NT Reporter
Panaji
India is developing indigenous sensor technologies for defence to reduce dependence on foreign systems and strengthen its ability to monitor threats in the air and underwater, said Dr Duvvuri Seshagiri, scientist and director of the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL).
Delivering the keynote address, ‘Eyes in the sky, ears in the water: Achieving self-reliance in sensor technologies’, at the 85th foundation day of CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) on Monday, Seshagiri discussed advances in airborne radar, underwater surveillance and integrated naval combat systems.
“Domestic technological capabilities are important to meeting India’s changing defence requirements,” he said. Explaining the differences between airborne radar and underwater sonar, he said electromagnetic waves travel at approximately 3,00,000 km per second, while sound travels through seawater at around 1,500 m per second. “Radar can detect and track targets over long distances, but underwater surveillance is more complex because sound propagation is affected by temperature, pressure, salinity and ocean conditions,” Seshagiri said.
He referred to the Netra Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system and the Uttam Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar developed for the Light Combat
Aircraft Tejas.
“Indigenous radar development has advanced and some capabilities can be developed at substantially lower research and development costs,”
said Seshagiri.
Tracing India’s sonar development from the APSOH system to subsequent indigenous technologies for naval platforms, he said tropical waters posed particular challenges because variations in sound velocity could affect
detection and tracking.
NPOL is also pursuing low-frequency, seabed sensor arrays to improve underwater detection.
Seshagiri referred to a project identified as KODA, involving an investment of around Rs 500 crore, to study seabed acoustic propagation and extend detection ranges under suitable ocean conditions.
He also discussed NPOL’s Integrated Combat Suite, which integrates sonar, sensors and weapons to improve situational awareness and operational coordination on naval platforms.
“Why not should be the question… After all these 75–80 years, why should we not have indigenous systems,” he said.
