Indian Air Force To Acquire 15 HAROP Anti-Radiation Homing Drones From Israel To Cripple Enemy Surveillance

Indian Air Force (IAF), in a bid to enhance its unmanned warfare capability, is planning to buy 15 more Harop attack drones which can destroy high-value enemy military targets by crashing into them, ANI has reported.

As per the report, IAF currently possesses an inventory of these drones which are equipped with electro-optical sensors to hover over military targets such as surveillance bases and radar stations and can attack by self-destructing into them.

"A proposal to acquire these attack drones is expected to be discussed by the Defence Ministry at a high-level meeting in the coming week to strengthen the fleet of such drones in the Air Force," defence sources were quoted as saying.

If the said proposal is approved, the IAF would be exercising the option clause present in the previous deal signed a few years ago with Israel.

Israel is the prominent supplier of all types of drones to India including the surveillance aerial vehicles such as Searcher and Heron.

As per the report, India and Israel are also discussing Project Cheetah under which all the present drones with the Indian armed forces will be upgraded to attack levels and their surveillance capabilities would also be enhanced.