The UCAVs developed for the Indian Air Force would be powered by a modified Kaveri engine and would have miniaturised payloads that would be completely hidden.
India’s unmanned air combat vehicle (UCAV) programme is being undertaken by Bangalore-based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE). At the fifth Air Chief Marshal LM Katre Memorial Lecture on Saturday, DRDO chief Dr VK Saraswat said: “The ADE, apart from initiating work on the preliminary design, has also commenced the development of basic technologies like airframes, accessories and the payload (of weapons) that the UCAV would carry,” said Saraswat.
The UCAVs developed for the Indian Air Force would be powered by a modified Kaveri engine and would have miniaturised payloads that would be completely hidden.
Drones are considered game-changers in modern warfare and the US and Israel have drones such as the Predator, Reaper and Searcher-II and Heron drones in their arsenal.
In his lecture on ‘Aerospace Technologies for the 21st Century’, Saraswat stressed the need to develop air-based early warning systems, laser-beam weapons and multiple-kill vehicles. He said the DRDO’s attention is to develop hyper-launch vehicles by making use of nanotechnology and MEMS technology.
On the need for adopting green aviation concepts, he said: “It is not only important to make progress in stealth technology, but to
think of green aviation concepts by developing solar-powered aircrafts.”
Challenges in the fields of infrastructure, HR, design capabilities and leadership are the future challenges, he added. The ballistic missile interceptor that is capable of destroying any incoming hostile ballistic missile would be tested once again in December, said Saraswat.
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