India’s AD Success: Comparison Iron Dome and Golden Drome

India's Akashteer ADCC System

The success of India’s multi-layered air defence systems which successfully neutralised threats from Pakistan during Operation Sindoor surprised many military analysts. Seen as a weak component of India’s overall defensive capabilities the air defence particularly the ground element surpassed expectations.

Importantly integration of multiple ground air and missile defence systems was seen as an key feature creating a system of systems. Within this system of systems there were essentially three layers. The first the ground air defence  Akashteer, though the efficacy of this is yet to be fully tested it is believed to have formed an important layer.

The S 400 air and missile defence system procured from Russia was the second network that seemingly produced effective results. The S 400 has an advantage in that it can integrate other systems as also has inherent neutralization capability to destroy approaching missiles and drones in this case.

The key role however was played by the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) operated by the Indian Air Force which succeeded in creating a system of systems to provide a virtually impenetrable shield against Pakistan missiles and drones on multiple nights from May 07 to the cease fire on May 10 evening.

Military satellites fielded by the ISRO also played an important role in the overall architecture.

A word of caution as airborne threat was primarily of slow flying drones and relatively flaccid missiles, how this network will operate against supersonic fighters and hypersonic missiles is unclear for now.

So also, is networking carried out between the air defence sytems which range from upgraded Second World War vintage L 70 guns to Israel imported-  Spyder and Russian  Pechora, and OSA-AK systems as India’s very own Akash.

Integrating such diverse systems indeed is a nightmare but apparently it worked to achieve effective outcomes.

A detailed study is now required to identify the gaps and lessons learnt to create a next generation system for Operation Sindoor II will see Pakistan fielding an upgraded air and missile threat based on its disastrous performance this time around.

Comparison Iron Dome and Golden Drome

A natural corollary to the air defence success by India is a comparison with the Israeli Iron Dome and the conceptual framework of the United States Golden Drome.

Firstly the similarity between the three systems – Indian, Israeli and the US is only role of providing an air defence shield to a given area – national or regional. The level of threat envisaged and the integration that has been achieved by the Iron Dome is par excellence especially covering Israel’s national spectrum from a threat from multiple directions – Gaza, Lebanon – Hezbollah and now Yemen. Yet most of these are rockets and slow moving missiles, the strength of the Iron Dome lies in the ability to destroy a large swarm simultaneously. At the same time, it is relatively cheap each missile costing thousands of dollars compared to other missile defence systems which may cost millions for a single missile.

Cost is an important factor here as the drone-missile cost benefit analysis needs to be favourable for defence systems to be feasible to be deployed in large numbers.

The American planned Golden Dome is in the conceptual stage and replicates somewhat the Reagan administration Star Wars but also has a ground layer.

The comparison with the Iron Dome is only in the suffix ‘Dome’ and the role of ostensibly protecting the whole of the United States land mass. Comparatively the US land mass is said to be 9.8 million square kilometers while Israel 20,770 square kilometers or 470 time smaller.

Thus, reliance on satellites assumes importance for the United States a former head of the head of Space Systems Command General Michael Guetlein nominated to lead the same. Yet the expanse of the US means that the Golden Dome will be a “system of systems” with several “layers,” ground, airborne and satellites.

As India, upgrades the air defence systems, the trap of comparison with the “Domes,” is best avoided and creating a networked architecture suitable for the Indian operational environment is the way ahead.