India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has unveiled a groundbreaking high-power microwave (HPM) weapon system, marking a significant advancement in the nation’s counter-UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) capabilities. This innovative system is designed to neutralise hostile drone swarms at ranges up to one kilometre, with plans to extend this reach to five kilometres by 2026. The development underscores India’s strategic focus on countering the growing threat posed by unmanned drones in conflict zones, border incursions, and operations by non-state actors.
The necessity for such a weapon is clear: traditional kinetic interceptors like missiles and guns often struggle against swarms of small, fast-moving drones. These conventional methods can be costly and may cause collateral damage, particularly in civilian areas. In contrast, the DRDO’s microwave weapon offers a non-kinetic, cost-effective solution that can simultaneously disable multiple targets without physical projectiles.
The microwave weapon operates as a directed energy system, emitting intense pulses of microwave energy that disrupt or destroy the electronic systems within drones. This includes communication links, flight computers, and navigation modules. According to defence sources, this approach provides several critical advantages: significantly lower cost per engagement compared to missiles, minimal collateral damage, and the ability to affect multiple targets within the beam path.
The project began in 2019 at the Microwave Tube Research and Development Centre (MTRDC) in Bangalore. Key features of the DRDO microwave weapon include the use of ultra-short microwave pulses—each just 20 nanoseconds wide—to overwhelm drone electronics. The system also boasts adjustable beam parameters, allowing it to tailor coverage for different threat profiles. In recent demonstrations, the weapon successfully disabled drones at distances up to one kilometre, proving its effectiveness against widely deployed, low-cost systems like the DJI Phantom-class drones.
While the current prototype is effective at one kilometre, DRDO has set an ambitious target to extend the operational range to five kilometres by the end of 2026. Achieving this will require advancements in high-efficiency microwave sources, power generation and beam focusing technologies, and thermal and energy management for sustained firing. If successful, a five-kilometre reach would significantly enhance India’s layered air defence architecture, particularly against coordinated swarm attacks and low-altitude incursions.
The HPM weapon is part of a growing suite of indigenous counter-UAV tools being developed by DRDO and the Indian armed forces. India is also fielding and upgrading other directed energy systems, such as laser-based anti-drone weapons and radar/jamming suites, to detect and disable incoming aerial threats. These efforts align with India’s broader goals under the Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative, which aims to build advanced defence technologies domestically and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.
Strategically, directed energy weapons like DRDO’s microwave system represent a paradigm shift in future warfare. They enable rapid and reusable engagement of drones and other electronics-dependent threats. As drones become cheaper and more ubiquitous, multi-layered systems combining radar detection, laser effectors, and microwave weapons are becoming crucial for national security. Experts say such systems not only deter hostile drone operations near strategic assets like airbases, naval facilities, and command centres but also position India alongside major powers investing in advanced counter-UAV technologies.
In summary, the DRDO’s high-power microwave weapon system is a testament to India’s commitment to innovation and self-reliance in defence technology. As the nation continues to develop and deploy such advanced systems, it is poised to strengthen its defence capabilities and secure its strategic interests in an increasingly complex global landscape.