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Rotary Wing Drone

HAL is working on an AI-driven multi-role, advanced and long-endurance drone for strategic missions in high-altitude areas including along the frontiers with China.

The rotary-wing drone will have the capability to carry a load of 40 kgs, including missiles and sensors, and it is being developed considering the requirement of the armed forces to keep a strong vigil over the mountainous areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

HAL has set a target of conducting the maiden test-flying of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) by the middle of next year and plans to produce 60 such platforms in the first phase of the project.

Manned-Unmanned Combat Air Teaming System

The HAL Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) is a planned unmanned and manned combat aircraft air teaming system being developed by HAL.

The system will consist of a manned fighter aircraft acting as “mothership” of the system and a set of swarming UAVs and UCAVs governed by the main aircraft. A twin-seated HAL Tejas is likely to be the main fighter aircraft. Various other sub components of the system are currently under development and will be jointly produced by HAL, NAL, DRDO and NewSpace Research & Technologies. The primary aim is to make multiple advanced aerial platforms that can act as atmospheric satellite for high altitude surveillance, perform autonomous deep penetration precision strikes from standoff distance with maximum firepower while reduce human error and the threat on life.

CATS Warrior

Like the loyal wingman drone, it is also an unmanned stealth platform which can be controlled by the Mothership CATS LCA-MAX in formation of 2-4 warrior drone from as far as 150 kilometers and is able to fly alongside it to accomplish tasks such as scouting, absorbing enemy fire or even attacking the targets if necessary with its internal weapons.

CATS Hunter

It is designed as a low observable standoff air-launched cruise missile that can be integrated into CATS MAX, Mirage 2000, Jaguar or Su-30MKI and will consist of an interchangeable weapon carriage section based on mission profile that can carry 250 kg of unitary warhead or cluster munition(s) with a striking range of 200–300 km. Once the payload is dropped at the designated target, CATS Hunter will be able to return and can be recovered through a two tier parachute system.

CATS ALFA

It is a carrier which will contains the Air Launched Flexible Asset-Swarm (ALFA-S) loitering munition. The carrier is capable of gliding and can cover around 100 km distance after being launched from the mothership. After reaching the desired distance, the ALFA-S can automatically separate from CATS ALFA and fly using its own propulsion thereby increasing the overall striking range.

CATS Infinity

The first flight of the system designed for high altitude pseudo satellite (HAPS) role was planned from 2019. Infinity is designed to be equipped with terrain mapping camera and will have the capability of producing airborne real time cueing hyperspectral enhanced reconnaissance for deep strike aerial missions inside enemy territory. The CATS Infinity will act as communication bridge between UAV and satellite(s), by providing live video feed and images of the battlefield.

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Mentored under the ministry’s Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative, the programme has been supported by the armed forces and will see Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as the lead prototype development partner.

NewSpace signed the contract with defence ministry on 10 Feb 2022, with plans in place to develop the first prototype for tests within the next four years. The first phase of the programme will be undertaken by the startup with the seed funding by defence ministry and the prototype development is likely to see HAL as the lead partner. The estimated budget to develop the system is upwards of ₹700 crore and it will be part of HALs Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) that seeks to integrated manned airborne platforms with swarm drones and a high altitude surveillance network.

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