India's 'ABHYAS' Aerial Target Cleared for Production, Export Potential Explored

On 5th Feb India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has marked a major turning point with the successful flight trials of its high-speed expendable aerial target (HEAT) known as ‘ABHYAS.’

The trials, held at the Integrated Test Range in Odisha, accomplished key objectives, including demonstrating the effectiveness of a new, single booster configuration. This revised design promises enhanced robustness and a streamlined path toward cost-effective mass production.

The brainchild of DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), ABHYAS provides a critical upgrade to India’s defense capabilities. Serving as a realistic and budget-friendly aerial target, ABHYAS plays a pivotal role in the training and evaluation of the nation's missile systems. Since it is expendable, ABHYAS significantly reduces operational costs by removing the need for retrieval.

Now DRDO intends to initiate production of ABHYAS in collaboration with industry powerhouses Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Defence. By combining DRDO's expertise with the manufacturing prowess of these companies, India will bolster its domestic production capabilities.

Looking further ahead, DRDO is also investigating the development of a loitering munition (LM) variant of ABHYAS. A weaponized ABHYAS could open up export possibilities and provide countries with a cost-effective option for enhancing their own defense systems.

 

[Frank]

What's the range?? Payload?

If bankrupt Iran can develop something like shaheed why can't 1000 scientist of DRDO who is leching tax money or the 100s duffer general of defencs forces who love OROP pension develop something like shaheed???

Why???

 

[Taus Melek]

Looking at this picture and knowing the history of this project, I think it's time we put to sleep all the dead-wood scientist's involved in this project, and such research handed over to competent IIT's and the private sector

 

[Satya Dev]

What's the range?? Payload?

If bankrupt Iran can develop something like shaheed why can't 1000 scientist of DRDO who is leching tax money or the 100s duffer general of defencs forces who love OROP pension develop something like shaheed???

Why???

Due to lack of resourcefulness - for IA Generals har marj ki ek hi dawaa - rush jawans (without bulletproof vests & helmets) to trouble spot without recce by drones & sanitization resulting in unacceptable loss of precious lives.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

What's the range?? Payload?

If bankrupt Iran can develop something like shaheed why can't 1000 scientist of DRDO who is leching tax money or the 100s duffer general of defencs forces who love OROP pension develop something like shaheed???

Why???

have you seen any generals or IAF commanders talking about placing orders for shahed like drones? Have you seen any military expert saying that India needs shahed like drones.
USA is the number 1 superpower in the world, it does not have shahed like drones. Iran is a bankrupt country, and it needs to wage long duration low intensity conflicts and wants to arm isurgents. Shahed is the perfect weapon for that.

 

[Prashu Sam]

What is "significant milestone" about this ? It is in use /development/Production for past 25 years. Its predecessors were banshee, Lakshya etc
What change, except probably L&T will involve in producing it.

Given the timeline and resources that spend on this project it should have been much advanced stage at this time.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Due to lack of resourcefulness - for IA Generals har marj ki ek hi dawaa - rush jawans (without bulletproof vests & helmets) to trouble spot without recce by drones & sanitization resulting in unacceptable loss of precious lives.

yes, this was the case, but I believe that this mindset is changing. As older generals retire, younger and more tech savvy commanders take their place. It is for this reason that the current army chief, who belongs to the military engineering department has been appointed.

 

[Frank]

Due to lack of resourcefulness - for IA Generals har marj ki ek hi dawaa - rush jawans (without bulletproof vests & helmets) to trouble spot without recce by drones & sanitization resulting in unacceptable loss of precious lives.

OROP pension and DARU is aim.. national security and self respect is secondary...

 

[Plexi]

have you seen any generals or IAF commanders talking about placing orders for shahed like drones? Have you seen any military expert saying that India needs shahed like drones.
USA is the number 1 superpower in the world, it does not have shahed like drones. Iran is a bankrupt country, and it needs to wage long duration low intensity conflicts and wants to arm isurgents. Shahed is the perfect weapon for that.

India does need shahed like drones, or any advanced UAV tech for that matter. They are relatively cheap and can be used to destroy more advanced and expensive systems.
As a matter of fact, it costs more to shoot down a shahed with a SAM than the cost of shahed itself

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

India does need shahed like drones, or any advanced UAV tech for that matter. They are relatively cheap and can be used to destroy more advanced and expensive systems.
As a matter of fact, it costs more to shoot down a shahed with a SAM than the cost of shahed itself

if you look in ukraine, most of these shahed drones are not destroyed using SAMs. AA guns are used to bring them down as they fly slowly at lower altitudes. Also they have no electronic counter countermeasures, which means they are vulnerable to EW warfare. Lastly, they carry very little payload, and they are not very accurate. So even if they hit, damage is minimal. Most military installations have layered air defence systems and EW warfare capability. Shaheds are useless vs them. That is why russia mainly uses them vs civilian targets and as decoys for their missiles.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Looking at this picture and knowing the history of this project, I think it's time we put to sleep all the dead-wood scientist's involved in this project, and such research handed over to competent IIT's and the private sector

yes, the scientists from DRDO etc should focus on cutting edge and strategic areas like Ballistic missiles, submarines, stealth fighters etc.

 

[Sandeep]

India has done very well by cutting down on foreign and expensive imports like we previously used to for target practice. The drone will copy the flight and type of any enemy's drone, missiles, jets so it allows us to practice intercepting targets fired at us. This improves our firing practice and we should definitely export this because our price will be lower than other countries.

 

[bonito]

What's the range?? Payload?

If bankrupt Iran can develop something like shaheed why can't 1000 scientist of DRDO who is leching tax money or the 100s duffer general of defencs forces who love OROP pension develop something like shaheed???

Why???

Its just a target practice drone. There is no need for range and payload. Rather speed and terminal maneuvering to make a hit difficult is what is needed.

 

[Sudha]

if you look in ukraine, most of these shahed drones are not destroyed using SAMs. AA guns are used to bring them down as they fly slowly at lower altitudes. Also they have no electronic counter countermeasures, which means they are vulnerable to EW warfare. Lastly, they carry very little payload, and they are not very accurate. So even if they hit, damage is minimal. Most military installations have layered air defence systems and EW warfare capability. Shaheds are useless vs them. That is why russia mainly uses them vs civilian targets and as decoys for their missiles.

But it causes pain, that is what is required. Take Tapas with all its sensors, electronics crashes. So for causing pain to adversary drones are a necessity eventhough they are low tech & the low tech brings down the costs

 

[Frank]

Its just a target practice drone. There is no need for range and payload. Rather speed and terminal maneuvering to make a hit difficult is what is needed.

Range and payload is important too

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

But it causes pain, that is what is required. Take Tapas with all its sensors, electronics crashes. So for causing pain to adversary drones are a necessity eventhough they are low tech & the low tech brings down the costs

In indian wars, civilian casualties or pain has been generally avoided. Targets have been mostly military. In future this is going to be followed even more strictly to prevent escalation because all 3 of us are nuclear powers.

 

[Danesh Irani]

OROP pension and DARU is aim.. national security and self respect is secondary...

Safe postings using influence is another scheme that's been in existence

 

[Danesh Irani]

have you seen any generals or IAF commanders talking about placing orders for shahed like drones? Have you seen any military expert saying that India needs shahed like drones.
USA is the number 1 superpower in the world, it does not have shahed like drones. Iran is a bankrupt country, and it needs to wage long duration low intensity conflicts and wants to arm isurgents. Shahed is the perfect weapon for that.

You can fight fire with fire why don't we give them 10,000 cuts and bleed them dry see Israel kick the Gazan's into the ground and bury them they now beg for water and food.
So treat shitters n squatters the same way they don't deserve any respect

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

You can fight fire with fire why don't we give them 10,000 cuts and bleed them dry see Israel kick the Gazan's into the ground and bury them they now beg for water and food.
So treat shitters n squatters the same way they don't deserve any respect

India already has that policy somewhat. Pakis believe India provides some covert support to Baloch militants and India had good ties with afghan govt and now taliban want good ties with India, which supports TTP.