Indian Defense
Watch: Taxi Trials of India’s SWiFT Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle Demonstrator
Work on the project, which was earlier called AURA (short for Autonomous
Unmanned Research Aircraft), began sometime around 2009.
The program is linked to the development of India’s fifth-generation stealth
fighter Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft or AMCA.
India’s highly secretive unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) program, under
which a technology demonstrator called stealth wing flying testbed or SWiFT is
being developed, has reached a new milestone.
A demonstrator built under the program has completed low-speed taxi trials.
Twitter handle @DefenceReach, which scooped the first pictures of the taxi
trials, has now put out a video of the trial on YouTube.
The trial appears to have been conducted on 18 August this year at the
Aeronautical Test Range near Challakere in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district.
The DRDO has not confirmed the date of taxi trials.
Earlier this year, reports said that the Combat Vehicles Research and
Development Establishment, a Chennai-based lab of the DRDO, has handed over
retractable landing gear systems for SWiFT.
In a technology bulletin released in October 2020, the DRDO had said that it
had completed the designing of the landing gear for the program and the
manufacturing of the airworthy components was under progress.
“SWiFT UAV is a Technology Demonstrator and is a scaled-down version of Ghatak
UCAV (Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle). The main intent of SWiFT UAV is to
demonstrate and prove the stealth technology and high-speed landing technology
in autonomous mode,” the DRDO has said.
A model of this platform was recently seen in a video lecture published by the
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, which is involved in the fundamental
research and testing related to the stealth UCAV program.
It was most likely a “mock-up or a sub-scale flying model” of the SWiFT.
Ghatak’s undercarriage and landing gear were seen in this model, which was
sitting in the background as an IIT Kanpur professor delivered a lecture in
the institution’s Aeromodelling Lab.
Ghatak is intended to be an unmanned aircraft which can not only be used for
surveillance but also to fire precision weapons at designated targets, using
its stealth features to avoid detection by enemy sensors in contested
airspace.
The Bengaluru-based Aeronautical Development Agency is developing the UCAV
with participation from the Defence Electronics Application Laboratory and
many other labs of the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
Work on the project, which was earlier called AURA (short for Autonomous
Unmanned Research Aircraft), began sometime around 2009.
The program is linked to the development of India’s fifth-generation stealth
fighter Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft or AMCA.
The Ghatak program formally received sanction as a ‘Lead-in Project’ in May
2016 and started receiving funding from early 2017, it was reported.
Very little technical detail about the UCAV project is available due to its
classified nature. Wrapped in secrecy, the program is under the direct
oversight of the Prime Minister’s Office and the National Security Adviser.
Indian Defense
INS Arihant’s Nuke-Capable K-4 Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile ‘Ready To Roll’
The solid-fuelled K-4 missile is being developed by DRDO to arm the country’s nuclear-powered submarines in the shape of INS Arihant and its under-development sister vessels. INS Arihant, which became fully operational in November 2018 to complete India’s nuclear triad, is currently armed with the much shorter K-15 missiles with a 750 km range.
“The K-4 is now virtually ready for its serial production to kick-off. The two tests have demonstrated its capability to emerge straight from underwater and undertake its parabolic trajectory,” said a source.
India has the land-based Agni missiles, with the over 5,000-km Agni-V inter-continental ballistic missile now in the process of being inducted, and fighter jets jury-rigged to deliver nuclear weapons. But INS Arihant gives the country’s deterrence posture much more credibility because nuclear-powered submarines armed with nuclear-tipped missiles are considered the most secure, survivable and potent platforms for retaliatory strikes.
Once the K-4 missiles are inducted, they will help India narrow the gap with countries like the US, Russia and China, which have over 5,000-km range SLBMs. The K-4 missiles are to be followed by the K-5 and K-6 missiles in the 5,000-6,000 km range class.
The 6,000-ton INS Arihant, which is propelled by an 83 MW pressurised light-water reactor at its core, in turn, is to be followed by INS Arighat, which was launched in 2017. The next generation of nuclear submarines, currently called S-4 and S-4*, will be much larger in size.
Indian Defense
After Upgradation, Sukhoi Su-30MKI Indigenisation To Reach 78%
India has received clearance to upgrade 84 Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets, which will result in 78% indigenization after the upgrade
In a significant step towards bolstering its military might with indigenously developed technology, India is poised to witness its Russian-origin Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets evolve into a domestic platform. Speaking at a recent lecture.
The upgrade program is being led by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in partnership with the Indian Air Force and other partners. The upgrade is expected to cost US$7.5 billion.
This initiative is a part of a larger effort by the Indian Air Force to modernize its ageing fleet. Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari asserted the critical role of an offensive air force as demonstrated in current global conflicts and emphasized India’s move towards an indigenized arsenal. To this end, the IAF has been proactive, from upgrading its Mirage 2000 to enhancing its MiG-29 fleet.
In summary, the IAF’s commitment to updating their combat forces with the latest technology, including shifting to fifth-generation fighter jets, ensures operational preparedness and a strong deterrence capability. The gradual indigenization of its air fleet marks a pivotal shift in India’s defence landscape, reducing dependency on foreign imports and fostering technological sovereignty.
Indian Defense
Akash Weapon System Exports For The Armenian Armed Forces Gathers Pace
According to unconfirmed reports, Armenia is a top contender for an export order for Akash SAM system manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).
The Akash export version will also be slightly different from the one inducted by the armed forces. The 100-km range air-to-air Astra missiles, now entering production after successful trials from Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, also have “good export potential”, said sources.
Akash is a “tried, tested and successfully inducted systems”. Indian armed forces have ordered Akash systems worth Rs 24,000 crore over the years, and MoD inked a contract in Mar 2023 of over Rs 9,100 crores for improved Akash Weapon System
BDL is a government enterprise under the Ministry of Defence that was established in 1970. BDL manufactures surface-to-air missiles and delivers them to the Indian Army. BDL also offers its products for export.
Akash Weapon System
The AWS is a Short Range Surface to Air Missile (SRSAM) Air Defence System, indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). In order to meet aerial threats, two additional Regiments of AWS with Upgradation are being procured for Indian Army for the Northern borders. Improved AWS has Seeker Technology, Reduced Foot Print, 360° Engagement Capability and improved environmental parameters.
The project will give a boost to the Indian missile manufacturing industry in particular and the indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem as a whole. The project has overall indigenous content of 82% which will be increased to 93% by 2026-27.
The induction of the improved AWS into the Indian Army will increase India’s self-reliance in Short Range Missile capability. This project will play a role in boosting the overall economy by avoiding outgo of precious foreign exchange to other countries, increasing employment avenues in India and encouraging Indian MSMEs through components manufacturing. Around 60% of the project cost will be awarded to the private industry, including MSMEs, in maintaining the supply chain of the weapon system, thereby creating large scale of direct and indirect employment.
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