Swathi Mountains

• The Indian Army inducted the lighter and more compact version of the indigenously developed Weapon Locating Radar (WLR-M) called “Swathi Mountains”
• The Swathi Mountains WLR is an advanced electronically scanned phased array radar, specifically designed for operations in mountainous and high-altitude areas and
• It has been developed by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in Bengaluru.

About WLR

• The Weapon Locating Radar (WLR) stands as a critical asset for modern militaries, employing advanced signal processing techniques to autonomously detect and track hostile artillery, mortars, and rocket launchers.
• It even tracks friendly fire trajectories, enabling precise calculations for more accurate artillery strikes.
• Major feature of a WLR is high mobility and swift deployment capabilities, allowing it to adapt to changing operational requirements efficiently.
• Ensuring effectiveness in hostile environments, the radar is designed with survivability and resistance to electronic warfare measures in mind.
• The WLR also acts as a potent friendly force multiplier by providing critical information on enemy weapon systems.

Swathi Radar

• The Swathi radar comes in two versions:
  • the Swathi Plains (WLR) and the Swathi Mountains (WLR-M).
• The Swathi Plains version is primarily designed to locate hostile guns, mortars, and rockets, and it can also track the fall of shot from friendly weapons for corrective measures on flat terrains like Plains.
• On the other hand, the Swathi Mountains version, is a more compact and mobile version.
  • It is specifically designed for operations in mountainous and high-altitude terrains.
  • The WLR-M, or Swathi Mountains, is capable of detecting mortar shells and rockets and tracking projectiles.
  • It classifies projectile and non-projectile targets, rejecting unwanted signals like birds, clutter, and aircraft.
  • Moreover, it offers trajectory estimation and launch/impact point extrapolation, automatically correcting for height to enhance accuracy.
  • It is equipped to store and display trajectory data and maintain communication with higher echelons for better coordination.