"We destroyed all drones": Army demonstrates upgraded L-70, indigenous 'Akashteer' that foiled Pakistan's aerial assault in J-K

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], May 19 (ANI): In a demonstration of India's rising defence prowess, the Indian Army showcased the indigenous Akashteer system and upgraded L-70 Air Defence Guns, both of which played a decisive role in intercepting every missile and drone during Pakistan's deadliest aerial assault on May 9-10.
Speaking to ANI about the upgraded air defence system's competence, an L-70 Air Defence Gun operator said, "This gun system is very effective... We showed that we also have a system capable of destroying any target. It can track targets from a long distance and lock onto them. As soon as they enter the effective range, firing action is taken."
The soldier added that the L-70 system achieved a 100 per cent success rate in destroying enemy drones during the conflict. "We destroyed all the drones. Its success rate is 100 per cent," he said.
The soldier also expressed confidence in the Indian Army's ability to respond to future aerial threats. "Even in the future, if the enemy country tries to attack us by sending drones, aircraft, or missiles, we will give them a befitting reply, and we have the capability to destroy them in the air itself..."
Meanwhile, Akashteer, India's fully indigenous, automated Air Defence Control and Reporting System, which intercepted and neutralised every inbound projectile amid India-Pakistan hostilities, is no longer a concept confined to defence journals, but a sharp edge of India's air defence.
"In the dark skies, a new kind of warrior awakened. It did not roar like a fighter jet or flash like a missile. It listened. It calculated. It struck. This invisible shield, Akashteer, is no longer a concept confined to defence journals. It is the sharp edge of India's air defence, the unseen wall that stopped a barrage of missiles and drones on the night of May 9th and 10th, when Pakistan launched its deadliest attack on Indian military and civilian areas. Akashteer is India's fully indigenous, automated Air Defence Control and Reporting System, which intercepted and neutralised every inbound projectile," according to an official statement.
While Pakistan relied on Chinese HQ-9 and HQ-16 systems that failed to detect and intercept Indian strikes, Akashteer showcased India's dominance in real-time, automated air defence warfare during Pakistan's retaliation in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor.
"What stood between them and their intended targets was not just technology, but years of commitment to Atmanirbhar Bharat. While Pakistan relied on imported HQ-9 and HQ-16 systems that failed to detect and intercept Indian strikes, Akashteer showcased India's dominance in real-time, automated air defence warfare," the statement said.
Akashteer has demonstrated that it sees, decides, and strikes faster than anything the world has fielded. The integration of multiple elements reduces the possibility of friendly fire, allowing rapid engagement of hostile targets while ensuring the protection of aircraft in contested airspace. The sensors integrated include Tactical Control Radar REPORTER, 3D Tactical Control Radars, Low-Level Lightweight Radar and the radar of the Akash Weapon System.
Akashteer is not about brute force. It is about intelligent warfare. The system provides a common, real-time air picture to all involved parties (control room, radars and Defence Gun), enabling coordinated air defence operations. It is a system designed to automate detection, tracking and engagement of enemy aircraft, drones and missiles. It integrates various radar systems, sensors and communication technologies into a single operational framework, the statement added.
Akashteer gathers data from multiple sources, processes it and allows for automated, real-time engagement decisions. It is part of the broader C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) framework, working in coordination with other systems. The system is vehicle-based, which makes it mobile and easier to handle in a hostile environment.
Unlike traditional air defence models that rely on ground-based radars and manual decisions, Akashteer enables autonomous monitoring of low-level airspace in battle zones and efficient control of Ground-Based Air Defence Weapon Systems. This marks a clear shift in India's strategic principle- from passive defence to proactive retaliation. Its seamless integration with India's larger C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) ecosystem allows the Army, Navy and Air Force to operate with unmatched synergy. (ANI)