IAF Plans To Turn Helicopters Into Drone Hunters With AI-Powered Radars, Micro-Missiles

Last Updated:July 31, 2026, 01:06 IST

IAF has outlined a capability challenge for domestic defence manufacturers seeking to transform rotary-wing platforms into agile counter-unmanned aircraft systems.

The Indian Air Force is planning to equip its helicopter fleet with specialised micro-missiles and artificial intelligence-driven radars to hunt rogue drones and low-flying loitering munitions.

This has been identified as one key area of focus where Indian Air Force is looking for partnership with Industry. Once done, helicopters can be used to counter drones and UAVs.

The push emerged during the joint IAF-SIDM seminar ‘SANKALP 2026’ in New Delhi, where the air force officially released its problem statements handbook. Recent conflicts across the globe, including Operation Sindoor, have laid bare the vulnerabilities of traditional air-defence systems against low-cost, low-radar-cross-section unmanned aerial systems.

IAF Looks Beyond Ground Systems

Ground-based hardware often struggles with terrain masking and line-of-sight blind spots. Hence, the air force has outlined a capability challenge for domestic defence manufacturers seeking to transform rotary-wing platforms into agile counter-unmanned aircraft systems.

The proposed upgrades require helicopters to carry specialized micro-missiles designed specifically for slow-moving, low-altitude targets, alongside 20mm front gun integrations.

The framework demands artificial intelligence systems for target identification, paired with lightweight airborne radio-frequency and GPS jammers coaxial with electro-optical and infrared pods. Further, the specifications mandate proximity-fused or time-delay fragmentation warheads featuring steel-pallet configurations to maximise kill probability within a 25-meter mid-air burst radius.

Indian Air Force operates a variety of helicopters. This includes combat helicopters like Apache and LCH Prachand. While the service has traditionally relied on a layered network of ground-based air-defence systems to counter aerial threats, it is now exploring helicopters as an additional counter-UAS platform.

The concept has gained traction following the war in West Asia, where attack helicopters have been used to intercept drones and loitering munitions.

About the Author

Akash Sharma

Akash Sharma, Defence Correspondent, CNN-News 18, covers the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Railways. In addition, he also follows developments in the national capital. With an extensive experien...Read More

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