From Barack-8 missiles to Harop loitering munitions and more: How India-Israel partnership gave India an edge during “Operation Sindoor”

The conflict between India and Pakistan escalated to an alarming level following a deadly terror attack in the Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam on 22nd April which left 26 Hindu tourists dead and injured several others. Drones, fighter jets and missiles were all employed during the battle that followed, which came to an abrupt halt with the declaration of a precarious ceasefire. However, the event marked the beginning of a new era in the historical rivalry.

The terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was targeted in a fierce counterattack codenamed “Operation Sindoor” by the Indian Armed Forces. It prominently showcased weaponry manufactured in Israel, highlighting the strategic defense collaboration between the two countries.

India employed a combination of weaponry produced by Russia and Israel along with indigenous systems, to target Pakistan’s defense structures and neutralize missiles as well as drones launched on Air Force installations and civilian areas in the border states of Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and others. Israel, along with the United States, Russia and France, is one of the biggest suppliers of weapons to India worldwide.

Harop drones

As part of the Operation Sindoor, Israeli-made Harop drones were deployed to conduct precise attacks on Pakistan’s air defense systems. Harop is a suicide drone, also known as a kamikaze drone. Harop drones, which are renowned for their ability to detect radar were utilized to strike several crucial targets throughout Pakistan and eliminated the air defense facility in Lahore.

Moreover, India confirmed that its counter-unmanned aerial systems and integrated air defense grid “came into action and took down several Pakistani armed drones, loitering munitions, and missiles that were targeting 15 military installations, including IAF (Indian Air Force) bases in Pathankot and Srinagar.” At least 25 Israeli-made Harop drones were purchased by the Indian Armed Forces between 2009 and 2019 and they have been in service since then.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) created the Harop, a loitering munition that combines elements of a drone and a missile. It can autonomously locate and destroy valuable targets, especially air defense units and radar systems. India’s expanding arsenal of unmanned precision-strike capabilities includes the Harop, according to the Military Balance report of International Institute for Strategic Studies.

The Harop, which is made for deep precision assaults, can stay over target areas for up to nine hours while locating, identifying and attacking from various directions using an electro-optic seeker. It has both autonomy and flexibility in difficult battlefield conditions because to its immunity to satellite jamming (GNSS) and real-time human oversight.

With a 50-pound warhead, the Harop can track and engage moving targets with its camera system and operator, or it could use its radiation seeker to independently detect and hit radar sites. If a radar station is discovered and then goes down, the Harop could take off to its location and utilize electro-optical targeting to find and destroy it. It can be set up for both tasks simultaneously.

It is also capable of reaching a wide range of different ground targets, both static and moving. The drones are capable of swift, focused attacks and can be sent across a variety of terrains as they take off from a truck or canister-based systems installed on mobile ground vehicles or naval vessels. It can fly for approximately 600 kilometers or six hours. Once in the air, it can be controlled by a man-in-the-loop or it can function on its own.

Heron Mk2 UAVs

Two Heron Mk2 drones were inducted by the Indian Army in November 2022 and by September 2023, two more had been placed in the Northeast. Four Heron Mk2 drones were introduced by the Indian Air Force in August 2023 and further two were purchased in November of the same year. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) developed the Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) known as the Heron Mk2.

According to tests conducted at high altitudes, these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can cruise at a remarkable 32,000 feet and have operational flexibility at altitudes of up to 35,000 feet. It performs exceptionally well in an array of tactical and strategic situations. The Heron Mk2 significantly enhances the IAF’s (Indian Air Force) surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering capabilities, particularly in the northern sector’s high-altitude and rough terrain.

Its ability to fly for over 40 hours and conduct continuous surveillance over large areas makes it an indispensable tool for monitoring and gathering intelligence. The drone can operate for lengthy periods of time due to to its extended flight time, which gives the IAF an advantage in operations involving continuous monitoring and reduces the need for regular re-tasking or placement of other aerial assets.

With its 500 kilogram payload capacity, it can transport sophisticated sensors, cameras and other vital equipment. The drone is thus suitable for multiple tasks, including electronic warfare, target identification, real-time reconnaissance and tactical reconnaissance. The Heron MK2’s adaptability in challenging operational conditions is increased by its huge payload capacity, which guarantees that it can transport a range of complex payloads.

The large and challenging terrain of northern India, especially along the disputed boundaries with neighboring nations, presents a serious security problem. The Heron Mk2 drones, which operate from a forward base in such a vital location, are essential in giving the IAF up-to-date intelligence on enemy movements and actions. The IAF has a clear edge in intelligence collection, tracking and early warning because of its capacity to stay in the air for extended periods of time.

Additionally, its high operational ceiling puts them beyond of range of the majority of ground-based threats, including anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles. This positions the Heron Mk2 as an optimal platform for high-altitude surveillance and reconnaissance operations where traditional aircraft may face limitations. The Heron Mk2’s observation capabilities probably aided in target acquisition and battle damage assessment throughout the operation.

SkyStriker loitering munitions

The SkyStriker drones, developed by and Israel’s Elbit Security Systems in partnership with Adani Group’s Alpha Design Technologies of India, were introduced into Indian service in 2021. Sources disclosed that during “Operation Sindoor,” the Indian Army used SkyStriker drones, according to reports. These drones, often referred to as loitering munitions, were manufactured in an industrial estate in western Bengaluru.

The SkyStriker attacks like a missile and flies like an unmanned aerial vehicle. It is a kind of precision weapon that, either manually operated or autonomously, hovers over a target area to find and hit targets before being fired. Its low acoustic signature makes low-altitude, covert flights possible. Each drone has a range of 100 kilometers and is fitted with a 5 or 10 kilogram bomb. Its warhead, which is located inside its fuselage, allows it to detect, track and engage operator-designated targets while being propelled by electricity.

The stealthy, undetectable and unexpected attacker can autonomously identify, track and take on a variety of targets within tactical situations, according to Elbit, offering unmatched accuracy and reliability on the contemporary battlefield. “SkyStriker’s electric propulsion offers a low acoustic signature, allowing covert operations at low altitude. As a silent, invisible, and surprise attacker, SkyStriker delivers the utmost in precision and reliability, providing a critical advantage in the modern battlefield,” based on its official website.

Even when GPS and connectivity are not available, these drones can attack targets accurately while maintaining human oversight. If no targets are available, the SkyStriker technology also enables the operator to command a safe return home, re-engage if needed and abort a strike as close as two seconds before impact. It is marketed as an affordable option for accurate long-range attacks. The drone helps ground forces be more operationally aware and survivable while supporting direct aerial fire missions. After the Balakot airstrike, the army placed an emergency order of purchase for roughly 100 SkyStrikers.

Barak 8

The Indian forces thwarted Pakistan’s effort to attack Delhi when the former fired a Fatah-II ballistic missile, which India’s Barak-8 missile defense system intercepted at Sirsa, Haryana. Israel and India collaborated to build Barak 8, also known as the long range surface to air missile (LRSAM). The operational range of the Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) is 70 kilometre with the potential to increase to 100 kilometre.

The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) collaborated to design and develop this version of Barak, which translates to “lightning” in Hebrew. MRSAM possesses mobile launchers that can be used on navy ships or on land. The 275 kg missile can carry a 60 kg warhead that detonates close to the target. The missile has a dual pulse rocket motor and thrust vector control (TVC), allowing it to reach speeds of up to Mach 2.

The cutting-edge weapon has a two-way data link, digital radar, interceptors with contemporary RF sensors and system-wide communication. “The missiles intercepted the aerial targets, scoring direct hits and destroying them, demonstrating the system’s operational capability,” IAI conveyed in a statement in 2021. According to the corporation, the trials cleared the path for the Indian Army to activate the missile defense system.

The Barak-8 can target a variety of airborne threats owing to its 360-degree coverage. It can engage with several targets at once, day or night and in any weather. The missile offers defense against fighter planes, helicopters, aircraft, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, anti-ship missiles and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones. MRSAM is the second version of the Barak-8 system, is a land-based missile system equipped with mobile launcher systems, a tracking radar, and a command and control system.

The seeker, endgame avionics and electronics, technologies that have been developed in India are built in Israel, while the propulsion rocket system, thrust vector system and a few other components are produced by DRDO labs. The Project 17(A) frigates and the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier are armed with the LRSAM, which has a range of 70 kilometers.

Spice-2000 bombs

Created in Israeli laboratories, Spice-2000 kits convert ordinary bombs into high-precision weapons that could precisely target terror camps while causing the least amount of damage to civilians. The warplanes drop them. Rafael USA, a weapons firm, makes the bombs. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, an Israeli firm, owns the business.

These bombs use advanced guidance kits that combine INS/GPS (Inertial Navigation System/Global Positioning System) guidance with electro-optical seekers for precise final targeting. They can hit their targets much more accurately and effectively with this technology.

The Rafael website point out, “The highly sophisticated and combat-proven Spice Guidance Kits address the needs of today’s increasingly complex battlefields. They convert 1000 lb and 2000 lb class general purpose and penetration warheads into precision stand-off strike weapons that deliver simultaneous attacks with pinpoint accuracy in a GPS-denied environment.”

It further adds, “The system incorporate advanced navigation, guidance and homing technologies, as well as an E/O (Electro-Optical) seeker with unique scene-matching algorithms. Agnostic to GPS-denied environments, the system allows operation from the safety of stand-off ranges, enabling first strike capability while ensuring minimum collateral damage. Easily operated from single and dual-seater fighter aircraft, the pilot allocates a mission for each weapon before release.”

The Spice bomb guides itself to the target using information from the chip and pictures from the camera. Rafael states that a “unique scene-matching algorithm” is used by the bomb. It is a “fire and forget” bomb that operates entirely on its own. The pilot gives each weapon a mission before releasing it outside the danger zone. The system utilizes its navigation system to determine its midcourse trajectory.

When used with a 900-kilogram warhead bomb, the Spice 2000 could generate a lethal weapon that can even breach “hardened” targets, such as weapons storage facilities. Notably, on 26th February 2019, the Indian Air Force launched the Balakot airstrikes in response to the Pulwama terror attack on Indian security forces, using these bombs. They attacked the terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area of Pakistan.

While the terrorists were sleeping, at least four of the five Spice-2000 bombs launched by Indian Air Force planes penetrated the building through the rooftops. The Indian Air Force aircraft returned to their bases immediately after dropping bombs on their targets during the strike.

Tavor X95 assault rifles

Early in the 2010s, India started integrating the Tavor X95 rifles into its special forces formations. Later, it purchased more of them for other paramilitary groups. Israel Weapons Industries (IWI) has granted Punj Lloyd Raksha Systems a license to manufacture Tavor X 95 rifles. The Indian Army’s Special Forces, the Indian Navy’s MARCOS (Marine Commando Force), the Indian Air Force’s Garud Commandos and the Border Security Force have already utilized Israel Weapons Industries (IWI).

These small, bullpup-shaped rifles are used for close-quarters combat because they are more dependable and maneuverable. These assault rifles were formerly imported by special forces and other users from the Israel Weapons Industry (IWI), a former Israeli government company that was privatized in 2005, prior to being produced under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” program. These weapons, which have the tag of “Made in India,” were on display at the most recent Aero India 2021.

Operation Sindoor

The Indian Armed Forces carried out “Operation Sindoor” to attack nine sites connected to the terrorist outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Armement Air-Sol Modulaire (AASM) Hammer bombs and Scalp missiles were used throughout the 23-minute operation which commenced on 1:05 am on 7th May. Furthermore, SkyStriker drones were used to destroy particular targets.

According to reports, the operation killed around 100 terrorists, including family members of JeM chief Muhammad Masood Azhar Alvi and Abdul Rauf Azhar, a major mastermind of the 1999 Kandahar hijacking who was behind the beheading of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. Top LeT commanders like Mudassar, also known as Mudassar or Abu Jundal was also neutralised. A humiliated Pakistan attempted to launch an attack on India subsequently, but their malicious efforts were thwarted by the defense forces.

News