In a groundbreaking advancement for air combat operations, Colonel Prashant Thakur of the Army Air Defence in Lucknow has introduced a revolutionary AI-powered system, designed to prevent friendly fire caused by aircraft misidentification. Named Next Generation Aircraft Recognition for Bharat by Harnessing Artificial Intelligence (NABH AI), the technology promises to identify friendly and enemy aircraft, including UAVs, with remarkable speed and accuracy.

The NABH AI system leverages a specialised process, wherein it captures a sequence of images, which are then analyzed using advanced algorithms. This analysis enables the identification of friendly or enemy aircraft within 6–8 seconds, achieving an impressive accuracy rate of 80%. The technology addresses a critical gap observed in air combat globally, such as during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, where friendly fire incidents caused losses estimated at ₹15,000 crore.

Closer to home, the need for such innovation was highlighted during India’s Balakot operation, when an IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter was mistakenly shot down in a friendly fire incident, near Srinagar.

Till now, radar systems have been the primary tools for identifying aerial targets. However, their limited precision often resulted in 70–80% of targets being marked as "unknown." Recognizing this shortfall, Col. Thakur conceptualized and developed NABH AI, utilizing an image database and AI algorithms to identify aircraft models in seconds.

Remarkably, the entire development process for NABH AI was completed within just one year. On Saturday, Col. Thakur announced his intention to apply for a patent for the technology.

Col. Thakur's achievement was celebrated at the Inno-Yoddha 2024-2025 event, held at Delhi Cantonment, where NABH AI was recognized among the top 10 innovations. He received accolades for this cutting-edge technology, adding to his distinguished career.

A recipient of the Sena Medal for Gallantry and the Army Commander’s Commendation Card, Col. Thakur has served the Indian Army with distinction for 18 years.

Plans are underway to develop NABH AI as a chip-based model that can be integrated into India’s aircraft gun systems, further enhancing its utility in combat scenarios.