While Operation Sindoor was a mainly an Air Force operation, the Navy also played a crucial supporting role from the sea, providing surveillance, electronic warfare, and logistical backup. The Army contributed to the operation’s planning and intelligence, ensuring seamless coordination among the three services.
A key component of the success of Operation Sindoor as a swift and resolute response by the Indian Armed Forces against terrorist bases in Pakistan was the use of drones or the Loitering Munition Systems (LMS).
The missile strikes deep inside Pakistan targeting terror camps were not just calibrated but also had a high impact. And India’s weapons of choice were the Scalp cruise missiles and HAMMER precision-guided munitions that were equipped on the Rafale fighter jets, in addition to the LMS or kamikaze drones, according to sources.
The choice of Scalp cruise missiles and HAMMER precision-guided munitions for Operation Sindoor underscored India’s strategic move to strike specific terror infrastructure and avoid civilian casualties. This time, India was bolstered with Rafale fighter jets in its arsenal. During the Balakot airstrike in 2019, India deployed outdated Mirage 2000 jets to attack terror launchpads.
Scalp Missile
The Scalp, also known as Storm Shadow, is an air-launched cruise missile known for its stealth features designed for long-range deep strikes. What makes it a favourite of defence forces across the world is the fact that it is capable of being operated at night and in all weather.
Having a range of 450 km, much of the Scalp missile’s accuracy is due to its advanced navigation system, which uses INS, GPS and terrain referencing. The missile is manufactured by MBDA, a European consortium.
While Operation Sindoor was a mainly an Air Force operation, the Navy also played a crucial supporting role from the sea, providing surveillance, electronic warfare, and logistical backup. The Army contributed to the operation’s planning and intelligence, ensuring seamless coordination among the three services
It is considered an ideal weapon for penetrating hardened bunkers and ammunition stores. In fact, the same missile was used by Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia for the first time last year.
On approaching the target, the infrared seeker onboard the missile matches the target image that is fed into it to ensure precision and minimal damage to surrounding areas. The missile, which can carry warheads weighing 450 kg, is hard to detect as it flies low upon being fired from a jet.
HAMMER Air-to-Ground Missile
The other weapon used in the operation was HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range), an all-weather air-to-ground precision-guided munition. Also known as a glide bomb, it has a range of up to 70 km and can be fitted to standard bombs (250kg, 500kg, 1,000kg).
The bomb, made by French company Safran, is insensitive to jamming and can be launched from low altitude over rough terrain. The fact that it is difficult to intercept and can penetrate fortified structures is what makes it so effective.
This is the reason why India was able to inflict such massive damage to terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan.
A key component of the success of Operation Sindoor as a swift and resolute response by the Indian Armed Forces against terrorist bases in Pakistan was the use of kamikaze drones or the loitering munition systems in military parlance
SkyStriker LMS
However, the weapon of pride used by the IAF in Operation Sindoor was SkyStriker, an LMS or drone manufactured in India. The Indian forces used the LMS drone, also known as a suicide or kamikaze drone to successfully struck nine locations, five in PoK and four deep inside Pakistan, killing several terrorists and top terror commanders.
Officially referred to as the Low-Cost Miniature Swarm Drone or Loitering Munition System (LMS), this advanced platform is designed to seek, identify, and destroy targets through self-detonation. LMS drones can loiter in the skies for prolonged periods while tracking potential targets. Once a target is identified, the drone dives into it, detonating on impact. These drones are especially effective against high-value assets such as weapons caches, radar installations, command centres, and terrorist bunkers.
When deployed in swarms, LMS drones overwhelm enemy air defences by attacking from multiple directions simultaneously. Unlike high-cost missiles such as the Harpoon, LMS drones are compact and economical, yet they carry sufficient explosive payloads to cause extensive damage. They are equipped with high-resolution cameras, thermal imaging sensors, and GPS-guided navigation. Some advanced models even integrate artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance real-time decision-making and precision targeting.
During Operation Sindoor, real-time data from the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) enabled the drones to lock onto terrorist positions with pinpoint accuracy.
Operation Sindoor utilised SkyStriker suicide drones, manufactured in Bengaluru under a joint venture between Bangalore-based Alpha Design and Israel’s Elbit Systems. These loitering munitions, procured by the Indian Army in 2021, feature a 100 km range and carry a 5-10kg warhead. Their silent operation and precision strike capabilities offer a significant advantage in modern warfare, enhancing situational awareness for troops
Operation Sindoor utilised SkyStriker suicide drones, manufactured in Bengaluru under a joint venture between Bangalore-based Alpha Design and Israel’s Elbit Systems. These loitering munitions, procured by the Indian Army in 2021, feature a 100 km range and carry a 5-10kg warhead. Their silent operation and precision strike capabilities offer a significant advantage in modern warfare, enhancing situational awareness for troops.
SkyStriker suicide drones designed to locate, acquire, and strike operator-designated targets with a warhead installed in the fuselage were part of Operation Sindoor early Wednesday, vindicating the Indian Army’s decision to add these unmanned aerial vehicles – “loitering munitions” in military parlance – to its arsenal post-Balakot.
With a range of 100km, each suicide drone is an autonomous system carrying a 5kg or 10kg warhead. Its electric propulsion offers a minimal acoustic signature, allowing covert operations at low altitude.
In addition, the IAF also used the Scalp, also known as Storm Shadow, an air-launched cruise missile known for its stealth features designed for long-range deep strikes, and HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range), an all-weather air-to-ground precision-guided munition. Also known as a glide bomb, it has a range of up to 70 km and can be fitted to standard bombs (250kg, 500kg, 1,000kg), manufactured by French company Safran
SkyStriker is touted as a cost-effective loitering munition while being capable of long-range precision strikes. The drone improves performance, situational awareness, and survivability by providing direct-fire aerial-precision capabilities to manoeuvrable troops and Special Forces.
Elbit Systems, in a description of the drone, says the SkyStriker flies like a UAS (unmanned aircraft system) and strikes like a missile. “As a silent, invisible, and surprise attacker, SkyStriker delivers the utmost in precision and reliability, providing a critical advantage in the modern battlefield.”
While seek-and-destroy missions remain central to military strategy, but newer technologies like loitering munitions have transformed sensor-to-shooter operations.
