Indian Navy to Pioneer Deck-Based Combat Drone Development with Indigenous Dry Kaveri Engine, Adapting Air Force's Ghatak UCAV for Sea

The Indian Navy is embarking on a groundbreaking initiative to develop a deck-based Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) specifically designed for carrier operations. This ambitious project will leverage the Ghatak UCAV, currently under development for the Indian Air Force (IAF), and will be powered by the indigenous Dry Kaveri engine.

The Navy has initiated discussions with the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), the agency responsible for the Ghatak UCAV's development, to explore the feasibility of modifying the platform for naval use. The Ghatak, originally conceived as a 13-ton stealth UCAV for deep-strike missions, will undergo significant modifications to meet the unique demands of carrier operations.

These modifications include reinforcing the undercarriage to withstand the stresses of carrier landings and incorporating a tail hook for arrested landings. These additions are expected to increase the UCAV's weight to approximately 14 tons or more.

ADE faces the challenge of maintaining the UCAV's performance and operational efficiency despite the weight increase. This involves optimizing fuel capacity, payload, and maneuverability to ensure the drone can effectively operate from a carrier deck.

The naval variant of the Ghatak will be powered by the Dry Kaveri engine, a non-afterburning version of the Kaveri engine. This choice is driven by the engine's fuel efficiency and lower infrared signature, which align with the UCAV's stealth and endurance requirements. However, further optimization will be necessary to adapt the engine for naval operations.

This initiative aligns with the Indian Navy's strategic vision to integrate unmanned systems into its aviation capabilities. The upcoming Indigenous Aircraft Carrier-II (IAC-II) is being designed with considerations for operating UCAVs, including Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAVs.

The deck-based UCAV is envisioned to operate alongside manned aircraft, providing a versatile mix of capabilities, including deep strikes, surveillance, and potentially electronic warfare. This synergy is expected to enhance the Navy's strategic reach and combat effectiveness significantly.

 

[Senapati]

ADA has better experience in Naval Tejas .ADA should handel this and more likely to give a successful N-UCAV to Navy.

 

[Prashant]

Navy should get more budget given their openness to new tech and local manufacturing support

 

[sanket]

That's very good news & support from the Navy for having an indigenous platform for the Naval variant. That shows how important the dry Kaveri engine is. Mark my words, it will give thrust between 50 to 54 kN for dry Kaveri in high altitude tests.

 

[abhinav srivastava]

Like Naval LCA, single engine may be a limiting factor for the Navy.

 

[sanket]

Like Naval LCA, single engine may be a limiting factor for the Navy.

It's not a manned variant, it's unmanned, so no limiting factor. Twin engines are for the safety of pilots for landing safely on deck even if one engine fails.

 

[Anant]

Like Naval LCA, single engine may be a limiting factor for the Navy.

Not as much for a drone. Most drones are single-engines anyways.

 

[Dipesh Debnath]

Like Naval LCA, single engine may be a limiting factor for the Navy.

Flying slow is ok for MALE drones as the main idea is to get the job done in loitering mode, undetected and in long-endurance mode. Drones carry small payloads and no humans, so single engines are fine.

 

[P.K Senapati]

First, the dry version of the Kaveri engine flight test should be successfully completed and cleared for aircraft integration.

The naval version of UCAV will not be a problem after proving the concept and reliability in the present UCAV configuration.

ADA and DRDO-ADE can handle two separate projects and cooperate with each other.

 

[Sandeep]

India needs the capability to launch a UCAV drone from a carrier as we currently don’t have any winged drone that can be launched from our carriers.

India faces two options. We can convert the UCAV Archer NG for carrier operations which is a standard drone that can be used to launch strikes or carry out ISTAR missions and capability. The other option is to convert the stealth UCAV Ghatak to carry out strikes and ISTAR missions that nobody realised it was possible. to sleep next to.

 

[Sandeep]

It’s crucial that we quickly and 100% indigenously design, develop and manufacture a fixed wing carrier launched armed drone that can also carry out ISTAR missions.

So far they are manufacturing the Archer NG so they should also look at making it compatible with carrier launches and landings. To make it compatible they might need to design and develop an entirely brand new and much stronger fuselage. It will be better if they can use more stronger composite material for the airframe and fuselage which will increase the drones lifespan in the end.

 

[Enforcer]

Rather than a high speed drone with turbine engine, a low speed drone that uses piston engine would be better and much cheaper. It can carry out reconnaissance missions quite effectively and easy to deploy and use for anti piracy ops. Something like a predator drone. Space is quite limited in aircraft carriers, you would rather just have another fighter than Ghatak.