Not just S-400, India's legacy air defence systems also blew Pakistani drones, missiles to smithereens

A look at the time tested legacy air defence systems of India (Image:X)

As tensions with Pakistan escalated to a war-like situation, India demonstrated its powerful air defence capabilities by successfully intercepting and neutralising a range of aerial threats—including drones, missiles, and ballistic missiles—launched from across the border.

The Indian Air Force recently stated that the country’s air defence acted as a wall that Pakistan found “impossible to breach”. Addressing a joint press conference, director general of air operations Air Marshal AK Bharti said, “Our air defence (AD) system acted as a wall and it was impossible for the enemies to breach.”

He added that even older defence systems were efficient in tackling Pakistan missiles and drones. Here are the time tested legacy air defence systems of India that helped their modern counterparts like Akash and S-400 thwart aerial threats from across the border:

S-125/Pechora air defence system

The S-125 Neva/Pechora, or simply Pechora, is a surface-to-air missile (SAM) system of Soviet origin, built specifically to counter low and medium-altitude targets in hostile airspace. India has deployed these systems to bolster its air defence capabilities. The Pechora system is capable of targeting aerial threats at various altitudes, providing a layered defense mechanism.

OSA-AK-M Missile System

The OSA-AK-M, or SA-8 Gecko as it’s known by NATO, is a Soviet-origin surface-to-air missile system designed for fast, mobile air defence against low-flying threats at short range. The OSA-AK-M can engage targets at distances up to 15 km and altitudes ranging from 25 meters to 12,000 meters. Consisting of both target acquisition and tracking radars, it can ascertain targets up to 45 km away and track them at distances of up to 30 km.

L-70 Anti-Aircraft Gun

The L-70, a 40mm anti-aircraft gun with Swedish roots and Indian production, has been significantly modernised—now featuring high-resolution electro-optical sensors, including a daylight television camera, thermal imaging camera, and laser range finder, enabling effective target acquisition and tracking under all weather conditions. With the addition of a Muzzle Velocity Radar to boost accuracy and the ability to integrate with tactical and fire control radars, the L-70 has been transformed from a legacy system into a cutting-edge air defence weapon, capable of engaging drones, helicopters, and aircraft at ranges of up to 3.5 kilometres.

And of course, there was the S-400 and Akash systems that led India's air defence.

S-400 Triumf, developed by Russia’s Almaz-Antey, is a mobile air defence system known for its medium- and long-range capabilities and is considered among the finest globally. In 2018, India had signed a $5.4 billion deal to buy five S-400 Triumf units. The S-400 SAM is distinguished by its advanced radar systems, long-range missile capabilities, high mobility, operational flexibility, adaptability to various threats, and strong networking features.

Meanwhile, Akash air defence missile system is an advanced missile system, indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It has served as a cornerstone of the nation’s air defence for over a decade. Highly mobile and versatile, Akash can defend static, semi-mobile, and mobile formations against a wide array of threats, including enemy aircraft, drones, and helicopters.