Following the successful conclusion of the landmark contract to supply 31 MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones to the Indian Tri-Services, US aerospace major General Atomics (GA) is now targeting India’s next major requirement in unmanned aviation: Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA).
According to sources familiar with the matter, General Atomics officials have expressed a strong interest in offering the Gambit-2, an advanced unmanned combat platform, to the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The company is reportedly positioning the Gambit-2 not only for the IAF’s upcoming requirement for 87 Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAVs but also for future "loyal wingman" programmes.
From Surveillance to Air-to-Air Combat
Unlike the MQ-9B, which is designed primarily for long-endurance intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and precision ground strikes, the Gambit-2 is engineered for high-intensity air combat.It features a stealthy outer design optimised for combat manoeuvres, enabling it to operate in contested airspace—a capability that places it well beyond the scope of traditional surveillance drones.
While the Gambit-1 variant is purely focused on ISR, the Gambit-2 trades some flight endurance (offering approximately 25–30 hours compared to the 40+ hours of ISR drones) for speed and firepower.
It boasts a low-observable (stealth) design, a high dash speed exceeding Mach 0.85, and internal weapons bays to maintain its stealth profile. Crucially, it is the first platform from GA explicitly designed to carry and launch air-to-air missiles.
Potential Astra Missile Integration
In a significant move to appeal to Indian requirements, the Gambit-2 is being pitched with the ability to carry standard US weaponry such as the AIM-120D AMRAAM and AIM-9X Block II missiles.However, sources indicate that GA may also offer to integrate India's indigenous Astra Mk2 and Mk3 air-to-air missiles.
If procured, these armed drones would fly as "loyal wingmen" alongside India's manned fighters, such as the Tejas Mk2, Rafale, or the future Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
This teaming would drastically increase the "magazine depth" (the number of missiles available in a fight) of manned squadrons.
The drones could act as forward sensors to detect enemies without exposing the manned fighter, or even engage hostile aircraft and incoming missiles directly.
GA describes this concept as "affordable mass meets high-end capability," where a single manned fighter pilot could control four to six Gambit drones using secure, AI-enabled datalinks.
'Make in India' and Common Infrastructure
To strengthen its bid, General Atomics has proposed a comprehensive "Make in India" package. The company is reportedly willing to transfer up to 60–70% of the airframe and subsystem production to an Indian private-sector partner.Final assembly, avionics integration, and flight testing would be conducted at a new facility in India, following the model already established for the MQ-9B programme.
A key advantage of the Gambit pitch is its commonality with the MQ-9B. Sources indicate that the Gambit family shares a core avionics and software architecture with the SeaGuardian. This would significantly reduce training costs and integration risks for the IAF.
A future Gambit-2 squadron could theoretically operate from the same forward bases and use the exact same ground control stations and satellite communication suites currently being set up for the 31 MQ-9Bs.
Strategic Context and Indigenous Efforts
The Indian Air Force is currently defining its roadmap for unmanned systems to counter growing regional threats. The pitch for the Gambit-2 comes as the IAF also monitors the development of the indigenous HAL CATS Warrior, a loyal wingman project being developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.If accepted, the Gambit-2 would mark India’s entry into the elite tier of nations operating Collaborative Combat Aircraft, a domain currently dominated by next-generation US programmes like the Air Force’s NGAD ecosystem.
It would provide New Delhi with a decisive technological edge over regional adversaries who are still years away from fielding comparable autonomous combat capabilities.
The proposal offers a phased approach: Indian operators would first gain deep operational experience with the MQ-9B in ISR and strike roles, before transitioning the same crews and infrastructure to the faster, networked, and stealthier Gambit family for air dominance missions.
