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By:

Commodore S.L. Deshmukh

31 October 2024 at 8:30:19 am

The Beam That Blinds the Drone

As cheap drones reshape the battlefield, India’s T-SHUL BEAM points to a future in which electronic warfare may matter as much as firepower The drone has definitively become the weapon of choice for the modern battlefield. Cheap, expendable and increasingly autonomous, unmanned aerial vehicles can now threaten troops, armour, airfields and critical infrastructure without requiring the attacker to risk a pilot. Their proliferation has created a corresponding demand for counter-drone systems...

The Beam That Blinds the Drone

As cheap drones reshape the battlefield, India’s T-SHUL BEAM points to a future in which electronic warfare may matter as much as firepower The drone has definitively become the weapon of choice for the modern battlefield. Cheap, expendable and increasingly autonomous, unmanned aerial vehicles can now threaten troops, armour, airfields and critical infrastructure without requiring the attacker to risk a pilot. Their proliferation has created a corresponding demand for counter-drone systems that can respond quickly and at a cost proportionate to the threat. This is where beam-based anti-drone technology enters the picture. Broadly, such systems fall into two categories. Hard-kill systems use concentrated laser energy to physically damage or destroy a drone. Soft-kill systems, by contrast, use radio-frequency or electromagnetic energy to disrupt the electronic links that allow a drone to communicate, navigate and transmit information. Sophisticated Weaponry Hard-kill laser systems focus an intense beam of light on a vulnerable part of an incoming UAV - its carbon-fibre structure, control surfaces, battery or other critical components. The concentrated energy rapidly heats the target, potentially burning through its structure or disabling optical sensors and bringing the aircraft down. India’s DRDO has demonstrated a 30kW laser system, while Israel’s Rafael has developed the Lite Beam system. Soft-kill systems take a different route. Rather than physically destroying the aircraft, they interfere with the electronic architecture that keeps it airborne. Directional radio-frequency energy can disrupt command-and-control links, video feeds, telemetry and satellite-navigation signals such as GPS or other GNSS services. Depending on the drone and the nature of the disruption, the aircraft may be forced to land, return to its launch point or lose control. It is in this category that the T-SHUL BEAM system developed by Indian defence company IG Defence deserves attention. T-SHUL BEAM is a man-portable, directional counter-drone system designed for tactical deployment. Its multi-band radio-frequency architecture is intended to target several of the links on which unmanned aerial systems depend, including command-and-control, telemetry, video transmission and GNSS navigation. Its directional configuration allows an operator to concentrate electronic countermeasures on a particular aerial target rather than indiscriminately radiating energy across a large area. That matters on a battlefield where the warning time against a small UAV or first-person-view drone may be measured in seconds. The appeal of such a system is therefore not simply that it can counter a drone. It is that it can potentially bring counter-drone capability closer to the soldier and to the tactical edge. Large counter-UAS installations have their place, particularly around fixed and high-value assets. But forward units require systems that can move with them, be deployed rapidly and operate against small, low-cost unmanned platforms without imposing the logistical burden associated with conventional weapons. The T-SHUL BEAM’s significance also lies in its proposed integration with an artificial-intelligence-enabled battle-management architecture. IG Drones, the original equipment manufacturer, has stated that T-SHUL BEAM has been integrated with GRID, its indigenous AI-powered platform. The GRID architecture is intended to bring sensors, intelligence systems, unmanned platforms and command elements into a common operational framework. The attraction of such integration is obvious. Countering drones is increasingly less about a single weapon and more about the speed of the kill chain: detecting a threat, identifying it, deciding what response is appropriate and directing that response before the target disappears. An AI-enabled command architecture can potentially improve situational awareness, facilitate real-time threat detection and coordinate different systems operating simultaneously. This is particularly relevant as drone warfare evolves from isolated attacks towards increasingly complex and potentially swarming operations. A battlefield crowded with drones cannot be managed effectively if every sensor and weapon operates as a separate island. The advantage will increasingly belong to forces capable of turning disparate streams of information into a coherent picture and responding at machine speed. The T-SHUL BEAM’s reported demonstration at Pokhran represents another step in India’s attempt to build a domestic ecosystem spanning drones, counter-drones, artificial intelligence and electronic warfare. Counter-drone warfare is likely to be a recurring requirement rather than a niche capability. Importing every component of such an ecosystem would leave India vulnerable to supply-chain disruptions, technology restrictions and foreign-exchange pressures. Indigenous development, even when undertaken by relatively small private-sector companies, can broaden the country’s technological base and give the armed forces greater freedom to adapt systems to their operational requirements. Economics of the Contest Yet the real measure of any counter-drone system will ultimately be operational rather than promotional. Electronic warfare is inherently a contest between countermeasure and counter-countermeasure. Drone designers can alter frequencies, communications protocols, navigation methods and levels of autonomy. A system that is effective against one generation of drones may require modification against the next. The battlefield, in other words, will remain a technological arms race. The economics of the contest nevertheless favour directed-energy and electronic-warfare solutions. A conventional interceptor expends a missile or projectile against each target. A beam-based system can, subject to its power supply, engagement envelope and other operational constraints, engage targets without expending conventional ammunition. The marginal cost of an interception can consequently be dramatically lower. The beam also travels at effectively the speed of light, removing the flight time associated with kinetic interceptors. In densely populated areas or around sensitive infrastructure, bringing down a drone with a projectile can create its own hazards. Electronic disruption, when properly controlled, offers the possibility of neutralising the threat without sending an interceptor crashing back to earth. These advantages should not obscure the limitations. Soft-kill systems depend on the vulnerabilities of the target’s electronic architecture and may be less effective against increasingly autonomous drones that require fewer external communications. Weather, range, power availability, frequency management and the sophistication of an adversary's electronic countermeasures can all affect performance. No single technology is likely to provide a complete answer. The future of counter-drone warfare will therefore belong not to the beam alone but to layered defence combining. The emergence of systems such as T-SHUL BEAM suggests that India is beginning to build the technological pieces of that architecture at home. (The writer is a retired naval aviation officer and a defence and geopolitical analyst. Views personal.)

Horror Beyond the Supernatural

Writer: Rupali Sethi
Rupali Sethi
Jan 11
3 min read

The title itself is enough to send shivers down the spine even before turning the first page, evoking an image of voices rising from unfathomable depths – forgotten, cursed, or perhaps deliberately silenced, only to return as haunting reverberations that refuse to be ignored. This sense of unease and foreboding forms the backbone of the book and remains remarkably consistent throughout. From the very beginning, readers are invited into a dark, unsettling universe where horror isn’t merely visual or external but deeply psychological, emotional, and existential.


A strong aspect of the book is its sustained atmosphere of horror and nail-biting suspense. The author carefully builds tension rather than relying on shock value alone. Each story unfolds at its own deliberate pace, allowing dread to seep in slowly and organically. The climax of many tales isn’t just frightening but emotionally devastating, leaving the reader with a lingering sense of melancholy rather than momentary fear. This lingering aftertaste of sorrow, loss, and subdued frustration is what sets Echoes from the Abyss apart from conventional horror anthologies.


A recurring theme across the stories is that of tragic, forlorn love; love that is incomplete, unfulfilled, or cruelly severed by fate, death, or supernatural intervention. These are not romanticised ghost stories meant to comfort; instead, they confront the reader with the raw pain of separation and longing. The endings are often tragic; they may feel cruel, yet they feel honest. The author does not offer easy resolutions or consolations, making the emotional impact more powerful. Readers are left grieving not just for the characters, but for the inevitability of loss itself.


Another striking feature of the book is the deliberate and thoughtful use of language. The titles of each story written in Latin, accompanied by their English meanings, immediately signal the author’s deep passion for words and etymology. This choice isn’t merely ornamental; it sets the intellectual and emotional tone of each narrative. The Latin titles act almost like thematic signposts, preparing the reader for the emotional and philosophical terrain ahead. This linguistic sophistication reflects the author’s command over vocabulary and his evident joy in the art of wordplay.


The richness of language may require readers with a strong flair for English and an appreciation for nuanced, sometimes dense prose. This book demands patience, focus, and a willingness to engage deeply with the text.


Among the thirteen stories in the collection, Saudade, Biblioklept, and Lugubrious deserve special mention. Saudade captures a haunting sense of longing and emotional absence that transcends physical death, turning grief into a spectral presence. Biblioklept stands out for its originality, blending intellectual obsession with a creeping sense of doom that feels both fresh and unsettling. Lugubrious is steeped in sorrow and gloom, offering a deeply atmospheric narrative that lingers long after it ends. These stories showcase the author at his best – confident, emotionally resonant, and unafraid to explore uncomfortable psychological spaces.


The author’s assertion that the stories are drawn from personal experiences adds an intriguing layer. Whether literal or metaphorical, this claim significantly heightens the reader’s curiosity, introducing a sense of vulnerability and authenticity, and the horror is disturbingly intimate. You feel a deep sense of pity and empathy for the author, imagining him as a victim, survivor, or witness to the darkness he describes. This blurring of the line between lived experience and fiction enhances the emotional weight of the narratives.


Humour and horror are challenging to execute effectively, relying heavily on timing, atmosphere, and emotional manipulation. Horror must instil fear without becoming absurd; humour must amuse without trivialising the experience. The author possesses the rare skill required to navigate these genres successfully. Even moments of dark humour serve to deepen the unease rather than dilute it.


Ultimately, this book demands the reader’s absolute attention with wide-open eyes, a racing heartbeat, and an alert mind constantly anticipating the next unsettling turn. Once immersed, it’s difficult to silence one’s thoughts or detach from the morbid possibilities unfolding. The book extends a ghastly invitation into a world dominated by spirits, shadows, and supernatural forces exerting a sinister and lasting effect on the psyche.


In conclusion, Echoes from the Abyss isn’t a light or comforting read. It is intense, emotionally charged, and intellectually demanding. For readers who are avid fans of horror and suspense thrillers, especially those who appreciate psychological depth and rich language, it is a deeply rewarding experience. The author deserves utmost appreciation for crafting a collection that is both frightening and profoundly human, proving that true horror often lies not in monsters, but in memory, loss, and echoes that refuse to fade.


(The writer is a literary critic. Views personal.)

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