In a bid to bolster its air defence capabilities, the Indian Army has floated a tender for purchasing six AK-630 30mm from state-owned firm Advanced Weapon and Equipment India Ltd (AWEIL). The move is being seen as the first step towards bringing Mission Sudarshan Chakra to life.
As per officials, Indian Army Air Defence has floated an RFP for the procurement of six AK-630 Air Defence Gun Systems with Advanced Weapon and Equipment India Ltd (AWEIL).
The sought-after system is a 30mm multi-barrel mobile air defence gun capable of a high rate of fire. Mounted on a trailer and towed by a high-mobility vehicle, it is designed to counter unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), rockets, artillery shells, and mortars (URAM). Defence sources indicate that the gun has an effective range of approximately 4 km and can fire up to 3,000 rounds per minute. Target detection and engagement are facilitated by an all-weather electro-optical fire control system, allowing precise action against low-flying aerial threats.
On 15th August, Prime Minister Modi had unveiled the ambitious national security initiative ‘Mission Sudarshan Chakra,’ aimed at safeguarding India’s critical infrastructure over the next decade by advancing indigenous technological development.
Recently, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan alluded to India’s forthcoming air defence system, calling it the ‘Golden Dome’, likely drawing a parallel with Israel’s Iron Dome.
He described it as an indigenous solution that would serve as both ‘a shield and a sword,’ with the aim of making it operational within the next ten years. The comprehensive, multi-layered, indigenous security shield integrates surveillance, cyber security, and air defence systems to protect key installations from various enemy attacks.