Indian Army Plans Tracked Akashteer Platforms After Operation Sindoor Success

A year after the successful deployment of the Akashteer air defence command and control system during Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army is now planning to mount the system on tracked armoured vehicles to improve mobility and battlefield survivability.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) last week issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the procurement of 83 indigenously-built systems, known as Carrier Air Defence Tracked (CADET). These platforms are intended to carry Akashteer equipment and provide real-time air defence control and reporting capabilities for self-propelled gun and missile units attached to mechanised formations.

According to the RFP, the Army Air Defence requires “a common tracked platform for serving as a carrier for a number of current and future equipment for employment in support of mechanised platforms in various units”. It added, “CADET is the planned common platform to meet the above-mentioned need.”

The new systems are expected to be integrated with the next-generation Integrated Battlefield Management System (BMS) as well as the Identification of Friend or Foe (IFF) system, enabling commanders to access a unified operational picture during combat operations.

The Army Air Defence, which functions as a combat support arm, is tasked with protecting field formations in tactical battle areas and providing point defence to static military assets. To fulfil this role, it currently operates a mix of tracked and wheeled self-propelled platforms along with fixed weapon systems.

At present, the Akashteer system is mounted on canisterised trucks. While these provide mobility and allow rapid redeployment in response to changing battlefield situations, they are comparatively limited in cross-country movement and protection when compared with armoured tracked vehicles.

The Army already uses modified BMP infantry fighting vehicles as command posts, radar carriers and specialist support platforms, and the proposed CADET systems are expected to build on this operational model.

Military officials believe highly mobile air defence control and reporting platforms can significantly improve battlefield response times by providing commanders with a real-time situational awareness picture. This reduces dependence on rear formations and shortens the crucial “sensor-to-shooter” loop during engagements.

The Akashteer system is a fully automated network integrating multiple radars and sensors, forming the backbone of the Army’s air defence grid. According to the MoD, the system achieved a near “100 per cent success rate” in detecting and intercepting Pakistani drones and missiles during Operation Sindoor.

Akashteer is also seamlessly integrated with the Indian Air Force’s Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) and the Indian Navy’s Trigun air defence network. Together, these form part of a wider C4ISR framework, Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, aimed at enabling faster coordination between offensive and defensive systems.

According to reports, Defence officials say the integrated architecture enhances situational awareness and allows for quicker and more precise responses to aerial threats.

The CADET platform itself has been conceptualised as a high-powered tracked chassis with adequate internal space to accommodate a crew of at least five personnel along with their personal weapons and mission equipment. The vehicle will also feature external mounting points for specialised systems and structures.

Among the equipment being considered for integration onto the platform are the Akashteer module, integrated drone detection and interdiction systems, drone kill systems, and vehicle-mounted counter-swarm drone systems.

The Army plans to deploy the CADET platforms across a wide range of operational environments, including plains, deserts, semi-desert regions and high-altitude areas up to 16,000 feet.

The vehicles are expected to operate in extreme weather conditions ranging from minus 30 degrees Celsius to 50 degrees Celsius, with full day-and-night operational capability and navigation aids designed for cross-country movement.