Riding on the decisive operational success of Destruction of Enemy Air Defences (DEAD) missions during the May 2025 conflict known as Operation Sindoor, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is moving swiftly to institutionalise this capability as a core pillar of future air warfare. Senior defence sources say the force has begun fast-tracking plans to develop indigenous loitering munitions specifically engineered to dismantle hostile air defence networks, seeking to replicate and expand the tactical gains achieved during the operation.
The IAF’s internal assessment of the May conflict has reinforced a critical lesson for modern warfare: suppressing and physically destroying enemy air defence systems is a non-negotiable prerequisite for achieving air superiority over increasingly sensor-dense and networked battlefields. Without neutralising these defences, even the most advanced fighter fleets face unacceptable risks.
During Operation Sindoor, the IAF employed Israeli-manufactured HAROP loitering munitions to striking effect against Pakistani air defence assets. The operation marked the first known combat deployment by India of loitering munitions against a fully operational, integrated air defence network. According to defence officials familiar with the mission, the systems were instrumental in locating, tracking, and destroying key radar and interceptor missile components.
The targets reportedly included Chinese-origin systems forming the backbone of Pakistan’s aerial denial strategy, likely variants of the HQ-16 (also known as LY-80) and the long-range HQ-9 surface-to-air missile systems. By degrading radar coverage and fire-control elements, the IAF was able to create exploitable gaps in the enemy’s air defence umbrella, enabling follow-on operations with significantly reduced risk.
Operational analysis from the conflict highlights why loitering munitions are emerging as a preferred tool for DEAD missions. Unlike conventional standoff weapons or cruise missiles, which are typically launched against pre-programmed coordinates, loitering munitions can remain airborne for extended periods—up to nine hours in the case of the HAROP—autonomously searching for radar emitters.
This “loiter and hunt” capability is particularly effective against modern, mobile air defence systems that rely on “shoot and scoot” tactics and strict emission control to survive. By passively waiting for hostile radars to activate, loitering munitions force adversaries into a strategic dilemma: keep radars silent and sacrifice situational awareness, or switch them on and risk immediate destruction.
Buoyed by these results, the IAF is now engaging closely with India’s defence industry to develop home-grown equivalents optimised for DEAD roles. While imported systems proved their battlefield value, senior planners acknowledge that reliance on foreign suppliers for high-intensity conflict capabilities carries inherent strategic risks, including potential supply chain disruptions or political constraints during crises.
The push aligns closely with the government’s broader Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The IAF’s emerging requirement focuses on systems capable of detecting and homing in on surveillance and fire-control radars, while also striking associated command-and-control nodes that enable integrated air defence operations.
Indigenous development would also allow greater customisation of payloads, sensors, and autonomy levels, tailored to the specific electronic warfare environments India is likely to face. Defence sources indicate that preliminary discussions are already underway with several domestic manufacturers.
Companies such as Tata Advanced Systems, which has developed the ALS-50 loitering munition, Solar Industries, known for its Nagastra series, and NewSpace Research & Technologies are widely seen as potential frontrunners. The IAF is reportedly seeking a scalable, relatively low-cost solution that can be produced in large numbers, enabling saturation attacks against enemy defences and complementing high-end, expensive manned aircraft.
Analysts say this initiative reflects a significant doctrinal shift. As air defences become more layered, networked, and resilient, defeating them requires a combination of precision, persistence, and mass. By integrating swarms of indigenous loitering munitions into its intelligence, surveillance, and targeting architecture, the IAF aims to ensure that the tactical dominance demonstrated in May evolves into a sustained, long-term operational advantage.
