Should India Build a stealth drone?

ace009

Freakin' Fighter fan
Senior Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
1,662
Likes
526
I think before trying to build a 5th generation AMCA type combat aircraft, India should build a stealth drone for reconnaissance. This would both give India a in-house recon/ surveillence platform, which can be later modified for strike/ combat purposes, but also, it would be a test-bed for stealth features of a 5th gen fighter.
I would love to hear comments from members, including what private partnership options (foreign and domestic) are out there.
 

plugwater

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2009
Messages
4,154
Likes
1,081
Aura ??

We have to finish Rustom 1 and Rustom H first before moving to stealth UAV.
 

agentperry

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2010
Messages
3,022
Likes
690
slpw moving high altitude drones( solar powered slowmoving drone-drdo) is the answer. stealth involves many technical complexes. like aerodynamic designs are not so stable, they are heavy because of coatings of RCS reducing chemicals etc etc. instead if slow-moving high altitude drones are produced which can hover for days and weeks will act like pseudo-satellite.. also we should keep in mind the indian specs n needs. indian offense involves ghatak troops shock attack. ie wee need the real time intel and not like that of usa which attacks in full stream with just the guarantee that enemy is there.
 

debasree

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2011
Messages
819
Likes
86
Country flag
we have to concentrate to built high quality drones like predator,as in future ,i dont think any major war will take place between pakistan and india ,as their millitary in great difficulties to maintain law order situation but in future terrorist strike from pakistan is a real possibility,we cannot declere war on retaliation but simply can strike in pok with those drones and can thus take punitive action agaist the terrorist group,it will be great asset for us ,and cauple of this drones should handed over to raw for doing such kind of action.
 

p2prada

Senior Member
Joined
May 25, 2009
Messages
10,234
Likes
4,015
India developing unmanned combat aerial vehicle : North: India Today

A Tech demonstrator is being built in Bangalore called AURA. It will be stealthy, will feature internal weapons bay and will also be able to protect itself with missiles, other than finding and destroying targets.

But Rustom MALE, Rustom HALE and the armed version will take first priority. AURA and Rustom are being done by the same lab.
 

ace009

Freakin' Fighter fan
Senior Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
1,662
Likes
526
slpw moving high altitude drones( solar powered slowmoving drone-drdo) is the answer. stealth involves many technical complexes. like aerodynamic designs are not so stable, they are heavy because of coatings of RCS reducing chemicals etc etc. instead if slow-moving high altitude drones are produced which can hover for days and weeks will act like pseudo-satellite.. also we should keep in mind the indian specs n needs. indian offense involves ghatak troops shock attack. ie wee need the real time intel and not like that of usa which attacks in full stream with just the guarantee that enemy is there.
If stealth involves "many technical complexes", that we are unwilling to confront then how will India ever build a Stealth plane? As for "Aerodymanic instability" - see my above comment and replace technical complexes with Aerodynamics.

Slow moving high altitude drones are ineffective if the weather is cloudy, if the enemy can detect it by radar, if the enemy shoots is down etc.
Predator is NOT a stealth drone. It is a strike drone - check out the specs.

Thanks p2prada for posting about AURA, but more details will be welcome.
 

p2prada

Senior Member
Joined
May 25, 2009
Messages
10,234
Likes
4,015
More details only during next air show. This was a recent announcement.
 

ace009

Freakin' Fighter fan
Senior Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
1,662
Likes
526
Here are some of my questions -
Is AURA the equivalent of a 6th gen turbojet fighter or is it a turboprop like the MQ9 Reaper?
Does it have VLO (true stealth) or LO (increased survivability)?

My proposal would be to build a turbojet stealth (VLO) drone with 4BVR / 2 BVR+ 2 WVR AAM and 2 A2G missiles or one Cruise missile. You can think of it as a 6th gen strike fighter, with 20G+ capabilities and Mach 2 + speed. DRDO can even START with using the LCA designs and airframes with modifications for VLO and high G performances.
Comments?
 

p2prada

Senior Member
Joined
May 25, 2009
Messages
10,234
Likes
4,015
VLO or LO would suffice as long as it is powered by a Kaveri derivative.

Internal bay will not be hold more than 2 500kg LGB or 4 missiles depending on what we may try to accomplish. If it is a Neuron like aircraft then that's all it may hold. Or twice that if it like a Phantom Ray which is quite awesome.

We will see what the French can bring to the table in offsets.
 

GPM

Tihar Jail
Banned
Joined
Mar 5, 2011
Messages
1,507
Likes
522
A lightwight drone made of wood and plastic should be able to have relatively high payloads. Such a bird would be practically invisible if painted black. Need not have high speed, but solar pack on the back should power its sensors easily. It would be cheap too. Chinese toy helicopters and planes have relatively high payloads. Read about them 2-3 years ago. Drones will be just larger. Even a 50 kg payload should make a good snooper.

But can India make these toys even?
 
Last edited:

Global Defence

New threads

Articles

Top