India's Tejas Mk2 fighter jet is set to become a pioneer in integrating manned and unmanned aircraft operations, paving the way for a new era of semi-autonomous drone warfare.
The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) are collaborating on a project to equip the Tejas Mk2 with AI-powered "loyal wingman" drones, officially known as the Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior.
This initiative aims to utilize advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to enable real-time coordination and teamwork between the Tejas Mk2 and its accompanying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
These drones will be able to share critical mission information with the fighter jet and adjust their actions dynamically based on the changing situation in a combat zone.
This collaborative capability is expected to be especially beneficial in dangerous environments, allowing the combined force of manned and unmanned aircraft to outsmart and defeat adversaries more effectively.
The Tejas Mk2 has been selected as the test platform for developing and refining these technologies. Its advanced avionics systems, adaptable design, and strong performance make it well-suited for incorporating AI-controlled UAVs.
The knowledge and experience acquired during this project will be crucial in developing similar "loyal wingman" capabilities for India's future Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
The AMCA, a fifth-generation stealth fighter currently under development, is expected to significantly benefit from the integration of these semi-autonomous drones, offering improved survival rates, greater operational versatility, and increased mission success.
The project will evolve through several phases. Initially, ADA and HAL will focus on establishing reliable, real-time communication between the manned Tejas Mk2 and the unmanned drones.
As development continues, the focus will shift to enhancing the AI algorithms that allow the drones to make independent decisions in combat. A key goal is to ensure the UAVs can carry out complex missions with limited human oversight.
Loyal wingman drones are specifically engineered to work alongside crewed fighter jets, extending their operational reach and boosting their effectiveness in modern warfare.
These UAVs bring a broad range of capabilities to the battlefield. They have a impressive level of autonomy. The drones can operate by taking the directions from the human pilots and carrying out their task autonomously. The main roles played by loyal wingman are, protecting the crewed aircrafts, scouting the battle spaces etc.
These "loyal wingmen" are designed to handle various tasks, including:
- Air-to-Air Combat: Assisting crewed jets in engaging enemy aircraft.
- Air-to-Ground Combat: Accurately striking targets on the ground.
- Electronic Warfare (EW): Disrupting enemy communications and radar.
- Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR): Collecting and transmitting vital battlefield information.
