DRDO DURGA II Laser Weapon for Land, Sea, and Air.
                     DRDO DURGA II 
LASER WEAPON 
FOR LAND, 
SEA, AND AIR
INTRODUCTION
■ The work of the 
Defence Research and 
Development 
Organisation (DRDO) 
has often been 
commended, or 
criticised, with 
reference to a handful 
of notable projects.
Source: www.theweek.in
TECHNOLOGIES
■ These are usually the Light 
Combat Aircraft Tejas, the 
Arjun tank and missiles like 
the Agni series. 
■ Less well-known has been 
the DRDO's work on cutting-
edge technologies and 
weapons, which are yet to 
enter widespread 
operational service 
worldwide.
Source: www.theweek.in
DIRECTED-ENERGY 
WEAPONS
■ One such area is the field of 
'directed-energy weapons' 
(DEW). 
■ In layman's parlance, a 
directed-energy weapon 
damages or destroys its 
target using focused energy 
by means of lasers, 
microwaves or particle 
beams.
Source: www.theweek.in
ADVANTAGES OF 
DIRECTED-ENERGY 
WEAPONS
■ Directed-energy weapons 
have several advantages 
over conventional 
munitions. 
■ First, they transmit lethal 
force at the speed of light. 
■ Second, their beams are not 
affected by the constraining 
effects of gravity or 
atmospheric drag.
Source: www.theweek.in
ADVANTAGES OF 
DIRECTED-ENERGY 
WEAPONS CONT.
■ Third, they are extremely 
precise. 
■ Fourth, their effects can be 
tailored by varying the type 
and intensity of energy 
delivered against targets."
Source: www.theweek.in
DRONE DEFENCE 
SYSTEMS
■ Directed-energy weapons 
are already in service in the 
role of 'drone defence' 
systems. 
■ In such systems, laser 
beams are used to knock 
out parts of drones, which 
are becoming an integral 
part of the military arsenal 
of most nations.
Source: www.theweek.in
DURGA II
■ The classified project, 
dubbed DURGA II 
(Directionally Unrestricted 
Ray-Gun Array), will see the 
Indian Army receive the 
100-kilowatt, lightweight 
directed-energy system.
Source: www.theweek.in
LASER-GENERATION 
TECHNIQUES
■ A senior DRDO scientist said 
on condition of anonymity 
that the DURGA II program 
is currently in the concept 
stage. 
■ He added that the 
organization is developing 
and improving various laser-
generation techniques using 
solid state, fiber and 
chemical lasers for 
defensive and offensive use.
Source: www.theweek.in
TARGET A BALLISTIC 
MISSILE
■ The center has so far made 
a 25-kilowatt laser that can 
target a ballistic missile 
during its terminal phase at 
a maximum distance of 5 
kilometers.
Source: www.theweek.in
EXISTENCE OF A 
DURGA PROJECT
■ Interestingly, the existence 
of a DURGA project has been 
reported for around two 
decades now, dating back to 
the early 2000s. 
■ A study by Indian Air Force 
officer K.K. Nair published by 
the United Service 
Institution of India (USI) in 
2008 referred to the 
Directionally Unrestricted 
Ray-Gun Array (DURGA) and 
noted there was little 
progress in the project.
Source: www.theweek.in