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Definitely not a good option. They need to invest in rapidly making a domestic alternative. 6 UCAVs would do squat.
We need dozens of them in case the stand-off goes into a run-in.
India's Current & Future UAVs & UCAVs
- Thread starter Drsomnath999
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We need dozens of them in case the stand-off goes into a run-in.
shade
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Think of the Israelis and Americans :'(
Even our brass and babus
What will they eat if we make our own drones :'(
WolfPack86
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Eye on China: A $3 billion US drone acquisition heads for MoD approval
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is preparing to acquire 30 General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper drones from the United States, in a deal valued at approximately $3 billion (Rs 22,000 crore). A recent series of meetings within the MoD have cleared the way for the procurement of an initial lot of six Reaper Medium Altitude Long Endurance drones. These six drones—two each for the army, navy and air force—are to be procured immediately from the US, indicating the urgency of the acquisition.
Sources tell INDIA TODAY that an ‘acceptance of necessity’ (AON) for 30 drones will be put before an upcoming meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), headed by defence minister Rajnath Singh. The contract is being broken up into two parts—six MQ-9s worth approximately $600 million (Rs 4,400 crore) are to be purchased outright and delivered in the next few months. The remaining 24—eight drones for each service—will be acquired over the next three years under an ‘option clause’ in the contract. The deal has been in the pipeline for the past three years, first as the sale of 22 Sea Guardians (an unarmed maritime variant of the MQ-9) for the Indian Navy in 2017. This was then converted into a tri-services acquisition by the government in 2018 when the armed version of the MQ-9 was cleared for sale to India by the US.
An AON is formally the first step in hardware procurement by the MoD. It usually takes several years for AON cases to turn into contracts. The Reaper acquisition, it is understood, will be concluded in a far shorter timeframe. It is being processed as a fast-track, government-to-government deal with the United States and will be swiftly concluded by the MoD. The six drones are to be delivered immediately by the US, and could possibly be units already produced for the US armed forces or its allies. It is not clear if the initial batch of drones will be armed with Hellfire missiles and other air-to-ground munitions.
MoD meetings to decide the deal are being steered by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, who, as permanent Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee, decides inter-service defence acquisitions. The MoD might even convene a special meeting of the DAC to sanction this deal. This is the last major contract signed between the governments of Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump, who is seeking re-election this November.
The Indian Navy has been made the lead service for this significant acquisition. One naval officer calls the deal a ‘game changer’ because of the platform’s ability to mount continuous and persistent surveillance. The MQ9-A can carry electro-optical / infra-red multi-mode radar and multi-mode maritime surveillance radar, laser designators, electronic support measures and various weapons packages. It can form a deadly combination with two other US-supplied platforms—the P8-I Poseidon long range maritime patrol aircraft and the (under delivery) MH-60R multi-role helicopters— to track and hunt surface ships and submarines in the Indian Ocean region.
“The MQ9-A is satellite-steered, can float above the target at 45,000 feet and stay on task for 35 hours, using radar and electronic support measures to locate the enemy—it could be anywhere, the Gulf of Aden or the Malacca Straits or in Eastern Ladakh,” a senior defence official says.
The United States has emerged as India’s largest supplier of defence hardware after Russia, selling India a total of $18 billion worth of military hardware since 2008. In February this year, the two countries concluded a $2.1 billion deal for India to buy 24 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters for the Indian Navy.
www.indiatoday.in
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is preparing to acquire 30 General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper drones from the United States, in a deal valued at approximately $3 billion (Rs 22,000 crore). A recent series of meetings within the MoD have cleared the way for the procurement of an initial lot of six Reaper Medium Altitude Long Endurance drones. These six drones—two each for the army, navy and air force—are to be procured immediately from the US, indicating the urgency of the acquisition.
Sources tell INDIA TODAY that an ‘acceptance of necessity’ (AON) for 30 drones will be put before an upcoming meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), headed by defence minister Rajnath Singh. The contract is being broken up into two parts—six MQ-9s worth approximately $600 million (Rs 4,400 crore) are to be purchased outright and delivered in the next few months. The remaining 24—eight drones for each service—will be acquired over the next three years under an ‘option clause’ in the contract. The deal has been in the pipeline for the past three years, first as the sale of 22 Sea Guardians (an unarmed maritime variant of the MQ-9) for the Indian Navy in 2017. This was then converted into a tri-services acquisition by the government in 2018 when the armed version of the MQ-9 was cleared for sale to India by the US.
An AON is formally the first step in hardware procurement by the MoD. It usually takes several years for AON cases to turn into contracts. The Reaper acquisition, it is understood, will be concluded in a far shorter timeframe. It is being processed as a fast-track, government-to-government deal with the United States and will be swiftly concluded by the MoD. The six drones are to be delivered immediately by the US, and could possibly be units already produced for the US armed forces or its allies. It is not clear if the initial batch of drones will be armed with Hellfire missiles and other air-to-ground munitions.
MoD meetings to decide the deal are being steered by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, who, as permanent Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee, decides inter-service defence acquisitions. The MoD might even convene a special meeting of the DAC to sanction this deal. This is the last major contract signed between the governments of Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump, who is seeking re-election this November.
The Indian Navy has been made the lead service for this significant acquisition. One naval officer calls the deal a ‘game changer’ because of the platform’s ability to mount continuous and persistent surveillance. The MQ9-A can carry electro-optical / infra-red multi-mode radar and multi-mode maritime surveillance radar, laser designators, electronic support measures and various weapons packages. It can form a deadly combination with two other US-supplied platforms—the P8-I Poseidon long range maritime patrol aircraft and the (under delivery) MH-60R multi-role helicopters— to track and hunt surface ships and submarines in the Indian Ocean region.
“The MQ9-A is satellite-steered, can float above the target at 45,000 feet and stay on task for 35 hours, using radar and electronic support measures to locate the enemy—it could be anywhere, the Gulf of Aden or the Malacca Straits or in Eastern Ladakh,” a senior defence official says.
The United States has emerged as India’s largest supplier of defence hardware after Russia, selling India a total of $18 billion worth of military hardware since 2008. In February this year, the two countries concluded a $2.1 billion deal for India to buy 24 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters for the Indian Navy.
Eye on China: A $3 billion US drone acquisition heads for MoD approval
A case for the purchase of 30 MQ-9B Guardians will shortly be put up before the Defence Acquisition Council, headed by defence minister Rajnath Singh. Six drones will be delivered soon after contract signing
WolfPack86
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India & Israel to co-develop hi-tech weapon systems
India and Israel now plan to further crank up their already expansive defence partnership by going in more co-development and co-production projects of high-tech weapon systems and exporting them to other friendly countries.
A new sub-group to promote such joint projects, under the overarching joint working group on defence cooperation headed by Indian defence secretary and his Israeli counterpart, was set up on Thursday.
The main focus of the sub-working group (SWG) on defence industrial cooperation will be on transfer of technology, co-development and co-production, technology security, Artificial Intelligence, innovation and joint export to third countries.
Israel has been among the top four arms suppliers to India for almost two decades now, notching military sales worth around $1 billion every year. “With the Indian defence industry now also becoming stronger, the need was felt for the two countries to establish more R&D, co-development and co-production projects,” said a senior official on Friday.
“Israel is a world leader in missiles, sensors, cyber-security and various defence sub-systems,” he added. The SWG will be headed by Sanjay Jaju, joint secretary (defence industries production) in the Indian defence ministry and Eyal Calif, director Asia & Pacific from the Israeli one.
This comes at a time when the Indian armed forces are inducting the next-generation Barak-8 surface-to-air missile systems under three joint DRDO-Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) projects worth over Rs 30,000 crore.
Israeli companies like IAI, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Elbit and Elta Systems have also formed seven joint ventures with Indian companies. An MoU, for instance, was inked between the Kalyani Group and Rafael on Thursday.
The secretive bilateral military ties, which grew after Israel rushed emergency arms supplies to India during the 1999 Kargil conflict, have largely come out of the closet after the Modi government came to power in 2014.
The Indian armed forces have inducted a wide array of Israeli weapon systems over the years, which range from Phalcon AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) and Heron, Searcher-II and Harop drones to Barak anti-missile defence systems and Spyder quick-reaction anti-aircraft missile systems.
The acquisitions also include a host of Israeli missiles and precision-guided munitions, from Python and Derby air-to-air missiles to Crystal Maze and Spice-2000 bombs. The Spice-2000 penetration bombs, in fact, were used by Indian Mirage-2000s fighters to bomb the JeM facility at Balakot in Pakistan in February last year.
There are several other Indian defence deals in the pipeline for Israel. The IAF, for instance, is looking to seal the long-pending over $1.5 billion deal to acquire two more “Phalcon” AWACS or “eyes in the sky”.
The Rajnath Singh-led defence acquisitions council last month also decided to fast-track `Project Cheetah’ to arm the Heron drones with laser-guided bombs, air-to-ground anti-tank missiles and other precision-guided munitions as well as advanced reconnaissance capabilities for around Rs 3,500-crore, as was reported by TOI.
India and Israel now plan to further crank up their already expansive defence partnership by going in more co-development and co-production projects of high-tech weapon systems and exporting them to other friendly countries.
A new sub-group to promote such joint projects, under the overarching joint working group on defence cooperation headed by Indian defence secretary and his Israeli counterpart, was set up on Thursday.
The main focus of the sub-working group (SWG) on defence industrial cooperation will be on transfer of technology, co-development and co-production, technology security, Artificial Intelligence, innovation and joint export to third countries.
Israel has been among the top four arms suppliers to India for almost two decades now, notching military sales worth around $1 billion every year. “With the Indian defence industry now also becoming stronger, the need was felt for the two countries to establish more R&D, co-development and co-production projects,” said a senior official on Friday.
“Israel is a world leader in missiles, sensors, cyber-security and various defence sub-systems,” he added. The SWG will be headed by Sanjay Jaju, joint secretary (defence industries production) in the Indian defence ministry and Eyal Calif, director Asia & Pacific from the Israeli one.
This comes at a time when the Indian armed forces are inducting the next-generation Barak-8 surface-to-air missile systems under three joint DRDO-Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) projects worth over Rs 30,000 crore.
Israeli companies like IAI, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Elbit and Elta Systems have also formed seven joint ventures with Indian companies. An MoU, for instance, was inked between the Kalyani Group and Rafael on Thursday.
The secretive bilateral military ties, which grew after Israel rushed emergency arms supplies to India during the 1999 Kargil conflict, have largely come out of the closet after the Modi government came to power in 2014.
The Indian armed forces have inducted a wide array of Israeli weapon systems over the years, which range from Phalcon AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) and Heron, Searcher-II and Harop drones to Barak anti-missile defence systems and Spyder quick-reaction anti-aircraft missile systems.
The acquisitions also include a host of Israeli missiles and precision-guided munitions, from Python and Derby air-to-air missiles to Crystal Maze and Spice-2000 bombs. The Spice-2000 penetration bombs, in fact, were used by Indian Mirage-2000s fighters to bomb the JeM facility at Balakot in Pakistan in February last year.
There are several other Indian defence deals in the pipeline for Israel. The IAF, for instance, is looking to seal the long-pending over $1.5 billion deal to acquire two more “Phalcon” AWACS or “eyes in the sky”.
The Rajnath Singh-led defence acquisitions council last month also decided to fast-track `Project Cheetah’ to arm the Heron drones with laser-guided bombs, air-to-ground anti-tank missiles and other precision-guided munitions as well as advanced reconnaissance capabilities for around Rs 3,500-crore, as was reported by TOI.
Tuco
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ADFCR? We have developed adfcr but still importing it? We are self sufficient in this area I don't get it.India & Israel to co-develop hi-tech weapon systems
India and Israel now plan to further crank up their already expansive defence partnership by going in more co-development and co-production projects of high-tech weapon systems and exporting them to other friendly countries.
A new sub-group to promote such joint projects, under the overarching joint working group on defence cooperation headed by Indian defence secretary and his Israeli counterpart, was set up on Thursday.
The main focus of the sub-working group (SWG) on defence industrial cooperation will be on transfer of technology, co-development and co-production, technology security, Artificial Intelligence, innovation and joint export to third countries.
Israel has been among the top four arms suppliers to India for almost two decades now, notching military sales worth around $1 billion every year. “With the Indian defence industry now also becoming stronger, the need was felt for the two countries to establish more R&D, co-development and co-production projects,” said a senior official on Friday.
“Israel is a world leader in missiles, sensors, cyber-security and various defence sub-systems,” he added. The SWG will be headed by Sanjay Jaju, joint secretary (defence industries production) in the Indian defence ministry and Eyal Calif, director Asia & Pacific from the Israeli one.
This comes at a time when the Indian armed forces are inducting the next-generation Barak-8 surface-to-air missile systems under three joint DRDO-Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) projects worth over Rs 30,000 crore.
Israeli companies like IAI, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Elbit and Elta Systems have also formed seven joint ventures with Indian companies. An MoU, for instance, was inked between the Kalyani Group and Rafael on Thursday.
The secretive bilateral military ties, which grew after Israel rushed emergency arms supplies to India during the 1999 Kargil conflict, have largely come out of the closet after the Modi government came to power in 2014.
The Indian armed forces have inducted a wide array of Israeli weapon systems over the years, which range from Phalcon AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) and Heron, Searcher-II and Harop drones to Barak anti-missile defence systems and Spyder quick-reaction anti-aircraft missile systems.
The acquisitions also include a host of Israeli missiles and precision-guided munitions, from Python and Derby air-to-air missiles to Crystal Maze and Spice-2000 bombs. The Spice-2000 penetration bombs, in fact, were used by Indian Mirage-2000s fighters to bomb the JeM facility at Balakot in Pakistan in February last year.
There are several other Indian defence deals in the pipeline for Israel. The IAF, for instance, is looking to seal the long-pending over $1.5 billion deal to acquire two more “Phalcon” AWACS or “eyes in the sky”.
The Rajnath Singh-led defence acquisitions council last month also decided to fast-track `Project Cheetah’ to arm the Heron drones with laser-guided bombs, air-to-ground anti-tank missiles and other precision-guided munitions as well as advanced reconnaissance capabilities for around Rs 3,500-crore, as was reported by TOI.
WolfPack86
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Eye on China, India goes for Heron tech upgrade, missile-firing Guardian drones
India has decided in favour of the weaponised MQ-9B Sky Guardian drone from the US and to upgrade its existing Israeli Heron fleet with satellite communication capability in an attempt to enhance its range as well as surveillance capabilities in the midst of the Ladakh military standoff with China.
At the same time, the face-off between the Indian Army and People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has spurred the Indian private sector and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to start manufacturing short-range tactical drones as well as anti-drone systems to boost border defences.
The three services have come to a conclusion that India should opt for a weaponised drone rather than the 22 reconnaissance and surveillance Sea Guardian drones approved in 2017 by the US administration for supply to India, according to authoritative government officials with knowledge of the matter.
The MQ-9B, manufactured by General Atomics, has a 40-hour endurance with a maximum altitude of 40,000 feet and payload or weapon carrying capacity of over 2.5 tonne, including air-to-surface missiles and laser-guided bombs. “We are in negotiations with the Trump administration, which is willing to provide India with the latest armed drone technology. In this, it is the prohibitive cost of the system that is a hurdle, not the Trump administration,” said a South Block official who requested anonymity.
Besides, India has asked Israel to upgrade its existing Heron medium-altitude, long-endurance surveillance drone by upgrading its communication links. Presently, due to lack of a satellite link in the Heron, two such unmanned aerial drones have to be flown in tandem with a time gap so that information is relayed back to base through the second drone in case of long-range surveillance.
The upgrade involves fitting the Heron drone with a satellite package so that the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) links with the satellite above and information is sent on a real-time basis. The upgrade will allow the Heron to conduct long-range surveillance without the fear of losing contact with the base or go into no contact zone. The Heron upgrade program was approved by the defence ministry last month.
The drone revolution in the Indian military has come after it was felt that India had no answer to Chinese armed drone and surveillance drone capabilities, with the PLA deploying the unmanned devices in significant capacities in the Ladakh theatre apart from sensors and surveillance cameras that provide advance warning on moves by the adversary.
India has decided in favour of the weaponised MQ-9B Sky Guardian drone from the US and to upgrade its existing Israeli Heron fleet with satellite communication capability in an attempt to enhance its range as well as surveillance capabilities in the midst of the Ladakh military standoff with China.
At the same time, the face-off between the Indian Army and People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has spurred the Indian private sector and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to start manufacturing short-range tactical drones as well as anti-drone systems to boost border defences.
The three services have come to a conclusion that India should opt for a weaponised drone rather than the 22 reconnaissance and surveillance Sea Guardian drones approved in 2017 by the US administration for supply to India, according to authoritative government officials with knowledge of the matter.
The MQ-9B, manufactured by General Atomics, has a 40-hour endurance with a maximum altitude of 40,000 feet and payload or weapon carrying capacity of over 2.5 tonne, including air-to-surface missiles and laser-guided bombs. “We are in negotiations with the Trump administration, which is willing to provide India with the latest armed drone technology. In this, it is the prohibitive cost of the system that is a hurdle, not the Trump administration,” said a South Block official who requested anonymity.
Besides, India has asked Israel to upgrade its existing Heron medium-altitude, long-endurance surveillance drone by upgrading its communication links. Presently, due to lack of a satellite link in the Heron, two such unmanned aerial drones have to be flown in tandem with a time gap so that information is relayed back to base through the second drone in case of long-range surveillance.
The upgrade involves fitting the Heron drone with a satellite package so that the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) links with the satellite above and information is sent on a real-time basis. The upgrade will allow the Heron to conduct long-range surveillance without the fear of losing contact with the base or go into no contact zone. The Heron upgrade program was approved by the defence ministry last month.
The drone revolution in the Indian military has come after it was felt that India had no answer to Chinese armed drone and surveillance drone capabilities, with the PLA deploying the unmanned devices in significant capacities in the Ladakh theatre apart from sensors and surveillance cameras that provide advance warning on moves by the adversary.
Eye on China, India goes for Heron tech upgrade, missile-firing Guardian drones
India has decided in favour of the weaponised MQ-9B Sky Guardian drone from the US and to upgrade its existing Israeli Heron fleet with satellite communication capability in an attempt to enhance its range as well as surveillance capabilities in the midst of the Ladakh military standoff with...
www.defencenews.in
Rajaraja Chola
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According to various even livefist sources, in 2019 a 1:7 version called swift is supposed to fly and in 2020, metal cutting has to be started and roll out in 2021. Guess we are behind schedule as well. I downplayed the importance of drones, but this Armenian Azerbaijan conflict is changing heads. Even Pakistan is concentrating more on power multipliers than us.
We need more Awacs, EW and jamming systems, micro, mini and male drones.
We need more Awacs, EW and jamming systems, micro, mini and male drones.
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add loitering munitions to the list.. technically they are UAVs as well.
Dessert Storm
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Would be leased, if we cannot order more either indigenous or import immediately.
scatterStorm
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That's a NPTEL (National Platform for Technology Enhanced Learning) video, because I have my certs from IITs as well. So this video is shown is a grave mistake especially if UAV related information are being taught to college students in the public facing internet. However I guess, its all opensource now.
SavageKing456
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It has been already flown i guess
Now they're probably working on 1:1 scale model
This program has ultimate secrecy so you won't know
SavageKing456
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The Ghatak UCAV Takes Shape In India, As ADE Sets Eyes On Building Full-scale Prototype
The Aeronautical Development Establishment [ADE] is certainly witnessing an up-tick in it's activities. Following yet another test-flight of it's Abhyas HEAT, it set the ball rolling for productionising it. Following on it's heel, it's now seeking out a Development Partner for an 'Experimental Unmanned Aerial Vehicle'. How experimental, the private Partner, zeroed-in, would start by building 1 Airframe. Then, as the programme progresses, ADE would ask it to build batches of prototypes, over a period of time. The total build order would not exceed 14.
Adding to it, the weight of the Power Plant, the Control & Navigation Systems, plus Surveillance-Weapons Package, we could be seeing a bird, weighing around 5 MT, taking to the air, in the future.
Ghatak would, eventually, be powered by a non-Afterburning variant of the GTX-35VS Kaveri Engine, incorporating Fluidic Thrust Vector Control [FTVC] for manoeuvre. It's developer, the Gas Turbine Research Establishment [GTRE], recently, began looking for a private partner to undertake Reliability Engineering studies on the Dry-thrust version of the Kaveri, that would power the production-ready design. Scope of the studies include carrying out Failure Mode & Effects Analysis [FMEA], Reliability Apportionment, Fault Tree Diagram, System Safe Analysis, Reliability Block Diagram etc.
Interestingly, ADE has stipulated that the partner would be responsible for integrating the UCAV at it's facility, & would have to develop all necessary tooling, jigs & fixtures, needed for the assembly. The Intellectual Property Rights [IPR] of the outcome would, however, be with ADE.
Before the Ghatak demonstrates it's lethality, in all it's manifestation, ADE could have, up and running, an Armed variant of the Rustom Drone. The taxi trials of Rustom-1 was noted, way back in 2015, with a pair of the Air-launched Anti-Tank HELINA Missile underslung it's wings. The bigger, Rustom-H MALE, primarily developed for ISR operations, holds promise of carrying a more meaningful offensive payload.
Article at:https://www.spansen.com/2020/10/the-ghatak-ucav-takes-shape-in-india-as.html?m=1
The Aeronautical Development Establishment [ADE] is certainly witnessing an up-tick in it's activities. Following yet another test-flight of it's Abhyas HEAT, it set the ball rolling for productionising it. Following on it's heel, it's now seeking out a Development Partner for an 'Experimental Unmanned Aerial Vehicle'. How experimental, the private Partner, zeroed-in, would start by building 1 Airframe. Then, as the programme progresses, ADE would ask it to build batches of prototypes, over a period of time. The total build order would not exceed 14.
The most striking aspect being that ADE has stated that it's Airframe alone would weigh in the vicinity of 3 MT.
Adding to it, the weight of the Power Plant, the Control & Navigation Systems, plus Surveillance-Weapons Package, we could be seeing a bird, weighing around 5 MT, taking to the air, in the future.
The system would be a Gas Turbine-powered UCAV design, with offensive capabilities. We know this because it has stipulated that all prospective vendors would need to have demonstrated prior expertise in their integration. Composite materials have come to become the mainstay of Indian Aerial systems & the partner would have to be able to form large sized composite structures & have the necessary infrastructure, such as Autoclaves to bake it & laser guided lay-up to to ensure quality.
In all likelihood, this is a full-scale prototype of the Ghatak UCAV, that it is developing, in collaboration with the IIT-Kanpur, overseen by the Aeronautical Development Agency [ADA]. As per the latest issue of DRDO's Technology Focus, the Stealth Wing Flying Testbed [SWiFT], the precursor to the Ghatak, would weigh around 1 MT,
As per Livefist's quasi-official reportage, the SwiFT is to be powered by the Russian NPO Saturn 36MT turbofan engine. The maiden flight is estimated to happen in 2021. At 5 MT, this experimental UCAV is bigger & heavier.
Ghatak would, eventually, be powered by a non-Afterburning variant of the GTX-35VS Kaveri Engine, incorporating Fluidic Thrust Vector Control [FTVC] for manoeuvre. It's developer, the Gas Turbine Research Establishment [GTRE], recently, began looking for a private partner to undertake Reliability Engineering studies on the Dry-thrust version of the Kaveri, that would power the production-ready design. Scope of the studies include carrying out Failure Mode & Effects Analysis [FMEA], Reliability Apportionment, Fault Tree Diagram, System Safe Analysis, Reliability Block Diagram etc.
Taking everything into consideration, it calls into doubt some of the prior known public information about the Ghatak. For one, weapons-release test from a scaled model tosses a googly onto the pitch. The dynamics of flight, following weapon release is a function of the dimension & weight-distribution of the flying body. Vibration harmonics experienced during firing would vary, as per weight & dimension. A weapon fired from an internal bay, as the Ghatak is believed to have, would require corresponding aircraft dimension. Thus, what is observed in scaled down model, would not to be experienced in the full-scale version, & vice versa
If one had to assert, one would say that it is a full-scale prototype that we are reading about. The Ghatak would weigh around 5 MT, not 10. This would put it in the Dassault Neuron category [below].
Interestingly, ADE has stipulated that the partner would be responsible for integrating the UCAV at it's facility, & would have to develop all necessary tooling, jigs & fixtures, needed for the assembly. The Intellectual Property Rights [IPR] of the outcome would, however, be with ADE.
The need to develop & deploy capable unmanned systems, in numbers, is the key to undertaking more audacious missions that, both, promises to bring a swift end to conflict, as well as not put precious human capital in the harm's way. Some key technologies that the Ghatak would have to demonstrate include flying autonomy in a Networked environment, ability to operate in a manned Airspace, sub-system miniaturisation - Propulsion, Payload, ISR package, an effective Human System Engineering for a responsive Command & Control etc.
The mass proliferation of Unmanned Systems - UAV & UCAV, in India's inimical neighbourhood, has it scrambling to play catch-up. Trotting down, yet again, the well-beaten path of imports, recent reports indicates forward movement in the it's bid to acquire the MQ-9 Reaper from USA. The Israelis, too, it has tapped, seeking it's IAI Heron TP Armed Drones, whose unarmed ISR variant, India has been an operator of, since early 2000s.
Before the Ghatak demonstrates it's lethality, in all it's manifestation, ADE could have, up and running, an Armed variant of the Rustom Drone. The taxi trials of Rustom-1 was noted, way back in 2015, with a pair of the Air-launched Anti-Tank HELINA Missile underslung it's wings. The bigger, Rustom-H MALE, primarily developed for ISR operations, holds promise of carrying a more meaningful offensive payload.
The IAF, in it's Long Term Integrated Perspective Plan [LTIPP], had envisaged a need to operationalise 3 Squadrons of Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle [UCAV], by 2017. Major timeline slip-up, would be an understatement. These stop-gap retrofit/import measures would only partially assuage the Indian end-user requirement. The big-gun, the indigenous Ghatak UCAV, is the real deal. In light of this, the current full-scale prototype building phase, therefore, indicates a major step forward.
Article at:https://www.spansen.com/2020/10/the-ghatak-ucav-takes-shape-in-india-as.html?m=1
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Many are complaining here that ghtak ucav is late....
Guys only 2 stealthy ucav are flying ...and both nations have made 5 th gen fighter s too
We are well behind them
Ok swift is a ucav......it's a 1 ton td of Ghatak ucav.....and Ghatak will be a 10 ton ucav.and the landing gear drop test of swift will happen in 9 months
And swift will have internal weapon bay too....
And let me confirm you that ....swift will fly with an Indian engine.......
Again' on rustom 2
I believe user trial of rustom2 already happened
And a rustom 2 with 220hp engine also planned (may be for ucav version)
Guys only 2 stealthy ucav are flying ...and both nations have made 5 th gen fighter s too
We are well behind them
Ok swift is a ucav......it's a 1 ton td of Ghatak ucav.....and Ghatak will be a 10 ton ucav.and the landing gear drop test of swift will happen in 9 months
And swift will have internal weapon bay too....
And let me confirm you that ....swift will fly with an Indian engine.......
Again' on rustom 2
I believe user trial of rustom2 already happened
And a rustom 2 with 220hp engine also planned (may be for ucav version)
Rajaraja Chola
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Well. We have loud mouth. Don't we? Except for the ATV programme and to an extent missile programme all others are easily becoming open source. If it had flown we would have known.
There are not many UAV test ranges in our country. Just 2.
Rajaraja Chola
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Other nations have non stealthy UCAVs flying as well. We have none. Ghatak was started long before many countries announces stealth UAV projects. The primary mistake we made was to try to jump to stealth UAVs when we have issues even with normal non stealthy non weaponized MALE drones. When that non complex technology is mastered, it would be easier to move on to stealth drones.
Tuco
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Exactly, eg landing gears being splashed around the media.
Rajaraja Chola
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And some people think it's secretly flown. Democracy has its own sets of advantages and disadvantages
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It's not flown I can confirm you.....
Its being built....by help of a pvt company
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earlier we were getting news because tests were happening in Bangalore, Now with HAL chitradurga active we will know only if HAL wants us to know.
