New Delhi. It may sound like science fiction but In a decade from now, swarms of unmanned Indian-made drones entering enemy airspace, flying autonomously to their target and using advanced artificial intelligence algorithms to destroy terrorist training camps like Balakot could become a distinct possibility.

Each swarm could have dozens of individual drones and their sheer numbers would outmatch the enemy defences and ensure a high degree of success even if detected.

These drones are being developed by a team of engineers and software experts at state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd and NewSpace Research and Technologies, a Bengaluru based start-up looking at next-generation aviation technologies. Their plan is to fly the first Indian swarm drone prototypes in two years. The drones are named- ALFA-S or Air-Launched Flexible Asset (Swarm).

The drones have two folding wings and are between 1 and 2 metres long. Several of the drones are fitted inside canisters mounted under the wings of Indian Air Force aircraft. The pilots fly to a point where they are safe from enemy aircraft and missiles and release the drones which can touch speeds of over 100 kilometres per hour.

Each drone then carries out a suicide attack – hitting the target using the high-explosive warhead carried onboard.