Legacy 40mm anti-aircraft guns to receive upgraded fire-control, tracking and counter-UAS capabilities; two advanced prototypes being developed by Gun Carriage Factory, Jabalpur

NEW DELHI, October 2: The Indian Army has initiated a fresh modernisation effort for its legacy 40mm L-70 anti-aircraft guns, with the latest push focused on adapting the decades-old weapon system to the rapidly evolving threat posed by drones and other low-flying aerial targets, particularly in the Jammu and Kashmir theatre.

The initiative comes as the Army seeks to extract greater capability from its existing L-70 fleet instead of replacing the guns outright. Recent procurement activity in Jammu and Kashmir includes requirements for counter-UAS detection, counter-UAS interdiction, upgraded sighting systems and Quick Fire capability for L-70 guns.

At the same time, the Gun Carriage Factory (GCF), Jabalpur, has launched an R&D programme aimed at developing the next generation of upgrades for the weapon, with a particular focus on improving its ability to detect, track and engage drones.

From Cold War-Era Gun to Counter-Drone Weapon

The L-70 has been part of India’s air-defence architecture since the 1960s. Originally designed to deal with conventional low-level aerial threats, the 40mm gun has undergone several technological upgrades over the decades.

According to the Gun Carriage Factory, the latest programme is intended to adapt the weapon to contemporary battlefield requirements, particularly the growing use of unmanned aerial vehicles.

GCF General Manager and Public Relations Officer Rahul Choudhary told The Hitavada that the project is being undertaken as an R&D initiative and that the gun’s tracking and fire-control systems will undergo significant improvements. Two prototypes are planned under the programme.

The modernisation is significant because drones have introduced a different type of air-defence challenge. Small UAVs can be relatively inexpensive, difficult to detect and capable of operating at low altitudes, making them a demanding target for conventional air-defence systems.

Focus Shifts to Drone Detection and Engagement

The latest L-70 effort is centred on improving the system’s ability to deal with different categories of aerial targets.

According to details provided by GCF, larger drones are expected to be tracked through radar integration, while smaller UAVs and low-signature aerial objects will be addressed through an Electro-Optical Fire Control System (EOFCS).

This creates a layered approach to target detection.

Radar can provide detection and tracking of larger aerial objects, while electro-optical sensors can support passive detection and tracking of smaller or lower-signature targets.

The combination is particularly relevant in counter-drone operations, where the target may have a small radar cross-section and operate close to the ground.

Software and Fire-Control Algorithms at the Centre

One of the most important aspects of the new programme is that the modernisation is not limited to the gun’s mechanical components.

The GCF says the programme will focus significantly on software and fire-control algorithms.

The upgraded system is expected to automatically categorise aerial targets and generate appropriate fire-control solutions.

This is intended to reduce the time between detection and engagement — an important factor when dealing with small drones that can appear suddenly and manoeuvre rapidly.

The approach also reflects a broader shift in air-defence technology, where sensors, computers, automated tracking and fire-control software increasingly determine how effectively a gun system can engage a target.

Four New L-70 Procurement Requirements in J&K

The modernisation push is also visible in recent Indian Army procurement activity.

Four separate GeM requirements linked to L-70 systems have emerged in 2026, covering different aspects of modernisation:

• 12 L-70 sighting-system upgrades
• 24 systems for counter-UAS detection
• 24 systems for counter-UAS interdiction
• 36 Quick Fire L-70 upgrades

The procurement activity is linked to requirements in Jammu and Kashmir, with the Northern Command identified as the beneficiary in the counter-UAS interdiction tender.

The separate detection and interdiction requirements indicate that the Army is looking at the counter-drone problem as a complete engagement chain — from finding and tracking a UAV to generating a firing solution and ultimately neutralising it.

Importantly, the publicly available tender descriptions do not disclose the complete sensor, electronic-warfare or weapon-control architecture being considered.

Quick-Fire Capability for Faster Response

The Army’s requirement for Quick Fire upgrades is another important component of the modernisation effort.

In a counter-UAS environment, the time available to engage a target can be limited. A drone may be detected only shortly before it reaches the defended area, making rapid target acquisition and firing critical.

The Army’s Quick Fire requirement therefore focuses on reducing the time between detection, engagement and firing.

The latest procurement covers 36 L-70 systems, and the tender describes the requirement as an upgrade rather than acquisition of a new gun.

Existing Guns Instead of New Production

A major feature of the programme is its focus on extending the operational life of guns already available with the Army.

The Gun Carriage Factory is no longer manufacturing new L-70 guns, but continues to undertake overhaul and life-extension work on the existing fleet.

This allows the Army to retain an established weapon platform while adding modern sensors, computing, tracking and fire-control capabilities.

The approach is particularly relevant when large numbers of legacy systems are already available and can potentially be upgraded more quickly than an entirely new gun system can be developed and inducted.

Building on Earlier L-70 Upgrades

The latest programme builds upon earlier modernisation efforts.

Between roughly 2000 and 2020, the L-70 underwent significant technological improvements, including electronic and computer-based fire-control systems and replacement of hydraulic mechanisms with electric drives. Some systems were also upgraded in collaboration with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).

BEL’s published L-70 upgrade information lists features including all-electric drives, integrated fire control with an optronic sight, laser range finder, daylight television camera and thermal imaging, along with interfaces for fire-control and tracking radars.

The Army’s current requirement therefore represents another step in an upgrade pathway rather than the first attempt to modernise the L-70.

Electro-Optical Systems for Small UAVs

The electro-optical component is particularly important for countering smaller drones.

The Army’s own design-development documentation has previously identified an Electro Optical Fire Control System for 40mm L-70 guns, incorporating components such as a laser range finder, CCD camera and thermal imager.

The stated objective of that work included improving indigenous capability and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers for diagnosis, repair and spare parts.

The current GCF programme adds another layer by focusing on the software and target-engagement logic required for emerging drone threats.

Why L-70 Remains Relevant

The L-70’s continued relevance lies partly in its existing availability and established infrastructure.

Instead of introducing an entirely new gun platform, the Army can potentially upgrade existing weapons with modern electronics and sensors.

The basic 40mm weapon remains unchanged in its fundamental configuration, while the surrounding technology — including fire-control computers, tracking systems and electro-optics — is being modernised.

GCF has described the objective as turning the established platform into a weapon better suited to contemporary aerial threats.

The modernisation also complements rather than necessarily replaces other counter-UAS technologies, including electronic warfare, jamming, missiles and directed-energy systems.

Lessons From Recent High-Intensity Operations

The new R&D programme is also being driven by operational experience.

GCF officials said the modernisation effort is building on lessons from Operation Sindoor, during which air-defence systems were employed in a high-intensity operational environment.

The growing use of drones in recent conflicts has demonstrated how relatively inexpensive unmanned systems can be used for surveillance, targeting, harassment and attack.

For ground forces, this has increased the importance of having cost-effective systems capable of engaging drones without relying exclusively on expensive surface-to-air missiles.

Two Advanced Prototypes Planned

The Jabalpur-based factory’s R&D division has already begun work on the new programme and plans to develop two advanced L-70 prototypes.

The prototypes are expected to incorporate improvements in tracking and engagement against both larger and smaller aerial targets.

According to GCF, the software will also play a central role by enabling the system to identify different categories of aerial targets and generate suitable fire-control solutions.

The prototype stage will be important in determining how effectively the upgraded system can combine its existing 40mm gun with modern sensors and automated fire-control technology.

Key Takeaways

• The Indian Army is pursuing a fresh L-70 modernisation programme focused on countering drones.
• The Gun Carriage Factory, Jabalpur, is developing two advanced prototypes.
• The upgrade focuses heavily on tracking, fire-control software and engagement algorithms.
• Radar integration is planned for tracking larger UAVs.
• Electro-Optical Fire Control Systems will support engagement of smaller, low-signature aerial targets.
• Recent GeM procurements in Jammu and Kashmir include L-70 upgrades for counter-UAS detection and interdiction.
• Separate requirements also cover sighting-system modernisation and Quick Fire capability.
• The Army is upgrading existing guns rather than acquiring newly manufactured L-70s.
• GCF continues to undertake overhaul and life-extension of the existing L-70 fleet.
• The programme builds upon earlier upgrades involving electronic fire control, electric drives and electro-optical systems.
• The effort reflects the growing importance of cost-effective gun-based counter-UAS capabilities alongside other air-defence technologies.

Conclusion

The latest L-70 modernisation effort reflects the Indian Army’s attempt to adapt an established air-defence platform to a rapidly changing threat environment.

With drones becoming increasingly common in surveillance and strike roles, the emphasis is shifting from the gun itself to the sensor-to-shooter chain — detecting the target, tracking it, classifying it, calculating a firing solution and engaging it quickly.

The J&K-focused procurement activity and the parallel R&D effort at Gun Carriage Factory, Jabalpur, indicate that the L-70 is being retained as part of this evolving counter-UAS architecture. The programme’s eventual effectiveness will depend on how the prototypes and upgraded systems perform during testing and subsequent operational evaluation.