targets
  • Military vehicles
  • Infrastructure
  • Enemy positions

Autonomous Operation

• The drone is designed to work with high automation.
• It can:
  • Identify targets
  • Track targets
  • Attack targets
• All this can happen with minimal human control.

TECHNOLOGY BEHIND THE SWARMS

• The most important part of the system is its control software.
• A central “mother code” manages:
  • Sheshnaag-150 drones
  • Other drones built on the same platform

Role of Algorithms

• The software uses algorithms that allow drones to:
  • Communicate with each other
  • Coordinate movements
  • Adjust strategy during the mission
  • Continue operating even if some drones fail
• This makes the system intelligent and resilient.

NAVIGATION WITHOUT SATELLITES

• Many drones rely on satellite navigation systems (GPS).
• But in modern wars:
  • GPS signals can be jammed by enemies.
• To solve this problem, Sheshnaag-150 may use visual navigation systems.

Visual Navigation

• The drone navigates using terrain images and onboard sensors.
• It does not fully depend on satellites.

This improves its survivability in electronic warfare environments.

COMPARISON WITH OTHER SYSTEMS

IMPORTANCE FOR INDIA

The Sheshnaag-150 could help India:

• Strengthen indigenous defence technology
• Develop low-cost precision strike capability
• Improve swarm warfare technology
• Enhance long-range unmanned attack capability

It may become an important part of India’s future military drone fleet.

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