 "Why anti-drone gun Vajra-Shot is a big deal for India’s Armed Forces")
As Israel continues its battle in Gaza and Russia wages war in Ukraine, there is one thing that is certain. Drones are becoming a critical component of military operations around the world. In such circumstances, counter-drone technology is critical.
And keeping this in mind, India has a new contribution in this arena — the Vajra-Shot, a hand-held anti-drone gun developed by Chennai-based Big Bang Boom Solutions.
The new weaponry has become a talking point after it was exhibited at the ‘Swavlamban 2024’ - Indian Navy’s Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) Seminar — being held at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi.
We take a closer look at this India-made anti-drone gun and why it could be a big boon for the country’s Armed Forces.
What is the Vajra-Shot?
The Vajra-Shot is a handheld anti-drone gun, which can detect and jam drone signals, disrupting communication between drones and their operators. It has been designed by Chennai-based Big Bang Boom Solutions and boasts a range of up to four kilometres.
The Vajra-Shot has the capability to adapt its interference output through software, making it effective in neutralising a wide range of drones.
The Vajra-Shot is also portable, making it easier to use for soldiers. Weighing just three-and-a-half kilogrammes, it is easy to carry in the field. The India-made anti-drone gun also boasts a simple LED display and has a battery that can last for nine hours continuously.
#WATCH | Delhi: Ravi Kumar representing Big Bang Boom Solutions says, "We are into anti-drone solutions and this is 'Vajra Shot'. It is a hand-held anti-drone gun that can detect up to a range of 4 km and can also do jamming. We have deployed it in the Indian Army and Air Force.… https://t.co/AuVeHYv2rR pic.twitter.com/M4TVMI26Vo
— ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2024
A representative of the company, speaking about the success of Vajra-Shot said that the company had received orders worth around $25 million (Rs 210 crore) so far.
According to the makers of the anti-drone gun, the Vajra-Shot can be integrated with a hand-held drone detector, which transforms it into a Vajra Super Shot.
How does it compare to other anti-drone systems?
India isn’t the only country making strides in the anti-drone arena. The United States has the DroneDefender, developed and manufactured by Battelle. Dan Stamm, who developed the DroneDefender, said that the system works by disrupting radio control frequencies between the drone and the pilot. “It basically makes the drone think that it’s gone out of range. The drone enters into its safety protocols which include one of three options. It’ll either hover in position until the pilot can regain control link, it lands so the pilot can recover it physically, or it returns to its point of origin,” he was quoted as telling Vice.
The DroneDefender weighs around four kilogrammes, making it slightly heavier than the Vajra-Shot. While Battelle says that the DroneDefender requires no special training to use, it is more complex to use compared to the Vajra-Shot.
Meanwhile, China has the Skyfend Blader, a portable jammer specifically targeting Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). While the Blader weighs slightly more than the Vajra-Shot, it has a jamming range of just 1,500 metres, which is far lesser than India’s version.
Russia also has its own version of the Vajra-Shot, known as REX-1. It is a hand-held device that neutralises drones by using radio frequency and electromagnetic pulses. Though similar to the Vajra-Shot, it is bulkier and offers less flexibility to soldiers.
Why are weapons like Vajra-Shot important?
Guns such as Vajra-Shot are critical, as drones have transformed warfare dynamics globally. In fact, the deployment of drones in the ongoing conflicts in both Gaza and Ukraine highlights the urgent requirement of counter-drone systems like the Vajra-Shot.
Many defence experts note that the extensive use of drones has made it possible for smaller nations such as Ukraine to engage in conflict with larger states. It owing to this that one study has uncovered that between 2018 and 2023, the number of states using drones rose from 16 to 40, a 150 per cent increase. Moreover, a report by Vision of Humanity reveals that the number of drone strikes and fatalities has also increased. In 2023, there were over 3,000 deaths from drone strikes, or just under two per cent of all battle deaths. This represented a rise of 168 per cent since 2018. The number of drone strikes showed a far more dramatic increase, with 4,957 strikes recorded in 2023, up from just 421 in 2018.
Experts note that owing to the use of drones, countries have cut down on the human cost in conflicts. Drones have been extensively used in the Russia-Ukraine war and also in the conflict that has erupted in West Asia between Israel and Iran-backed proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah.
As Stanley McChrystal, former commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, said at a Royal United Services Institute conference in 2015, “increased use (drones) in combat and support functions will reduce the risk to military personnel and thereby potentially change the threshold for the use of force. Fewer casualties may lower political risk and any public reticence for a military response…”
In India, military experts also see how drones are changing warfare. In February 2021, then-Indian Army chief General MM Naravane (retired) asserted that drones are the future of warfare. “Large platforms which were once the mainstay of 20th Century battlefield: the main battle tanks, fighter aircraft and large surface combatants, have been rendered relatively less significant in the face of emerging battlefield challenges in newer domains,” the Indian Army chief said.
In such circumstances, it is necessary that India up its game in anti-drone warfare, and the Vajra-Shot is the right step in that direction.
With inputs from agencies
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
