BEL to Supply High Power Microwave Systems to Indian Navy for Neutralizing Drone Threats
The Indian Navy has awarded a major contract under the ADITI 3.0 framework to Bengaluru-based defence technology firm Tonbo Imaging for the integration and commissioning of High Power Microwave (HPM) systems on naval platforms. These directed-energy weapons will help India counter drone swarms and disable adversary electronics, marking a significant step in indigenous defence modernization.
What is ADITI 3.0?
- ADITI (Advanced Defence Technology Incubation) is a Government of India initiative under the Ministry of Defence.
- It supports iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) and the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) to incubate and validate advanced defence technologies before induction.
About High Power Microwave (HPM) Systems
- Directed-energy weapons that use concentrated electromagnetic pulses instead of ammunition.
- Can disable or degrade enemy electronics, sensors, and unmanned systems without kinetic damage.
- Considered one of the most effective counters to drone swarms and asymmetric threats in maritime warfare.
Role of Tonbo Imaging
- Selected for its indigenous expertise in vacuum tube technologies, critical for generating high peak power in HPM systems.
- Will handle system integration, commissioning, and production supply after validation.
- Already has a portfolio of advanced defence electronics, electro-optics, and missile seeker technologies.
