HAL Aims to Deliver CATS Warrior UCAV at a Breakthrough Price of Under $5 Million

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), India's state-owned aerospace and defence company, has begun production of the CATS Warrior, an advanced Loyal Wingman Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV).

With an ambitious target price of under $5 million, the CATS Warrior is poised to offer the Indian Air Force (IAF) a cost-effective and versatile solution that can be produced in large numbers, significantly enhancing India's air combat capabilities.

Designed to operate autonomously at high altitudes, the CATS Warrior boasts a 300 km operational radius and an endurance of up to two hours. Its stealth characteristics and low observability make it a formidable platform for high-risk missions, allowing it to operate undetected in hostile airspace.

Powering the CATS Warrior are two upgraded PTAE-W engines, originally developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Lakshya pilotless target aircraft. By leveraging this proven technology, HAL ensures the CATS Warrior's reliability and efficiency.

The CATS Warrior is a highly adaptable platform, capable of being configured for a variety of roles:

• Air-to-Air Combat: Equipped with a compact Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, the CATS Warrior can engage aerial threats such as drones, UAVs, and attack helicopters, ensuring air superiority in contested environments.
• Strike Missions: The Warrior can carry two Smart Anti-Airfield Weapons (SAAW), indigenously developed by DRDO, enabling precision strikes against enemy infrastructure and defenses.

HAL envisions the CATS Warrior as a force multiplier for the IAF, which is expected to procure hundreds of these UCAVs once production is in full swing. Its low cost, combined with its modular design and multi-role capabilities, makes it an attractive option for the IAF, which is constantly seeking to expand its combat fleet in a cost-effective manner.

 

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[KVS]

Good! What about the International market? 🙂

 

[PKPRS]

Let it fly first, then we can discuss about the price.

 

[harry]

It is very attractively priced. The only catch is we don't know when it will be available or ready for use! Countries like Iran and Turkey are manufacturing and exporting UAVs, and our dear brothers and sisters are still working on a prototype!

 

[abhinav srivastava]

Also, develop air to air and air to ground munitions for it. May be ask pvt companies to develop an array of weapons for CATS warrior.

 

[tipoo2]

That is the entire point of these isn't it, that you can have at least two CCAs for the cost of one fighter, if it cost the same or more you'd just have more fighters

The future seems to be affordable mass

 

[tipoo2]

It is very attractively priced. The only catch is we don't know when it will be available or ready for use! Countries like Iran and Turkey are manufacturing and exporting UAVs, and our dear brothers and sisters are still working on a prototype!

I understand your frustration, but Iran hasn't built anything close to a CCA, they make cheap relatively dumb bum rush drones. These are sophisticated AI loyal wingmen.

Turkey has definitely raced ahead of us which is sad, we're more than 3x that economy

 

[Alok Gupta]

That is a very cheap price point. Makes me wonder if that price is without the engine?? 🙂

The range of only 300km is very disappointing.

 

[Deb]

That is a very cheap price point. Makes me wonder if that price is without the engine?? 🙂

The range of only 300km is very disappointing.

Dissapointing??
Firstly, 300 km is the combat radius not range.
Secondly, it will be lunched from the aircraft during it's mission flight in midair !!!
You certainly need more knowledge before commenting.