DRDO develops Advanced Chaff Technology for Indian Air Force

DRDO develops Advanced Chaff Technology for Indian Air Force

Part of: GS Prelims 

In news: Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an Advanced Chaff Technology to safeguard fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) against hostile radar threats.

• The technology has been given to the industry for production in large quantities to meet the annual rolling requirement of the Indian Air Force.
• Defence Minister has lauded DRDO, IAF and the industry for indigenous development of this critical technology, terming it as one more step of DRDO towards ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’ in strategic defence technologies. 

Chaff technology:

• Chaff is an electronic countermeasure technology used by militaries worldwide to protect naval ships, aircraft or other sensitive targets from radar and radio frequency (RF) guiding mechanisms of the enemy missile.
• Chaff is composed of many small aluminium or zinc coated fibres stored on-board the aircraft in tubes. In case the aircraft feels threatened by any radar tracking missiles, chaff is ejected into the turbulent wake of air behind the plane.
• The chaff deployed in the air reflect as multiple targets for the missile guidance systems, thus misleading the enemy radars or deflecting adversary missiles.
  • The purpose is to confuse radar-guided or infrared-guided anti-aircraft missiles fired so that they could be diverted.
• The importance of this technology lies in the fact that very less quantity of chaff material deployed in the air acts as decoy to deflect enemy’s missiles for ensuring safety of the fighter aircraft. 

Defence Research and Development Organisation

• DRDO works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence.
• It is working to establish a world class science and technology base for India and provides Defence Services decisive edge by equipping them with internationally competitive systems and solutions.
• It was established in 1958 after combining Technical Development Establishment (TDEs) of the Indian Army and the Directorate of Technical Development & Production (DTDP) with the Defence Science Organisation (DSO).
• It is responsible for carrying out Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).

News Source: PIB