Army may soon have combat drones to conduct surgical strikes: reports

New Delhi: In an attempt to upgrade the Army’s strategy on border surveillance, the Indian government is planning to acquire Israeli combat-drones that can conduct surgical strikes across the border.

According to a report in India Today, the top secret project, titled ‘Project Cheetah’ is estimated to cost the Indian Air force around Rs 10,000 core. The drones can take down terrorists and their hideouts both within India and if required, across the borders, ‘causing greater damage than what the troops can inflict’.

The improved technology of the Israeli-made Searcher and Heron Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) will intimate the surveillance units about any terror launch pads that will be active, and can specifically come to use in the high altitude and areas difficult to navigate.

Currently, Searcher and Heron UAVs are used for surveillance and snooping.

The report added that the Army has taken inspiration to convert surveillance vehicles into killer drones from the American forces which regularly use unmanned drones to eliminate terrorists in deep and difficult areas in Afghanistan, Pakistan and in the fight against ISIS in Syria. Unlike India Pakistan also uses the American AH1 Cobra gunships.

The government is also considering roping in Indian companies such as the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to upgrade the UAVs, and the project has been mulling on the project for quite a while, the report concluded.