SUBANG – Since its first appearance in the public of the homeland defense industry, DAHANA’s loitering munition named Rajata continues to attract the attention of policy makers among others President Joko Widodo who visited the DEFEND ID booth at the Indo Defense Exhibition 2022, the Army Chief of Staff who asked that Rajata should continue to be perfected and the fact that Rajata the Research and Development award from the at the Ministry of Defense, 

Kamikaze drones are currently in public discussion following the proven effective use in the Russia-Ukraine war. Their ability as unmanned aircrafts to destroy targets with precision was appreciated by many. Refusing to be left behind, Indonesia through PT DAHANA, is innovating to create Rajata with various advantages ready to compete with other Kamikaze Drones.

DAHANA’s Director of Technology and Development, Suhendra Yusuf RPN said, explosive technology and production are proven capabilities of DAHANA. Mr Yusuf stated  that from the time got the trust by shareholders to become DAHANA’s Director of Technology and Development, in September 2021, he challenged DAHANA’s engineers and personnel to develop loitering munitions.

“Finally in October 2021 we formed a development team with partners who master aviation technology (aerodynamics and aviation),” said Mr Yusuf (16/11).

Mr Yusuf added that up to the present that in Indonesia, financial support for researchers remains very low. DAHANA has also financed Rajata’s research and development independently. With the determination to realize the independence of the national Defense and Security Equipment Tool (Alpalhankam), Rajata improvements are being carried out, among others by means of the trials that were carried out two months after the research in Rancaekek, Bandung Regency and the Soft Launching in Cipatat, West Bandung Regency. Following the trials, it was found that Rajata technology allows personnel who uses it to destroy targets without the enemy noticing. Rajata can be an alternative solution to the use of missiles because as are more economical, and equipped with a much higher level of accuracy compared to rockets.

Currently, several countries that have produced Kamikaze Drones, such as Russia’s Kalashnikov, Poland’s Warmate, America’s Switchblade, and Israel’s Hero-30. Mr Yusuf claims that Rajata is ready to compete because it is designed to be the cheapest Kamikaze Drone among the cheapest drones in the world today.

“In comparison, the Warmate is a bomber ammunition developed in 2012. Its popularity rose after the war in Karabakh. WB Electronics-Poland released its 1,000th kamikaze drone in 2021. Weighing less than 6 kg, this drone can fly at an altitude of 150m – 300m, with a speed of 150 km/hour. Warmate is being sold at the cheapest price at the moment,” he concluded.

Currently, Rajata is still in the process of refinement, such as development of operation abort technology that ensures Rajata is safe for civilians within war zones. Mr Yusud also asked for support from all defense industry stakeholders to make sure that Rajata could be mass-produced, and become an influential defense equipment system in the global defense industry supply chain.

For Information:

Juli Jajuli

Senior Manager Legal & Corporate Communications

PT DAHANA

Email : julijajuli@dahana.id

Mobile: 082111546999