BREAKING THE ENEMY'S ARMOURED JAWS

While the Indian Army has largely depended on imported anti-tank weapons since the last three decades, some indigenous projects have also started yielding satisfactory results in recent years. India’s anti-tank missile capabilities remain a work in progress with the acquisition of newer weapon systems and the formulation of indigenous projects, writes AMARTYA SINHA

- AMARTYA SINHA

Since the end of the Second World War in 1945, high-velocity heavy calibre projectiles, explosive rounds and landmines have always remained the most favoured weapons of professional armies all across the world. While it is easy to engage a stationary human target with a sniper rifle from large distances, it is tremendously difficult to engage highspeed mobile targets like battle tanks and armoured vehicles with LRDLOS (Long Range Direct Line of Sight) shooting.

Recently, China has developed a large ground-force based on armoured infantry and mechanised artillery columns and Pakistan is also in the process of inducting large numbers of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles in its ground fighting fleet. Moreover, the presence of a large number of hardened Pakistani bunkers and terror launchpads across the Line of Control in Northern Kashmir and frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces from strategically located hilltop positions also prove the point that the Indian Army requires a large arsenal of guided weapons for neutralising the enemy with an appropriate and well-timed response.

These emerging threats emanating from the tactical level battlefield need to be tackled with minimum collateral damage.

SACLOS weapon systems