Himshakti EW:- India Indigenous Electronic Warfare System

Electronic Warfare is using electromagnetic spectrum to ones advantage and blocking it’s use by the enemy. Electronic Warfare or EW as it is often called consists of Electronic Support or ES and Electronic Attack or ES. These are also called Electronic Support Measures (ESM) and Electronic Counter Measures (ECM). The former does the interception and analysis of threats (Radars or communication systems) whereas the latter takes the counter action against the perceived threat i.e. jams it.

EW is modern warfare’s increasingly crucial fourth dimension, fought over the electromagnetic spectrum using sophisticated detection and jamming equipment. The winner of the physical battle on land, sea and air is being increasingly decided through this unseen battle, where both sides scan each other’s radio, radar and data emissions. This helps them gather intelligence and, at a key moment in battle, cripple the enemy’s electronics with powerful electromagnetic surges, leaving him directionless and blind.

With electronics now ubiquitous in military systems — fighter aircraft, tanks, guns and missiles — a potent EW system degrades the enemy’s capability, breaking his force into isolated, incoherent units. For obvious reasons of security, the military wants EW systems to be designed and built entirely in India.

It’s back in 2005, Team of DRDO, BEL and Army’s signal corps jointly developed a communication jammer known as Samyukta, Samyukta is designed to perform multiple jamming, such as wide range of communication frequencies, Electromagnet spectrum used in communication and illumination, The system also capable of handling electronic intelligence and communication intelligence.

The Samyukta has less range compared to it’s other counterparts, The range of  Samyukta is some 150×70 square kilometers. The Samyukta also act as a direction finder too, by intercepting source of the signal location too. The classic performance of Samyukta is jamming all kind of radio frequencies from High Frequency to milli meter wave frequencies, So Samyukta can jam radar frequencies too.

The DRDO achieved a major breakthrough with the development of Himshakti in a bid to establish a credible Integrated Electronic Warfare Systems (IEWS). The field evaluation and trials for any EW System prior to induction have been conducted for the first time in the actual area of deployment. In a significant contribution to boost fire power. Himshakti electronic warfare system seems more powerful with set of two vehicles or more, comprising antenna’s and small dish antenna’s. the new system also capable to jam frequencies over 10,000 square kilometers of area.

Indian Army already deployed those system in J&K to effectively counter the signals which can be used by militants, Such as jamming the wireless phones, satellite phones, and radio receivers. However they too jam the mobile communication if the threat level increased.

It is a Track and wheel-based EW system which will provide offensive and defensive capability to the army in battlefield.This EW system has been designed for the mechanized formation.During any conflict its really important that the mechanized army which is responsible for penetrating the line of defense should be protected from electronic attack.Since this EW system is mobile .It will be a force multiplier for army.As it can be used for signal intelligence, surveillance, analysis, interception, direction finding, and position fixing, listing, prioritizing and jamming of all communication and radar signals from HF to MMW. It will also protect our own electronic assets in battle field.Addition of such system will paralyze the enemy and degrade its will to fight the war.

This system can used along with tank formation.Can play crucial role in disrupting tank communication,sensors and its guidance system.It can suppress enemy artillery observation post communication.Where in enemy might see the movement .But cannot provide location coordinates to artillery battery

It will be very crucial in tense situation where it can be deployed near to enemy area or in stand off range for surveillance, analysis, interception, direction finding, and position fixing, listing, prioritising and jamming of all communication and radar signals from HF to MMW.

Russians are the best example who uses the ground based jammers. In Ukarine they installed huge antenna array’s which can act as communication jammers.  The R-330ZH Zhitel installed in Mariupol, Ukraine can jam mobile, and satellite phones within some 5000 square kilometers,

Also another EW system Karkusha deployed in Syria to safe guard Russian air base from US and NATO intelligence missions, Mostly within the operating zone of those jammers, no one can send or receive anything from others using normal mobile comm or Satellite communication.

Surgical Strike

India used heavy EW (Electronic Warfare) to jam Pakistan’s TPS-77 radars and communication while they hacked into Pakistan’s Network Centric Systems.

This is why Pakistan Army failed to track paradropping of commandos and their response time were hours late! More importantly, Indian Army fired mortars at different locations to confuse Paki rangers.