The Defence Research and Development Organisation, working with the Electronics and Radar Development Establishment, is leading this effort to overcome one of the most complex challenges in modern warfare: tracking missiles that generate plasma envelopes during flight.
At hypersonic speeds, the immense compression of air around the missile heats the atmosphere into a charged gas, forming a plasma layer. This plasma acts as a shifting electromagnetic shield, disrupting radar signals and often causing conventional systems to lose track or produce false signatures.
The problem is particularly acute for radars operating in higher-frequency bands such as X-band and S-band, which struggle to penetrate the interference.
India’s solution is an L-band Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, which operates at longer wavelengths less affected by plasma distortion. The radar is equipped with gallium nitride-based transmit-receiver modules, enabling higher power output and improved penetration through plasma interference.
This allows the system to generate usable target returns even under extreme electromagnetic disruption.
The radar incorporates Space-Time Adaptive Processing techniques to separate plasma effects from the missile’s physical body. By filtering out clutter and isolating the true target, STAP enhances tracking accuracy in environments where conventional radars fail. This capability is critical for maintaining reliable detection of hypersonic threats that manoeuvre unpredictably at low altitudes.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are embedded into the system to adjust radar parameters in real time. Frequency ranges, pulse waveforms, and scanning behaviour can be dynamically altered to match the changing flight profile of the missile. This adaptability ensures continuous tracking even as the target shifts speed, altitude, and plasma characteristics during its trajectory.
The radar represents a significant leap in indigenous technology, particularly through the integration of gallium nitride modules, which are more efficient and durable than traditional silicon-based components. GaN technology is increasingly seen as a cornerstone of next-generation radar and electronic warfare systems, offering higher thermal stability and reduced energy losses.
India’s development of this AI-enabled radar aligns with its broader strategy to counter emerging hypersonic threats. With nations such as China and Russia fielding advanced hypersonic weapons, the ability to detect and track these systems is vital for maintaining deterrence and defence readiness.
The project also complements India’s ongoing hypersonic missile programmes, ensuring that offensive and defensive capabilities evolve in parallel.
By combining advanced radar engineering, adaptive signal processing, and artificial intelligence, India is positioning itself among the few nations capable of addressing the hypersonic challenge. The breakthrough underscores the country’s commitment to indigenous innovation and its determination to secure technological parity in the rapidly evolving domain of missile defence.
Agencies
