Canister Launched Anti-Armour Loiter Ammunition (CALM) System
The Canister Launched Anti-Armour Loiter Ammunition (CALM) System is a pre-loaded loiter ammunition canister or a drone that once fired can remain airborne for a period of time over a designated area and after the target is sighted it can be guided to destroy the target with an explosive payload.
Overview:
- Loiter ammunitions have a camera that is nose-mounted and it is used by the operator to see the area of operation and choose the specific targets.
- There are variants of these munitions that can be recovered and reused if they have not been used for any strike.
About Loiter munitions
They are a mix of surface-to-surface missiles and a drone. While a missile once fired directly hits a target loiter munitions carrying onboard surveillance equipment and warheads stay aloft after being launched in a similar fashion as drones for a longer time. It surveys the designated area and looks for targets. After a target is identified the munitions hit to destroy it. Loiter munitions can be recovered if no suitable targets are found and the mission is aborted. The loiter munitions are cheaper, smaller, and less complicated than combat drones.
First usage of CALM System
During the 2021 Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict, the Azerbaijan forces made deployed this system to cause havoc on Armenian radar systems, tanks, and communication. The loiter ammunition gave the Azerbaijan forces a huge advantage over enemy targets like tanks.
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Month: Current Affairs - April, 2022
Category: Defence Current Affairs