Europe Offers Customized Eurodrone to India with Potential to Integrate of Local Techs Developed for Tapas and Archer-NG

In a significant move that could deepen India-Europe defence cooperation, a customized version of the Eurodrone has been offered to India.

The proposal, extended by Europe’s Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), includes the potential for integrating technologies from India's indigenous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programmes, creating a unique hybrid platform tailored to the nation's specific operational needs.

The offer has gained momentum following India's decision to join the Eurodrone programme as an observer in August 2024.

The programme for the advanced Medium-Altitude, Long-Endurance (MALE) drone is managed by OCCAR and led by major European defence firms, including Airbus Defence and Space, Dassault Aviation of France, and Italy's Leonardo.

This collaboration signals a strengthening of strategic ties, aligning with India's increasing focus on acquiring and developing sophisticated drone technology.

A key development in these discussions was a recent visit by a team from India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to the Eurodrone manufacturing site near Munich, Germany.

During the visit, DRDO officials were given a detailed overview of the drone's modular design. This modern architectural approach allows for significant customisation, enabling components and systems to be replaced or upgraded with local technology.

This flexibility is particularly noteworthy as it opens the door for integrating innovations developed by the DRDO for its own UAV projects, such as the TAPAS (Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial Surveillance-Beyond Horizon-201), formerly known as Rustom-II, and the next-generation Archer-NG.

While the TAPAS project has faced challenges in meeting altitude and endurance targets, the technology developed for it remains valuable and could find new applications within the Eurodrone framework.

The Eurodrone is engineered for critical Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions.

Its specifications, including the ability to carry a payload of up to 2,300 kg and operate in all weather conditions, make it highly suitable for India’s demanding strategic requirements.

These include persistent high-altitude surveillance along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and extensive maritime reconnaissance across the vast Indo-Pacific region.

The prospect of co-developing a drone variant allows India to leverage a proven European platform while simultaneously advancing its domestic defence manufacturing capabilities under the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiative.

By combining the Eurodrone's advanced airframe and systems with DRDO’s specialized payloads and software, India could field a world-class MALE UAV that is perfectly aligned with the operational doctrines of its armed forces.

 

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[Mc Addy]

This may be good as Europe has been working to counter Russia since 3 years so this tech has a definite edge over China and secondly it can do alot of work in contested airspaces ,without jets being involved and our local tech seems to be good so why not ,but order some 300 plus so it becomes cheap , effective .

 

[king dorm]

Instead of spending money here, we should focus our energy on the Ghatak program and CATS program.

 

[Anant]

Instead of spending money here, we should focus our energy on the Ghatak program and CATS program.

Neither the Ghatak nor the CATS has a MALE drone component. Our own efforts at MALE drones have proven to be, shall we say, lacking somewhat.

 

[Flanker]

Rustam, Archer aren’t going nowhere. Should join this program if we get significant ToT so we can make them in India.

 

[king dorm]

Neither the Ghatak nor the CATS has a MALE drone component. Our own efforts at MALE drones have proven to be, shall we say, lacking somewhat.

MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) drones are effective when the enemy lacks a robust air defence system. However, if the enemy possesses air defence, MALE drones face a high risk of being intercepted, as demonstrated by the USA losing an MQ-9 in Yemen and Israel losing a Hermes in Iran, both of which are MALE platforms.

 

[Sudha]

MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) drones are effective when the enemy lacks a robust air defence system. However, if the enemy possesses air defence, MALE drones face a high risk of being intercepted, as demonstrated by the USA losing an MQ-9 in Yemen and Israel losing a Hermes in Iran, both of which are MALE platforms.

MALE or HALO, a good networked air defence system like Akashteer can defeat it. What one requires are weapon systems and drones with at least supersonic speed to defeat current air defences.

 

[king dorm]

MALE or HALO, a good networked air defence system like Akashteer can defeat it. What one requires are weapon systems and drones with at least supersonic speed to defeat current air defences.

There is a difference between missiles and drones. Drones are meant to be flown, and unless the drone operator has the world's highest reflexes, I don't think they can fly a supersonic drone. If you really want to evade enemy air defence to target something in enemy territory, a hypersonic missile will do the job.

 

[Kira]

It's better to develop a domestic alternative rather than just buying a foreign design. Instead, what India can and should do is invite a consultancy role for EU drone manufacturers for its own MALE drone development in India.

 

[Sandeep]

This drone is very very expensive and even if we buy it they won’t transfer any critical technology or allow us to manufacture a large amount of the drone in India. It’s much cheaper if we just imported the MQ-9 Reaper drone for about $35 million per drone and it’s an armed version as well.

The only solution is that we need to 100% indigenously design, develop and manufacture our own armed drones. We are currently developing the UCAV Archer NG which will allow us to carry out ISTAR missions and we can carry and use our indigenous missiles and bombs. This bypasses the foreign expensive import reliance, dependency, expensive support and servicing charges, no access to the critical equipment or technology like the computer and software. Also if we wanted to make any changes or upgrades it will be expensive and to change that we need to concentrate on developing our own indigenous weapons and technology and the Archer NG gives us the opportunity.

We are also developing the stealth UCAV Ghatak which will be able to carry out stealth strikes with precision without the enemy even knowing until it hit them. We can also carry out ISTAR missions with it which are very important as it gives the drone a dual purpose.

Also recently there has been several large private sector companies who are working on a type of drone that the entire military will use.

 

[Rinku Pandey]

Rustam, Archer aren’t going nowhere. Should join this program if we get significant ToT so we can make them in India.

No need. Even if it takes 25 years to perfect Rustam, Archer, etc., we should do it. Atmanirbharta is the way forward. Many private companies like Adani can make this type of drone in one year.