DRDO Ghatak

Ghatak
Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator, a subscale version, used as a technology demonstrator for DRDO Ghatak
General information
TypeStealth Unmanned Combat aerial Vehicle
National originIndia
Designer
StatusUnder development
Number built2 downscale prototypes
History
First flight1 July 2022 (prototype)

Ghatak (pronounced: gʰɑːt̪ək; lit. 'Deadly' in Sanskrit)[a], earlier designated as Indian Unmanned Strike Air Vehicle, is an autonomous jet powered unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), being developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organisation for the Indian Armed Forces. The design work on the UCAV is carried out by the Aeronautical Development Agency of the Ministry of Defence. The UCAV's design is based on a flying-wing concept and it is powered by a turbofan engine. It is expected to have internal weapons bay capable of carrying missiles, bombs and precision-guided munitions. The first flight of a scaled down prototype was carried out in July 2022, with further tests in 2023.

Design and development

Background and planning

The Autonomous Unmanned Research Aircraft project was commissioned in 2009 to carryout a feasibility study for the development of an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) for the Indian Armed Forces. It was taken up by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) of the state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).[1][2] In 2016, a project to develop a scaled down technology demonstrator named Stealth Wing Flying Testbed (SWiFT), was sanctioned at a cost of ₹700 million (equivalent to ₹1.0 billion or US$12 million in 2023).[3] The ADE was tasked with the development of this scaled down prototype,[4] and according to the DRDO, the SWiFT is intended to develop and demonstrate technologies for controlling the flying-wing configuration and flight characteristics at high-subsonic speeds.[5]

SWiFT protypes

Two prototypes were developed, with the first prototype featuring a flying-wing design with no tail fin, while the second featured a vertical stabilizer.[6] The ground trials of the SWiFT Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) began in June 2021.[5] The airframe, undercarriage, flight control system, and avionics for the UAV were developed indigenously.[7] The second prototype, which was designated as the Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator, was tested successfully on 1 July 2022.[6][8] According to DRDO, the aircraft performed as intended while operating in a fully autonomous mode.[9][10] The SWiFT UAV has an airframe made of carbon composites, and is 4 m (13 ft)-long and has a wingspan of 5 m (16 ft).[11][12] It weighed about 1 t (1.1 tons), and was powered by a Russian TRDD-50MT turbofan engine, originally designed for cruise missiles.[7] The SWiFT was also intended to be a precursor to the unmanned wingman bomber program.[11]

Developmental testing

The DRDO subsequently conducted six developmental test flights of the UAV in 2023.[12][13][14] The seventh test flight was conducted at the Chitradurga Aeronautical Test Range in December 2023, with the final configuration. It involved an upgraded prototype with no tail fin, improved avionics and control systems, and featured an advanced ground control station. With the use of onboard sensor data and GPS-aided GEO augmented navigation, the testing demonstrated autonomous landing without the requirement of ground based radars or manual control.[12][14] According to the DRDO, the various tests were used to test high-speed automatic takeoff and landing, stealth characteristics, control of the flying wing configuration, autonomous flying, and integration of monitoring and evaluation systems.[13]

Project Ghatak

The UCAV project had been designated as project Ghatak.[6] According to a press release in 2017, an initial funding of ₹2.31 billion (equivalent to ₹3.3 billion or US$39 million in 2023) was allocated in 2016 for the lead-in design of Project Ghatak and development of critical technologies for the Ghatak and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft.[15] While it primarily intended for the Indian Air Force, the Indian Navy also expressed interested in the project, and is keen on acquiring deck based UCAVs for aircraft carriers and Landing Platform Docks.[4] On 3 March 2026, the Defence Procurement Board cleared the development phase of the Ghatak Project, and recommended the acquisition of 60 Ghatak drones, the proposal of which has to be approved by the Defence Acquisition Council led by the defence minister.[16] The Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap 2025 of the defence ministry cited the possible acquisition of up to 100 units of stealth UCAVs for the Indian Air Force and up to 50 units for the Indian Army.[17] The acquisition of Ghatak UCAVs is also outlined in the Vision 2047 of the Indian Air Force.[16][18]

Design

The Ghatak is an autonomous jet powered UCAV. The aircraft will feature a carbon composite frame with stealth characteristics and will be powered by a variant of the Kaveri afterburning turbofan engine.[7][19] It will have a flying wing configuration, designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA).[6][20] It will be developed in a public–private partnership.[21] The flight control system and data link packages would be developed by the ADA and Defence Electronics Application Laboratory.[22] As per the DRDO, the UCAV will be highly intelligent drones with on-board mission computers, fire control radars, identification of friend or foe, and collision avoidance systems. It would weigh less than 15 t (15 long tons; 17 short tons), and would have a flying ceiling of 9,100 m (30,000 ft). The aircraft will have a capability to carry various missiles, bombs and precision guided munitions.[23]

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Notes

  1. ^ from Hindi/Sanskrit 'घातक' (romanised: ghātaka) meaning 'killer', 'deadly'

References

  1. ^ "India to develop unmanned combat aerial vehicle". The Hindustan Times. IANS. 25 November 2009. Archived from the original on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  2. ^ "India developing unmanned combat aerial vehicle". India Today. 10 June 2010. Archived from the original on 30 July 2010. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  3. ^ "US-made Predator delayed, how India is developing own combat drone". India Today. 20 December 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b Krishnan M, Anantha (10 January 2021). "ADE steps into new decade with planeloads of critical projects". OnManorama. Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  5. ^ a b "DRDO's stealth attack UAV back in focus as footage of demonstrator emerges". The Week. 29 October 2021. Archived from the original on 3 July 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d Kadidal, Akhil; Parakala, Akshara (4 July 2022). "DRDO successfully test flies flying-wing UCAV". Janes Information Services. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  7. ^ a b c Peri, Dinakar (1 July 2022). "DRDO flight tests new autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  8. ^ "DRDO carries out successful flight trial of Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator, an indigenous high-speed flying-wing UAV". Press Information Bureau (Press release). 15 December 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  9. ^ "DRDO conducts successful maiden flight of Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator". Press Information Bureau (Press release). 1 July 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  10. ^ Alex Philip, Snehesh (1 July 2022). "'Major milestone': India conducts maiden flight of unmanned aircraft demonstrator". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  11. ^ a b "DRDO initiates the trials of advanced stealth SWiFT drone". All India Radio. 23 June 2021. Archived from the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  12. ^ a b c Jaiswal, Arushi; Prasad, Manish (15 December 2023). "DRDO successfully conducts flight trial of Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator". India TV. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  13. ^ a b 2023-24 Annual Report (PDF). Ministry of Defence, Government of India (Report). 10 October 2025. p. 201. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  14. ^ a b "DRDO carries out successful flight trial of Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator, an indigenous high-speed flying-wing UAV". Press Information Bureau (Press release). 15 December 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  15. ^ "DRDO Projects". Ministry of Defence (Press release). 3 February 2017. Archived from the original on 5 March 2026. Retrieved 28 October 2019 – via Press Information Bureau.
  16. ^ a b Kumar, Bhaswar (4 March 2026). "DRDO's Ghatak combat drone programme gathers pace; 60 units planned". Business Standard. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  17. ^ Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap (PDF). Ministry of Defence (Report). p. 122. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  18. ^ George, Jose K (4 March 2026). "Kaveri engine to fly soon? Ghatak drone procurement talks bring renewed focus on India's indigenous jet engine". The Week. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  19. ^ "Indigenous Kaveri engine to power Unmanned Combat Aircraft". Business Standard. 30 July 2015. Archived from the original on 29 November 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  20. ^ "India's quest for high-calibre military UAVs is still in its infancy". Financial Express. 30 December 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  21. ^ Pubby, Manu. "Government set to clear Rs 3,000 crore plan to develop engine for India's first UCAV". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 3 July 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  22. ^ Ghosh, Anirvan (17 January 2011). "We never had a single failure in 1,500 flights of Tejas: ADE". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  23. ^ Pandit, Rajat (11 April 2011). "India quietly begins combat drone project". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
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