Rustom 2/TAPAS/BH-201 MALE UAV News Updates and Discussions

proud_indian

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Yes. That’s the lecture I am referring to; and Prasad is no longer project director.
During the lecture he made it pretty clear that the twin engined config was only for testing avionics and controls. The final config will be pusher. Somehow no one reads/listens to details - fan boys everywhere continue to fantasize missiles being slung next-to/under the twin engines (not physically possible).
Also (Unfortunately) Saurau Jha is an ultimate jingo. He normally disregards physics principles and hails anything and everything that comes out of Indian stables - irrespective of how malformed they are.
Rustom 2 may still be in for short endurance surveillance.
He said there can't be "One size fits all" approach when it comes to providing solutions to different forces so we'll make 9-10 prototypes in the next couple of years including twin-boom pusher config. But never heard of it since then.
 

Advaidhya Tiwari

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Yes. That’s the lecture I am referring to; and Prasad is no longer project director.
During the lecture he made it pretty clear that the twin engined config was only for testing avionics and controls. The final config will be pusher. Somehow no one reads/listens to details - fan boys everywhere continue to fantasize missiles being slung next-to/under the twin engines (not physically possible).
Also (Unfortunately) Saurau Jha is an ultimate jingo. He normally disregards physics principles and hails anything and everything that comes out of Indian stables - irrespective of how malformed they are.
Rustom 2 may still be in for short endurance surveillance.
The missiles can be held under the belly in stack of 4. It is not necessarily impossible to carry missiles as wings are not the only place to carry weapons.

Moreover, a slow moving drone is not very useful in strike roles in the first place. It is very imprudent even for USA to use drones agaist reasonably organised and strong enemies. Russia, France, UK do not even have any expensive combat drones for the same reason
 

Enquirer

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The missiles can be held under the belly in stack of 4. It is not necessarily impossible to carry missiles as wings are not the only place to carry weapons.

Moreover, a slow moving drone is not very useful in strike roles in the first place. It is very imprudent even for USA to use drones agaist reasonably organised and strong enemies. Russia, France, UK do not even have any expensive combat drones for the same reason
We went over this adequately before; I don't want to rehash the argument!
As an exercise, think how the belly stacked missiles will fire with the EO pod in front.

(an attack helo is good choice, but an unmanned UAV with same speed and similar missiles is useless?? Hah!)
 

Enquirer

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He said there can't be "One size fits all" approach when it comes to providing solutions to different forces so we'll make 9-10 prototypes in the next couple of years including twin-boom pusher config. But never heard of it since then.
Nope. The pusher config is not part of the 10 prototypes. He said that MoD wanted them to finish the twin-engine project first before taking on the pusher config UAV.
This is something that Parrikar started doing - enforcing project discipline, as DRDO was randomly starting and abandoning projects. The same was done with Tejas too - that Tejas Mk1 IOC/FOC completion was a precondition to Tejas Mk2 project (even before Mk1A idea was born)
 

Advaidhya Tiwari

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We went over this adequately before; I don't want to rehash the argument!
As an exercise, think how the belly stacked missiles will fire with the EO pod in front.

(an attack helo is good choice, but an unmanned UAV with same speed and similar missiles is useless?? Hah!)
The EO pod in front is only a few inches whereas the pylon is longer than that to ensure EO pod is out of the way. Also the firing mechaism is either rail launched or release launch. In both cases, the launch can be done in a way which does not touch EO pod.

Helicopters are different from drone though they have similar speeds. Helicopters have good field of view du to human pilot whereas drones look through a camera and hence is like looking from a peep hole. In addition, helicopters can do great amount of maneuvering,can fly really low and hover around whereas drones can't do any of these. So, drones are less useful than helicopters
 

Enquirer

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The EO pod in front is only a few inches whereas the pylon is longer than that to ensure EO pod is out of the way. Also the firing mechaism is either rail launched or release launch. In both cases, the launch can be done in a way which does not touch EO pod.

Helicopters are different from drone though they have similar speeds. Helicopters have good field of view du to human pilot whereas drones look through a camera and hence is like looking from a peep hole. In addition, helicopters can do great amount of maneuvering,can fly really low and hover around whereas drones can't do any of these. So, drones are less useful than helicopters
Dude. You need to stop contorting science and concocting info!

The ass end of a missile is spewing fire/smoke - even if it 'just misses' the pod what will be the state of the sensor pod, especially the lenses?

Also, EO pod swivels all directions and has a great field-of-view. peep hole! LOL
 
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cyclops

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Next Manned Fighter Years Away, India’s Big Drone In 8 Months
Shiv AroorFeb 22 2019 9 49 am



The bloodletting over India’s next piloted fighter has become a show staple at Aero India, and this year wasn’t going to be any different. From the world’s largest aviation and defence manufacturers sparring on social media, to an underdog resurrecting its presence with an unusual media blitzkrieg, the big focus at Aero India 2019 was always expected to be India’s biggest and most ambitious defence procurement venture. But tucked away in a corner of the sprawling courtyard between the display halls, almost demurely out of plain sight, is an aircraft that is not only already built in India, but will be in the hands of the armed forces in less than eight months.



With 53 flights across six airframes at a sprawling 2,600 acre aviation test facility in Chitradurga test facility about 200 km from Bengaluru, India’s high performance Rustom-2 drone, designed to remain in the air for up to 24 hours, will be officially handed over to the Indian Air Force, Navy and Army this October for a crucial six month user trial phase that will stretch till March 2020.

Specifically developed for medium altitude lone endurance (MALE) flight, the Predator-sized drone is being developed in two specific variants — a standard surveillance model sporting an electro-optical payload with synthetic aperture radar for the Army and IAF requirement, and a naval variant that comes fitted with a maritime patrol radar. Livefist can confirm that air force and army drone pilots are already at Chitradurga getting a feel of the Rustom-2 before user trials kick in later this year.

The Indian armed forces currently operate the Israeli IAI Heron for long endurance drone duties both over land and sea, and has recently contracted for more, including an armed version. The Rustom-2 will mirror the Heron’s capabilities in many ways — while Indian sensor systems are under trial, the test airframes of the Rustom-2 all use Israeli electro-optical systems for the development phase. These will be progressively replaced with Indian systems when ready.



The Rustom-2 is currently capable of operations up to 300 km away from its control center with UHF and C-band links, and much longer away with SATCOM, still under test. Data links have proven — and will prove — to be the greatest challenge facing the Rustom-2 program in the journey to opening up its full stated potential. The user trials will involve rigorous testing of the drone’s long range autonomous flight over land and sea. Livefist can confirm that the drone has so far had flights with a maximum endurance of 16 hours, though this was only owing to test requirements — the 24 hours endurance parameter is a given.

The Rustom-2 comes up at a time when India has been cleared to procure 22 General Atomics MQ-9B SeaGuardian/SkyGuardian surveillance drones for the Indian Navy, with the Trump Administration also expected to clear India for a sale of Avenger armed drones. While pressure from the United States is high to complete a sale quickly, it isn’t likely to happen before next year.

The armed forces believe there is more than enough place for both ready, high performance drones from abroad, as well as the progressively improved, low-risk Rustom-2 that can be procured in large numbers and deployed across the country. The services believe that it is crucial for the country’s ‘drone dependence’ — as they put it — is decreased, especially since future capabilities of such platforms will necessarily need to stretch into signal intelligence and communication intelligence (SIGINT/COMINT) territory. In October a complex journey begins to stretching the Rustom-2 out — and it is this beginning that is sometimes frustratingly elusive in indigenous development.

“The Rustom-2 will come to us this October and we will embark on a capability discovery and user trial exercise that is crucial to our requirements. The requirement for long endurance surveillance is very high. While we have the P-8Is and Dorniers, the paradigm of maritime surveillance needs to shift in a significant way to unmanned systems given our enormous maritime area of responsibility,” an Indian Navy officer who will be part of the user trials told Livefist.

An Indian Air Force officer familiar with developments on the program said, “This is a long term program of high importance. The crucial aspect is that it is a low cost and low maintenance product with an impressive range of demonstrable features. We have been impressed with it so far and are looking forward to seeing what else it can do. I am quite certain it can be an armed platform later on. The game changer will be the SATCOM link that is proposed.”

The Rustom-2, as Livefist has reported earlier, is almost certain to spawn an armed version, though this is likely to be a far more complex exercise that will come later. Scientists say, however, that as the sensors and navigation-attack systems mature over the course of the next two years, a clearer picture will emerge on what kinds of offensive payloads will be possible on the Rustom-2. An extended range version of the HELINA (titled SANT) is one possibility, said a member of the team that Livefist spoke to at the show.

India’s secretive Ghatak flying wing stealth UCAV — detailed here on Livefist — is also under design and wind tunnel test by the DRDO, with new images emerging at the Aero India show (below). The Ghatak is yoked technologically to India’s AMCA stealth jet concept development effort at virtually every level, with progress likely to be linked with that program. Indications on timelines could be extracted from this detailed interview Livefist conducted with the director of the AMCA program yesterday.

Spotted this little wind-tunnel shot of India’s Ghatak stealth flying wing UCAV concept at #AeroIndia2019. Our detailed report on the program: https://t.co/CmPEu41B41pic.twitter.com/xWyNT4PLph

— Livefist (@livefist) February 20, 2019


View attachment 27362

Few noticeable additions.
You missed one.
Probably the Israeli ELL-8385.
PicsArt_02-22-12.12.12.png
 

Enquirer

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http://www.sps-aviation.com/story/?...l-Dhanoa-lifts-veil-off-Indiaandrsquo;s-UCAVs

"IAF is progressing the case of upgrading the existing UAV fleet. Also, the Medium Altitude Low Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft (TAPAS, earlier called Rustom-II) is being developed by DRDO. The platform is to be developed as a weaponised platform. Indigenous Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV)programme, “Ghatak”, with DRDO is at D&D stage and is being developed by ADA. Further, IAF is seeking UAVs with multirole capabilities and is exploring various options."

"IAF has placed a Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) TAPAS BH-201 (earlier called Rustom-II) which is likely to be developed by August 2020. Once the mass production of TAPAS BH-201 starts, it will be inducted in the IAF in next 3-4 years. IAF is also exploring the possibility of procuring RPAs through Buy & Make (Indian-IDDM) routes. It is expected that in another four years, new RPAs will be inducted to meet the operational requirement of IAF."
 

Prashant12

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While DRDO has a full range of unmanned aerial systems, there doesn’t seem to be any programme to develop unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV). What is the reason for this?

In the unarmed UAV category, we have the Rustom family. Rustom 1 is fully developed. Its trials have been concluded. Rustom 2, a medium altitude long endurance (MALE) UAV, is in the advanced stage of development. As far as UCAV is concerned, we don’t have any sanctioned programme as on date; however, we have undertaken development of technologies required for realisation of UCAV.

http://forceindia.net/interview/sec...development-organisation-dr-g-satheesh-reddy/
 

Haryanvi

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Not sure if it is the right place to disucss but it appears that Indian drone Aura looks like Okhotnik. What are the chances that India is developing with Russia?

 

IndianHawk

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Not sure if it is the right place to disucss but it appears that Indian drone Aura looks like Okhotnik. What are the chances that India is developing with Russia?

No chances .
that is the optimum design for Stealth drones. All of them will look similar just like all stealth fighter look similar.

Sent from my C103 using Tapatalk
 

Enquirer

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Not sure if it is the right place to disucss but it appears that Indian drone Aura looks like Okhotnik. What are the chances that India is developing with Russia?

Every plane has the same essential parts....similarly every stealth drone will have some essential characteristics!
That doesn't mean everyone is in one big orgy.....
 

Prashant12

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India may go for only naval UAVs from US

NEW DELHI: India is likely to buy only naval surveillance drones from the United States, scaling back its plans after holding talks on acquiring armed Predator drones under the foreign military sales route.

The two sides have been discussing a $2 billion deal for unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) but a lack of interest from the Indian Air Force and commitment to an indigenous programme by the Indian Army are likely to come in the way, people aware of the matter told ET on condition of anonymity.

The Indian Navy has an interest in acquiring US-made surveillance drones as it needs more assets for maritime domain awareness in the region, said the people. However, this requirement is for a long endurance, unarmed drone that can work in coordination with other surveillance platforms like the Boeing P8I aircraft, they said.

The navy is likely to go ahead with a limited purchase option of 10 Sea Guardian drones that are interoperable with other US assets in the region. The activation of the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) will help the navy exploit the platforms for joint surveillance and intelligence sharing.

Officials said the air force has not been keen on an offer of 10 armed Predator or Avenger drones from the US as it finds their cost prohibitive and does not see them useful in the context of its operational role in the region.

An armed drone would have been of little help in an operation like the Balakot air strikes, said an expert, since the relatively low speed aircraft would have given the enemy enough warning to launched counter measures. Besides, drones are easy to shoot down in enemy airspace with anti-aircraft systems and the air force feels that resources could be better utilised by shoring up fighter jet strength in the fleet.

“These drones cost almost as much as a Rafale fighter jet and are not equipped to operate in a contested air space scenario like the one we are in,” said an official.

The air force is also committed to a project with Israel to upgrade and weaponise the Heron drones that are already in service. Similarly, there has not been keen interest by the army on a proposal to acquire 10 of the armed drones as it is committed to an indigenous project by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The army has pledged to procure over 80 of the Rustom 2 drones that are under development and are being weaponised by the DRDO.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.co...avs-from-us/articleshow/70882886.cms?from=mdr
 

cyclops

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Better now during testing phase rather than after induction.

DRDO's unmanned aircraft Rustom 2 crashes in Karnataka's Chitradurga



Reported By: Jaipal Sharma | Written By: Zee Media Bureau | Edited By: Ipsita Sarkar | Updated: Sep 17, 2019, 09:57 AM IST
BENGALURU: The Defence Research Development Organisation's (DRDO's) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Rustom-II crashed at Jodi Chikkana Halli in Karnataka's Chitradurga district on Tuesday morning. The aircraft's test flight was underway at Challakere Aeronautical Test Range, an outdoor testing and evaluating facility of the DRDO, when the incident took place.

Initially, the crash created panic among villagers and they rushed to the spot to save the passengers. To their utmost surprise, no person was inside or around the UAV. Soon, a large crowd gathered around the unmanned aircraft with many villagers clicking selfies till DRDO officials and police reached the spot.


The DRDO had first displayed Rustom 2 at Defexp-2014 in the national capital and successfully flew the aircraft at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) at Chalakere at Chitradurga for the first time in February 2018.


Rustom 2 is a Medium-Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle and is expected to replace the Heron UAVs currently in service with the Indian armed forces.


It has been developed to carry out surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) roles for the armed forces with an endurance of 24 hours. The UAV is capable of carrying different combinations of payloads like synthetic aperture radar, electronic intelligence systems and situational awareness payloads.

The UAV has been designed and developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru and aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd and Bharat Electronics Ltd to fulfill the requirements of the Indian Army, Navy and the Air Force, said the DRDO in a previous statement.

https://zeenews.india.com/india/drd...rashes-in-karnatakas-chitradurga-2234885.html


Video of Rustom-2 spinning out of control.


 
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