The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has revealed India's first indigenous Very High Frequency (VHF) surveillance radar at Aero India 2025 in Bangalore. Currently undergoing trials, this radar is designed to detect fifth- and sixth-generation stealth aircraft, which are perceived as threats to national security.

The radar has a detection range of up to 400 kilometers and can track up to 100 targets simultaneously.

It is a state-of-the-art digital phased array radar with element-level digitisation and optical interfaces. It utilizes gallium nitride (GaN) transmit/receive (TR) modules, providing high output power and enhanced signal reception capability.

The radar can operate in both staring and rotation modes and can be integrated with dedicated tracking radars as a cueing radar, offering a comprehensive solution for air defence. It can be mounted in mountainous or other challenging terrains and can be deployed at any location within 20 minutes.

The radar is a fully digital radar, allowing the implementation of advanced adaptive array signal processing algorithms to counter clutter and multiple jammers. It also features adaptive nulling technology to cancel jamming signals and frequency-hopping and pulse-compression technologies to provide improved immunity against enemy electronic warfare tactics.

Shivashankar from LRDE, talking to a news agency, said that this radar represents a breakthrough innovation in stealth target detection in India. It will be capable of detecting all fifth- and sixth-generation aircraft.

The radar can operate in high-clutter environments due to its high dynamic range, made possible by element-level digitisation. It can function in both staring and rotation modes. This radar can also be integrated with dedicated tracking radars as a cueing radar, offering a comprehensive solution for Air Defence, according to Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), a research and development establishment in India that operates under DRDO.

This radar features both steering and rotation modes of operation. In steering mode, it operates within a plus and minus 45-degree range. The radar is equipped with state-of-the-art technology using active array electronics. It is a fully digital radar, allowing us to implement advanced adaptive array signal processing algorithms to counter clutter and multiple jammers.

The system can be deployed on a 6x6 high mobility vehicle (HMV), and the antenna array can be kept foldable while moving, making it suitable for operating in high-altitude field deployments.

According to Shivashankar from LRDE, this radar represents a breakthrough innovation in stealth target detection in India and will enable India to develop anti-stealth capabilities. The LRDE personnel are confident that the VHS radar with stealth technology will be ready for use by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in about two years. A team of 50 to 60 experts and personnel are working on the project.

Agencies