New Delhi: Pakistan on Thursday bombarded 300 to 400 drones in 36 locations of India, Colonel Sofia Qureshi stated in a joint conference by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and armed forces. The drones covered military installations in 36 locations from Leh to Sir Creek, Uttar Pradesh.
“These drones were shot down using kinetic and non-kinetic means by the Indian Army. The intention of this comprehensive aerial intrusion was to test air defence systems and gather intelligence,” Qureshi explained.
“The wreckage of the shot-down drones is undergoing forensic investigation. So far, we know that these are Turkish Asisguard Songar drones,” she added.
Details of Turkey-made Songar drones
The Asisguard Songar is a Turkish-made Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV), developed by the Turkish defence technology company Asisguard. It is the country’s first national armed drone system.
Technical details
Type: Four-rotor military drone capable of combat.
Maximum Weight at Takeoff: Up to 45 kilograms.
Carrying Capacity: Roughly 9 kg of payload.
Size: Measures 140–145 cm from rotor tip to rotor tip.
Flight Duration: Can stay airborne for up to 25 minutes.
Operating Altitude: Can reach 3000 meters above sea level (MSL) or 300 meters above ground level (AGL).
Operating Distance: A standard range of 3 km, which can be extended to 5 km.
Navigation: Utilises both GPS and GLONASS for positioning.
Environmental Limits: Functional in temperatures from -20°C to +50°C and can withstand winds up to 10 meters per second.
Weapon Options:
5.56×45mm NATO Rifle: Can fire up to 200 rounds, either individually or in 15-round bursts.
Grenade Launchers: Available with 4 or 6 barrels, effective up to 400–450 meters.
81mm Mortar (Togan): Air-dropped ammunition developed jointly with TÜBİTAK SAGE.
Mini-Missile System: Laser-guided missiles suitable for light armoured vehicles and fortified positions.
7.62×39mm Rifle: Integration tested with the Turkish SAR 15T rifle, providing an effective range of 400 meters.
Operational Features:
Flight Control: Operates autonomously or via manual control.
Mission Planning: Allows for pre-planned routes and adjustments during flight.
Safety: Equipped with a return-to-home function if signal is lost or battery is low.
Surveillance: Features day and night vision cameras, including a pilot camera with 10x zoom and a gun-mounted camera for real-time video.
Deployment: Designed for quick deployment by infantry and integration with armored vehicles.
Songar offers a range of capabilities for day and night military and security operations. Operating within a 5km radius, the drone provides real-time video feeds to operators. A key feature is its integrated grenade launcher, capable of firing up to four grenades at once. The system incorporates autonomous flight modes, including a “return to home” function in case of link loss or low battery.
