Army displays Turkish Yiiha drone deployed by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor

The Indian Army on Monday displayed a reconstructed Turkish armed drone Yiiha, which was shot down by India during Operation Sindoor on May 10. The Kamikaze class of the multi-role drone was displayed at an event hosted by Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi to commemorate Vijay Diwas.

Pakistan used a large number of Yiiha single-use attack unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) to target various Indian military and civilian installations during the May 7 to 10 hostilities between the two countries. However, almost all the drones were shot down by the Indian military.

The Yiiha drone that was displayed at the event was flying at an altitude of 2000 metres on May 10. It was launched from Lahore International Airport and the intended target was Jalandhar, according to military officials.

The drone, carrying a payload of 10 kg of explosives, was brought down by the Army Air Defence (AAD). The remotely-operated drone was intended to blow up on impact. The UCAV, with a wingspan of two metres, is powered by a two-stroke engine with a horsepower of 170 cc.

The Indian military destroyed a large number of Kamikaze drones using its counter-drone apparatus. The Kamikaze class of drones are also known as “suicide drones” as they are weapon systems that can hover or circle a target area, searching for a suitable target before attacking.

In response to the Pahalgam terror attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, carrying out air strikes on terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan. It was followed by four days of intense clashes that ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions on May 10 evening.  India commemorates Vijay Diwas on December 16 in honour of the soldiers who laid down their lives in the 1971 war with Pakistan that led to the creation of Bangladesh.