New Delhi: India on Friday carried out its maiden flight of the ‘Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator’, a significant step towards the country’s plan to have a full-fledged stealth combat drone.
The test of the demonstrator, also known as the ‘Stealth Wing Flying Testbed’ (SWiFT), was successfully test fired from the Aeronautical Test Range, Chitradurga, Karnataka.
The Demonstrator, which looks like a mini version of the US B-2 stealth bomber, has a similar “flying wing” configuration. This enables it to carry more fuel and stay in the air for longer periods. It also gives the aircraft less radar signature.
The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRD0) said the aircraft demonstrated a perfect flight performance including take-off, way-point navigation and an easy touchdown, operating in a fully autonomous mode.
DRDO said: “This flight is a major milestone in proving critical technologies towards development of future unmanned aircraft and an important step towards self-reliance in such strategic defense technologies.”
There was no confirmation on how long the flight was.
The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) has been designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru, a research laboratory under DRDO.
The technology demonstrator is part of India’s final plan to build an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) that would be capable of reconnaissance and also carry out tactical actions such as the drop of both missiles and bombs.
The technology demonstrator is powered by a small Russian turbofan engine.
DRDO officials said the airframe, undercarriage and the entire flight control and avionics systems were indigenously developed.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said the first flight was a major achievement in autonomous aircraft and would pave the way for a ‘self-reliant India’ in terms of critical military systems.
Sources said that this demonstrator will test all the technologies that have been brought into it and whether it was capable of mission.
He said further tests would be conducted on the technology demonstrator, which would be larger in design and capabilities, before moving on to the main project.
He also said that the demonstrator will demonstrate the potential that the end user – the armed forces – has.
Sources said the success of the project would depend on the quality requirements put forth by the end user and the approvals given by the government.
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