Indian Navy to Deploy HEPF Shells on AK-630 Gun with 600 Metal Shrapnel Dispersal to Counter Swarm Drones

Pune: The Indian Navy is set to significantly bolster its defense capabilities against aerial threats, particularly swarming drones, by introducing high-explosive pre-fragmented (HEPF) shells. These specialized shells, capable of engaging multiple drones within a five-kilometer radius, will be fired from AK-630 Naval guns, a system already integrated into various naval vessels.

Each HEPF shell boasts a 1kg payload capacity and an effective range of five kilometers. Upon detonation, the shell disperses approximately 600 metal shrapnels at a velocity of 850 meters per second, creating a lethal cloud capable of neutralizing multiple drones within its expansive radius.

This new development is particularly relevant considering the recent surge in drone attacks targeting Indian ships in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean Region. The HEPF shells will offer commanding officers an additional, potent tool to counter these threats, supplementing existing anti-drone systems already in place.

The indigenous development of the HEPF shell is attributed to the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) laboratory under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Director of ARDE, A Raju, confirmed the handover of production documents to the Naval Armament Inspectorate, paving the way for the Navy to place supply orders with manufacturers based on their operational needs.

Extensive trials conducted in collaboration with the Indian Navy have validated the shell's operational effectiveness, fulfilling desired performance parameters. The Navy played a pivotal role throughout the development process, providing technical inputs and collaborating closely with ARDE to refine the design and ensure its success.

 

[atuls1590]

I think Indian navy should also acquire laser technology against swarm drones.

 

[Arvind Sharma]

This is likely to will prove quite effective if coupled with Radar system.
Also if they go for quality directed energy weapons for neutralizing the chance survivors. This will be a fool proof arrangement till the technology gets a different dimension altogether.

 

[VM]

Drones are quite small so these shells are not so effective. Lasers has their own advantage but not on swarn drone as it require to neutralise drone one by one and because of small size radar is not so much effective. The best possibility which I think is jamming, as soon as the threat detected we should deploy drone or small helicopter in the direction capable enough to jam the incoming drone or swarn causing them to fell on the sea without harming the ship. Russian uses the variant of jammer in T90 and it proves it's capability in Russia Ukraine war. If Govt allows us then we can make a better than this system to handle such problem.

 

[Radha Ramanan]

If that is true, then it is a big advantage . Effectively we have made an AHEAD projectile equal to the world class 35mm AAD by Rheinmetall.
The tech involved is to burst the ammo at a predetermined time when the target is expected there. This involves a timer fuse. Now the timer fuse has to be programmed as it leaves the barrel. I wonder how they did it. In the 35 mm ahead ammo the fuse detonation data is fed to the shell as it leaves the barrel, one can see that behind the flash and recoil suppressor. It is costlier to make this type of ammo but fewer no of shell are needed to destroy the in coming target.
The bad news is pakistan has this oerlikon 35 mm AAD gun for many years. Its deadly affective . Any target that is within 5k of the gun is at great risk. The only other option is to take out the FCR radar with a rudram missile. It will become a very effective CIWS for all ships. It would be able to take out supersonic anti ship missiles as well as a last ditch effort , once the target data is fed into the system the gun can be turned to that direction and fire a burst of programmed 30 mm shell mm shell, thousands of shrapnel will be in the path of the missiles and surely the missile will get hit. A subsonic missile will easily get shot down.

 

[NSR]

Almost entire Russian Black Sea Fleet got decimated by Ukraine Neptune and Sea Drones and whatever left fled to a distant port in Russian territory.
Having this kind of weapons surely helps as a last resort one in defending against all kinds of drones and missiles.

Not to mention the already employed Barak-Is, MR-SAMs, and Barak-8s (LRSAMs) AMDs too.
Soon VL-SRSAMs missiles will follow too.

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

Almost entire Russian Black Sea Fleet got decimated by Ukraine Neptune and Sea Drones and whatever left fled to a distant port in Russian territory.
Having this kind of weapons surely helps as a last resort one in defending against all kinds of drones and missiles.

Not to mention the already employed Barak-Is, MR-SAMs, and Barak-8s (LRSAMs) AMDs too.
Soon VL-SRSAMs missiles will follow too.

The problem isn't the defensive weapons like CIWS, the issue lies with protocols. All automatic weapon systems including missile launchers are required to stand down in ports. While radars can be on , even they operate at sentinal mode with less power to avoid interfering with civilian communication infrastructure. Even EW systems are required to stand down. In such a scenario, not even USN would be left unscatched. The same happened to USS Cole.

While u can have manned auto cannons, machine gilins in sentry mode even those require compliance with strict protocols.

The USN took lesson from USS Cole and started integrating 30mm Bushnaster auto cannons on their vessels. Even Russians have started integrating 30-50mm autocannons or atleast the 14.5mm KPV Heavy Machine Gun on all their vessels including amphibious vessels, cargo transport vessels and oil tankers. That's the reason why suddenly there us a drop in Ukrainian attacks on sea .