UAVs and UCAVs

a picture is there in the latest force magazine couldn't find any on the web.

The real-size model of the Neuron demonstrator on display for the first time at the Paris Air Show, June 2005.


The model of the Neuron demonstrator alongside the Dassault Rafale fighter at the Paris Air Show 2005.

First Look At New U.A.V.

it is called 'VIHANG NETRA' or 'VIMANG NETRA'

BR , this could be the one you are talking about. Accept this as your birth day gift

Netra UAV.JPG

India readies large-scale UAV procurement programme - Jane's Defence News

India readies large-scale UAV procurement programme




India is planning to significantly upgrade its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capability over the next decade in order to enhance situational awareness along its land and maritime borders.

Official sources said the army was planning to procure a large number of manportable mini- and nano-UAVs with short-range intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and laser-designation capabilities, as well as the ability to detect nuclear, biological and chemical weapons inside enemy territory.

The army also intends to acquire weaponised UAVs similar to the General Atomics RQ-1 Predator, which can be armed with Hellfire missiles. These will be deployed largely along the disputed borders with Pakistan and China.

At present, India operates around 70 Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)-built Searcher Mk 1 and Mk 2 and Heron UAVs, as well as 30 Harpy ground attack drones designed to detect and destroy enemy radars.

"A larger number of UAVs would constitute an integral ingredient of the burgeoning network-centric warfare capability that all three Indian services are seeking to execute the full spectrum of war," a three-star Indian Air Force officer told Jane's.

Image: India operates around 70 UAVs, including the Harpy, but is now planning to significantly augment its UAV fleet (IAI)

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Nishant's 'different' landing creates flutter

Bangalore, Jan 29 (PTI) Unmanned aerial vehicle Nishant today created a flutter when it landed at a location other than its designated landing place at the testing range of Defence Research and Development Organisation near Kolar in Karnataka.

The landing was mistaken for an accident by locals who saw the machine coming down, DRDO sources said.

DRDO personnel switched off the engine and enabled it to land softly with the help of on-board parachute, in a area filled with sand. It was landed at a different place "deliberately", a DRDO official said.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/498532_U...cessful-flight



Unmanned air vehicle Nishant makes successful flight

Bangalore, Feb 3 (PTI) Three days after on board malfunction lead to gentle landing of unmanned aerial vehicle Nishant, the Aeronautical Development Establishment has successfully flown the UAV, the DRDO has said.

"All systems worked normally in its 30th flight and the mission was totally successful," the Defence Research and Development Organisation said in a statement here.

The 30th flight was conducted at ADE, a DRDO lab headquartered here, on February one between 11.25 am and 3 pm.

The aircraft took off from the launcher located at Kolar airfield and it was recovered after three hours, 35 minutes at the designated point, the DRDO said.

Nishant-15 was the same aircraft flown on January 29 from the same location.

DRDO completes successful test flight of UAV Nishant

BANGALORE (PTI): Three days after on board malfunction lead to gentle landing of unmanned aerial vehicle Nishant, the Aeronautical Development Establishment has successfully flown the UAV, the DRDO has said.

"All systems worked normally in its 30th flight and the mission was totally successful," the Defence Research and Development Organisation said in a statement here.

The 30th flight was conducted at ADE, a DRDO lab headquartered here, on February 1st between 11.25 am and 3 pm.

The aircraft took off from the launcher located at Kolar airfield and it was recovered after three hours, 35 minutes at the designated point, the DRDO said.

Nishant-15 was the same aircraft flown on January 29 from the same location. It flew through the designated way point till 3 pm as per plan and was returning towards recovery area near launcher when an on board malfunction occurred while overflying a path five km from Bangarpet. It had led to the recovery parachute coming out and the vehicle landed gently on the ground as per design.

Further, to absorb the shock of recovery, the landing bag in the vehicle got deployed and the vehicle was recovered fully intact except for a very minor damage, the DRDO said, denying that the Nishant had crash-landed on January 29.

http://www.brahmand.com/news/DRDO-co...3078/1/10.html

http://knol.google.com/k/vijainder-k...54fmdhy2mq/60#

Indian UCAV
Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bangalore is developing an Indian UCAV
Besides ISR, the drone will be capable of attacking targets like the US Predator.

"We will soon embark on designing and developing an unmanned combat aerial vehicle, which will not only do surveillance, but will also help detect the target and destroy the identified object," V.K. Saraswat, scientific advisor to Defence Minister A.K. Antony, told reporters on November 24, after inaugurating the fifth national conference on 'NextGen IT for Indian Defence'.

Saraswat recently took over as director general of the DRDO, said on the margins of a conference.

"The controls of a combat drone will be rested with multiple command control centres. The centres can be geographically at different locations. Even if one centre becomes defunct, the drone can be controlled and guided by other centers.

"The UCAV will work in a multi-layer manner for which ADE is developing the required technology, including sensors," Sarsawat added.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...uav-plans.html

Lockheed unveils hybrid cruise missile/UAV plans

Lockheed Martin has unveiled plans to demonstrate a “persistent surveillance” hybrid cruise missile/unmanned air vehicle next year. Named Top Cover, the air-launched, forward-swept-wing design will have an endurance of over 24h at altitudes around 5,000ft (1,500m) and is intended to operate as a cruise missile, lethal UAV or disposable surveillance UAV.


Speaking exclusively to Flight International, Lockheed officials have also revealed concepts for a new penetrating guided bomb using the warhead from the company’s AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM); a UAV development of the Longshot strap-on wing-kit to provide battle damage assessment; and updated information on its proposed 2,270kg (5,000lb) “extreme range” (XR) version of JASSM.

The Top Cover persistent surveillance UAV is being developed as Lockheed’s bid for the US Air Force Research Laboratory’s Area Dominance Programme advanced concept technology demonstration (ACTD). Sensor options include ground moving-target indication radar, infrared and electro-optical cameras, acoustic sensors and signals intelligence arrays. Various warhead options are also being considered, including directed energy systems. Combined warhead and sensor payloads could be carried by the same vehicle, or mixed operations conducted using swarms of warhead- and sensor-equipped systems to locate, identify and engage targets.

The vehicle will weigh 200kg, including a maximum 20kg payload, with its wings folding forward against the fuselage in carriage mode before deploying on release from a host aircraft. It will be powered by a single turbofan engine. Its planned unit cost of around $200,000 will allow it to be treated as expendable, says Jim Pappafotis, director of advanced programmes at Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control.

Lockheed has self-funded development of the Top Cover system since late 2003 using its experience in the USAF’s Affordable Moving Surface Target Engagement ACTD in co-operation with Northrop Grumman. This saw the companies build and fly the air-launched, On-target Weapon Long-range air vehicle, which underwent flight tests in late 2002 and early 2003, but was shelved.

Low-speed windtunnel testing of a Top Cover model was conducted in January to verify its forward-swept-wing design in fully extended configuration. Studies of designs with more sweep were also made, but the selected arrangement provided a more efficient balance between endurance and air vehicle stability, says Pappafotis. Development of an aerodynamics database was completed last March and work to develop a new-generation autopilot will be completed by September, ahead of next year’s flight demonstration.

Lockheed says its pursuit of the Top Cover system and other hybrid concepts seeks to re-apply technology developed through a more than $1 billion government investment in the JASSM programme. The work also reflects the increasingly blurred divide between the roles of missiles and UAVs in the implementation of network-centric operations, says Randy Bigum, vice-president strike weapons.

Plans for a new 450kg penetrating guided bomb would re-use JASSM’s existing warhead, with the glide weapon also fitted with the Longshot wing-kit to provide it with a stand-off range of around 100km (54nm). The proposed UAV version of the Longshot range-extension kit would be stabilised by the addition of a tail and programmed to fly an orbiting profile, with its low-cost camera and datalink providing post-strike intelligence data.

Development of the more than 1,850km-range XR cruise missile is continuing apace, with Lockheed revealing it began windtunnel testing last February with a 5% scale model of the JASSM derivative. With an overall length of 6.3m (20.8ft), compared with the JASSM-ER’s 4.2m, the XR features a fixed canard foreplane and folding main wing. The canard is required to ensure the single turbofan-powered missile maintains a stable flight profile and to compensate for the weight of the Lockheed-designed 540kg warhead. Bigum says the design “preserves the low observable characteristics that we have brought in from the JASSM, even with the canards”.

Detailed concept work began in early 2004 with the aim of providing an alternative means of engaging and destroying hardened and deeply buried targets, with the company-funded development now being pitched as a potential new-start USAF ACTD for fiscal year 2007. About 80% of the JASSM design’s electronics would be reapplied in the basic XR missile, although Pappafotis says the project provides an opportunity to explore alternative warheads, datalinks, non-co-operative target identification technology and precision guidance systems with reduced reliance on GPS. The missile would not use a terminal seeker under current concepts, instead receiving target updates from USAF Northrop E-8 JSTARS aircraft via datalink or satellite.

The weapon’s rocket-boosted penetrator warhead will have a velocity of about 2,300ft/s (700m/s), says Pappafotis, who adds that the charge will be “going in [at] better than Mach 2”. If fielded, the XR cruise missile would be carried by the USAF’s Northrop B-2 and Boeing B-52 bombers, which, respectively, could carry up to eight and four weapons internally and two and eight weapons externally. Boeing’s F-15 fighter is another possible candidate host platform, says Pappafotis, with the type viewed as a potential trials aircraft if the proposed ACTD gains approval.

The drone of 3 Idiots could now serve Army and NSG; DRDO in talksclapclap



The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) that grabbed eyeballs in the Aamir Khan-starrer 3 Idiots could soon be used by the Indian Army and a host of security forces, including the National Security Guard (NSG), for reconnaissance in anti-terror and counter-insurgency situations.

The machine that the student of engineering designed in the film — and which tragically found him hanging in his room on its maiden flight — is the same as the one built by IdeaForge, a company founded by three IIT, Bombay alumni. The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has tied up with IdeaForge to refine the UAV — now named Netra — and is learnt to be preparing to pitch it to the Army.

Netra has already been demonstrated before the NSG, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Delhi Police, Maharashtra Police and the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force, and has drawn special attention from forces currently engaged in anti-Naxal operations. The product will be on display at the forthcoming Defence Expo in New Delhi.

Weighing 1.5 kg, and having a payload capacity of 300 g, Netra — originally called Zeppelin and subsequently Carbon — can perform Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) operations. It can fly in a radius of 1.5 km at altitudes of over 100 m, for 30 minutes per battery charge. Each unit costs between Rs 18 lakh and 20 lakh, but the price is expected to drop once it is manufactured in larger numbers.

The UAV is fitted with a high resolution 2.5X zoom camera, which can be panned and tilted. It beams real-time live aerial images, and can record the footage. An in-built fail-safe mechanism ensures the UAV returns to its home position in case of loss of communication or low battery.

While Netra’s design continues to be developed and refined by IdeaForge, DRDO has been collaborating to make the backpack case that is used by the operator to initiate the flight plan and serves as the base station.

“Most of the paramilitary forces who have been shown this product have sought night-operability of this machine so that it can be used for surveillance during night time. Also, one of the forces wants the machine to be operable indoors. We are planning to make some customizations including putting a thermal camera on Netra,” said Amardeep Singh of IdeaForge.

The UAV’s Zeppelin prototype was the joint winner at MAV 08, an international competition of micro aerial vehicles. “It was then that we decided to further work on the design. We showcased a prototype in December 2008, following which the DRDO got into the picture,” Singh said.

http://www.defpro.com/daily/details/512/


US Army increases UAS targeting capability with enhanced Hellfire missiles




The experimental Extended Range/Multi-Purpose (ER/MP) UAS.

US Army concludes successful tests with Hellfire II UAS missiles on MQ-1C ER/MP UAS

09:47 GMT, February 19, 2010 defpro.com | As unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) continue their push into many fields of modern aviation, in particular in reconnaissance, strike and close air support missions, the US Army is carrying out tests to further improve the target envelope of existing weapon systems.

As the US Army recently reported, its newest and most advanced UAS, the MQ-1C Extended Range/Multi-Purpose (ER/MP) UAS based upon the US Air Force Predator, completed a series of tests with the Hellfire II UAS missile. The latter is specially designed for use on unmanned aircraft and, according to the Army, provides a 360-degree targeting ability.

The firing tests were preceded by integration testing between MQ-1C contractor General Atomics' Software Integration Laboratory, the El Mirage Flight Test Facility, and Edwards Air Force Base.


Firing Tests at China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station

The tests, carried out at the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station in California, were intended to demonstrate the missile’s ability to engage a wider target envelope then possible with earlier missile variants. On the occasion of the successful tests, which began in November 2009, Tim Owings, Deputy Project Manager, Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems, stated that nine perfect or near-perfect missile firings had been achieved.

As the first firings of missiles from the MQ-1C Warrior, the tests began with dry runs against a target with an inert test missile on the inboard rail of the right wing. Upon receiving positive results for the data transmission between the missile, the aircraft and the China Lake Range Control Center, a successful “cold” pass was carried out using a live-powered missile and primarily assuring that the missile locks onto the target.

The more advanced stage in the testing, involving a “hot” firing of the missile, proved that the missile performs as expected. The firing test provided a successful impact after the approach was controlled by and coordinated between the mission payload operator and air vehicle operator, or AVO, at precise waypoints during the flight.


Greater Flexibility in Combat

Capable of being fired in any direction and correcting course to search and strike its target, the Hellfire II UAS missile is expected to provide UAS with a greater flexibility in ground attack missions.

“The Hellfire UAS missile can take advantage of a 360 degree look-around angle. The ball on the UAV can swivel 360 degrees - and with this missile you can engage targets that are below you, behind you and well off-axis from what a typical Hellfire can do,” said Owings. “There were nine successful shots. The big point is that the laser designation system, the weapons system and the UAV all performed as designed and as expected. It was a really clean test.”

As the Army reported, “The test firing helped pave the way for the ERMP's successful completion of a Milestone C review, marking approval for the UAS Project Office to enter into Low Rate Initial Production.”

The Milestone C, confirming production readiness and program acquisition maturity, will allow the Army to purchase two complete systems, each including 12 aircraft as well as eight additional aircraft for training and replacement of war-losses. According to Owing, the first set of aircraft (four weaponised MQ-1C) is scheduled to be deployed to Afghanistan in July 2010.

Powered by a Thielert Centurion heavy fuel engine (HFE), the Warrior is capable of flying for more than 30 hours and can operate with or without satellite communication data links. In addition to four Hellfire missiles, the deployed aircraft will carry an advanced targeting system for immediate situational awareness and target detection.


Pushing forward the importance of UAS attack capabilities

The tests have been a real first in a variety of aspects, as this was not only the first missile firing from the MQ-1C. The Hellfire II UAS is also the first missile specifically designed for use on an unmanned aircraft, pushing one step further into the age of unmanned warfare. An ongoing poll at defpro.com on the future of UAVs shows that only 50% of those voting think that UAS’ might replace unmanned aircraft in the field of ground attack and CAS (see http://poll.fm/18yg3) (To put this into perspective: Voters show a 99% approval for the future dominion of UAS in the field of reconnaissance and intelligence. – Ed.).

While the long-standing question, whether unmanned aviation may one day replace manned aviation remains unanswered for the moment, operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the growing industrial focus, indicate a clear trend towards a significant increase of unmanned systems in modern warfare. The enhanced capability which the Hellfire II UAS may provide to unmanned aircraft might further accelerate this trend.

http://uniurs.com/news/2010/02/21/in...ped-by-adenal/