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

[ezsasa]

India may go for only Naval UAVs from US, IAF backs out
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.
http://defencenews.in/article/India-may-go-for-only-Naval-UAVs-from-US,-IAF-backs-out-586787

Kya baat hai!!! IAF & IA are talking sense regarding FMS...

but I wish IA had bought these drones, budget permitting of course. Could have used them in north east for surveillance and strikes in Myanmar.

 

[Prashant12]

Rustom-II UAV, loaded with new features, set to fly soon

Lucknow: An upgraded version of Rustom-II (Tapas) - the medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) - being developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), is ready to take to the skies soon.

The new platform (AF-6A) being readied for its first flight will be seventh one from Rustom-II flight line. The sixth prototype (AF-6) of Rustom-II had crashed near the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Chalakere (Chitradurga district, Karnataka) on September 17, 2019. (AF stands for air frame.)

ADE is a Bengaluru-based Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) lab working on unmanned platforms and subsonic cruise missiles. Rustom-II, when inducted into the armed forces, will undertake surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

Rajnath inspires

It is now confirmed that the crash was due to the momentary and simultaneous link loss that prompted the UAV to enter into the ‘return home mode.’ The platform also had to encounter a rough patch of turbulence beyond the capacity of control law, resulting in the crash.

The behaviour of the UAV is being claimed to have been on the expected lines and as per the design parameters. The sensor data was available for the ground station almost till its touchdown\crash.

A scientist who is part of this project told Onmanorama that the Rustom-II team got a pep-talk from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh two days after the crash, during his visit to Bengaluru.

"He had come to visit the Tejas facilities and subsequently had undertaken a sortie on the same on September 19. Our team was called to meet him and he wanted us to resume the flight immediately," says a scientist.

The defence minister gave the team 15 days to get the UAV back into action.

"We had the 5th aircraft (AF-5) from the flight line flying on October 3, putting behind all the setbacks. The project team rose to the occasion and commenced the flying," says the scientist.

Added might

The seventh platform (AF-6A) from Rustom-II flight line set to undertake its maiden flight carries many new features. From AF-5 prototype onwards (February 2018), Rustom-II is being powered by a 180 HP Austro engine, replacing the 115 HP Rotax engine.

Among the new features embedded into the system are: a solid state relay-based low weight power distribution unit; an indigenous inertial navigation system (INS) developed by RCI, Hyderabad; Lithium ion batteries and satellite communication (SATCOM) link.

The major surveillance payloads that are now being flown are electronic intelligence (ELINT ), communications intelligence(COMINT), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and long\medium range electro optical (EO) systems.

DRDO carried out the first test flight of Rustom-II prototype in November, 2016 at the ATR. Till date, it has completed 77 development flights, including seven, post its crash.

A total of 15 platforms are being planned during the development phase, out of which last five will be the production versions.

These five will be handed over to the users for their independent evaluations

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will manufacture the last five variants and the scientists are working on to optimizing the design from AF-8 to AF-10.

The state-of-the-art ground control station (GCS) and image exploitation system have added more teeth to the mission. The GCS is said to have been appreciated by the UAV operators from the armed forces.

Weight reduction

Indian Army is the major stakeholder in the Rustom-II mission with a requirement for 60 platforms, followed by the Indian Air Force (12) and the Indian Navy (four).

Backed by a young team with an average age of 35 years, Rustom-II core project team consists of 30 scientists and engineers.

With overweight being a curse for most of the desi aeronautical platforms, ADE now promises to shred the ‘unwanted mass’ of Rustom-II by 260 kgs, when the new platform kisses the skies.

Weight reduction process for data link and payloads are currently on for future prototypes.

DRDO Chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy had told Onmanorama at DefExpo2020 that delays are now being dealt with priority.

"Some of our recent missions are good examples as to how speed has become our mantra now. Things have changed a lot compared to past," he claims.

https://english.manoramaonline.com/...loaded-with-new-features-set-to-fly-soon.html

 

[IndianHawk]

Rustom-II UAV, loaded with new features, set to fly soon

Lucknow: An upgraded version of Rustom-II (Tapas) - the medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) - being developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), is ready to take to the skies soon.

The new platform (AF-6A) being readied for its first flight will be seventh one from Rustom-II flight line. The sixth prototype (AF-6) of Rustom-II had crashed near the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Chalakere (Chitradurga district, Karnataka) on September 17, 2019. (AF stands for air frame.)

ADE is a Bengaluru-based Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) lab working on unmanned platforms and subsonic cruise missiles. Rustom-II, when inducted into the armed forces, will undertake surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

Rajnath inspires

It is now confirmed that the crash was due to the momentary and simultaneous link loss that prompted the UAV to enter into the ‘return home mode.’ The platform also had to encounter a rough patch of turbulence beyond the capacity of control law, resulting in the crash.

The behaviour of the UAV is being claimed to have been on the expected lines and as per the design parameters. The sensor data was available for the ground station almost till its touchdown\crash.

A scientist who is part of this project told Onmanorama that the Rustom-II team got a pep-talk from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh two days after the crash, during his visit to Bengaluru.

"He had come to visit the Tejas facilities and subsequently had undertaken a sortie on the same on September 19. Our team was called to meet him and he wanted us to resume the flight immediately," says a scientist.

The defence minister gave the team 15 days to get the UAV back into action.

"We had the 5th aircraft (AF-5) from the flight line flying on October 3, putting behind all the setbacks. The project team rose to the occasion and commenced the flying," says the scientist.

Added might

The seventh platform (AF-6A) from Rustom-II flight line set to undertake its maiden flight carries many new features. From AF-5 prototype onwards (February 2018), Rustom-II is being powered by a 180 HP Austro engine, replacing the 115 HP Rotax engine.

Among the new features embedded into the system are: a solid state relay-based low weight power distribution unit; an indigenous inertial navigation system (INS) developed by RCI, Hyderabad; Lithium ion batteries and satellite communication (SATCOM) link.

The major surveillance payloads that are now being flown are electronic intelligence (ELINT ), communications intelligence(COMINT), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and long\medium range electro optical (EO) systems.

DRDO carried out the first test flight of Rustom-II prototype in November, 2016 at the ATR. Till date, it has completed 77 development flights, including seven, post its crash.

A total of 15 platforms are being planned during the development phase, out of which last five will be the production versions.

These five will be handed over to the users for their independent evaluations

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will manufacture the last five variants and the scientists are working on to optimizing the design from AF-8 to AF-10.

The state-of-the-art ground control station (GCS) and image exploitation system have added more teeth to the mission. The GCS is said to have been appreciated by the UAV operators from the armed forces.

Weight reduction

Indian Army is the major stakeholder in the Rustom-II mission with a requirement for 60 platforms, followed by the Indian Air Force (12) and the Indian Navy (four).

Backed by a young team with an average age of 35 years, Rustom-II core project team consists of 30 scientists and engineers.

With overweight being a curse for most of the desi aeronautical platforms, ADE now promises to shred the ‘unwanted mass’ of Rustom-II by 260 kgs, when the new platform kisses the skies.

Weight reduction process for data link and payloads are currently on for future prototypes.

DRDO Chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy had told Onmanorama at DefExpo2020 that delays are now being dealt with priority.

"Some of our recent missions are good examples as to how speed has become our mantra now. Things have changed a lot compared to past," he claims.

https://english.manoramaonline.com/...loaded-with-new-features-set-to-fly-soon.html

It is as important as mwf / LCA . Drones are the future and they are bloody costly.

10 heron tp cost us 400 million $$ that's 40 million each almost as much as LCA mk1a.

If it doesn't succeed then we'd simple replace fighter import to drone import. It must succeed.

 

[Akula]

I want Rustom 2(armed) to look like this.

 

[charlie]

I’m not arguing with you about what is CURRENTLY on Rustom-2 but OBVIOUSLY DRDO has plans to install SATCOM at some point.

At no point has DRDO said SATCOM is off the table and again, this isn’t a huge task, RUSTOM-2 is clearly designed for a SATCOM (see the bubble design in the nose), if users demand it can be added.

Issue probably is that IA and IAF have no real use for >250KM Range, they are probably more interested in endurance. If IN ever wants to buy RUSTOM, then SATCOM is going to be added.

Tell your friend @Enquirer that this version which is a development version has a satcom.

he wasted a lot of our time debating useless stuff.
https://english.manoramaonline.com/...loaded-with-new-features-set-to-fly-soon.html

 

[Armand2REP]

CCP in Wuhan taking cremation 10 steps too far...

 

[abingdonboy]

Tell your friend @Enquirer that this version which is a development version has a satcom.

he wasted a lot of our time debating useless stuff.
https://english.manoramaonline.com/...loaded-with-new-features-set-to-fly-soon.html

What did I say? SATCOM is a stated capability of RUSTOM-2 from the outset

 

[Shaitan]

Rustom 2 program is taking forever. I mean Iran has similar drones bombing Saudi oil fields and in use in Syria, etc. but Rustom 2 program have been going on too long.

 

[Craigs]

Rustom 2 program is taking forever. I mean Iran has similar drones bombing Saudi oil fields and in use in Syria, etc. but Rustom 2 program have been going on too long.

Chai, biskoot + fat pension......... No reason to hurry......

 

[Enquirer]

Tell your friend @Enquirer that this version which is a development version has a satcom.

he wasted a lot of our time debating useless stuff.
https://english.manoramaonline.com/...loaded-with-new-features-set-to-fly-soon.html

I quit this forum sometime back...now I was notified that I am being remembered here
@charlie Since you don't seem to have understood any of my posts nor what the articles and the DRDO phamplets are claiming, you indeed wasted your time ogling over posts and claiming outrage!

Technically there's ZERO difference between communicating to a ground station in line-of-sight mode 250kms away and a LEO Sat in the orbit. I had posited that communicating to a LEO sat could be the way for Rustom II to able augment its range to DRDO's STATED RANGE OF 1000kms with SatComm.
But for those not given to details all SatComms are the same - LEO/GEO are just an alphabet soup!
I had also posited that India may not have 24/7 LEO coverage (don't ask me to explain the LEO orbital periods etc) as of now; so LEO SatComm based control will be 'patchy' in a day.
That said, features could be augmented over time. If ever they chose link via GEO sats, expect the stated range to increase to several thousands of kms!

Please do me a favor and don't tag me.

 

[IndianHawk]

Rustom 2 program is taking forever. I mean Iran has similar drones bombing Saudi oil fields and in use in Syria, etc. but Rustom 2 program have been going on too long.

Drones have been lower on our priority list perhaps. Both pork and chink are capable of shooting down drones. Our best case use is for surveillance that too mostly of Indian Ocean.

 

[charlie]

What did I say? SATCOM is a stated capability of RUSTOM-2 from the outset

Well you said the right thing, it’s just him debating and never learning even when he is proven wrong.

he is still debating, well it seems he is never gonna learn.

 

[Craigs]

Drones have been lower on our priority list perhaps. Both pork and chink are capable of shooting down drones. Our best case use is for surveillance that too mostly of Indian Ocean.

We have a long coastline to monitor as well. We also need AEW assets over Indian Ocean or do Chinks and Pakis have anti air assets covering those areas too..... If developed early this could have been a good alternative to more expensive platforms. I was still in junior college when I first heard about Nishant/Rustom and now I have 2 kids.

 

[IndianHawk]

We have a long coastline to monitor as well. We also need AEW assets over Indian Ocean or do Chinks and Pakis have anti air assets covering those areas too..... If developed early this could have been a good alternative to more expensive platforms. I was still in junior college when I first heard about Nishant/Rustom and now I have 2 kids.

You are right. Development has been very slow . I guess they were starved of funding while Israeli kept selling heron.
Anyway now it seems it's back on track.

 

[Raj Malhotra]

Rustom-2 is dead end design. It's too big & heavy for piston engines. MOD is not clearing development of new turboprop version being suggested by DRDO for last 5-10 years (to protect Israeli imports.?)

 

[Dharmic_Crusader]

 

[Tuco]

View attachment 49171

I think I have seen the same picture before, may about 6 to 7 months back.

 

[Dharmic_Crusader]

I think I have seen the same picture before, may about 6 to 7 months back.

sorry if this was an old photo.i didnt know.. my bad

 

[Steven Rogers]

I think I have seen the same picture before, may about 6 to 7 months back.

2-3 years old back in 2017 dec

 

[Tuco]

sorry if this was an old photo.i didnt know.. my bad

Hey common , there are plenty of people who might not have seen them.