CATS Warrior is a part of the HAL Combat Air Teaming System program. Its work is believed to have started in early 2019 under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) between the state owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and an Indian private startup, Newspace R&D. HAL has done an initial investment of ₹400 crore in CATS Warriors & in Aero India 2021 a full-scale mock-up model was presented for the first time.[3]
| CATS Warrior | |
|---|---|
| |
| A model of HAL CATS Warrior displayed at Aero India 2021 | |
| Role | Unmanned combat aerial vehicle (loyal wingman) |
| National origin | India |
| Design group | Hindustan Aeronautics Limited |
| First flight | 2024 (planned)[1] |
| Status | Detailed design phase[2] |
| Primary users | Indian Air Force (intended) Indian Navy (intended) |
Development
editCATS Warrior is being developed as an autonomous wingman drone capable of taking off and landing on land and at sea from an aircraft carrier. It will team up with existing Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter platforms, including the Tejas, AMCA, TEDBF, Su-30 MKI and Jaguar which will act as its mothership.[4] The CATS Warrior is primarily envisioned for the IAF's use and a similar, smaller version will be designed for the Indian Navy. It would be controlled by the mothership and accomplish tasks such as scouting, absorbing enemy fire, attacking the targets if necessary with its internal and external pylons weapons or sacrifice itself by crashing into the target.
It will fly back for mission within the combat radius of 350 km and for long range mission with combat radius of 800 km it will sacrifice itself crashing into the target. As it is an unmanned asset, it can be directed towards a target and sacrificed in case it cannot be flown back to territory.[5] "Warrior will serve as a 'sensor amplifier' for the LCA, flying out ahead of the manned aircraft and using its sensors to feed information back to LCA" HAL test pilot Retd Group Captain H.V. Thakur.[6]
HAL management approved a sum of ₹390 Crore ($53.5 Million) for the development as of February 2021. As per the Director of HAL Engineering, Research & Development division Arup Chatterjee, the integration with CATS MAX mothership will take 1-2 years and first flights is scheduled for 2024-25.[7]
Design
editIt has a composite structure with an internal weapon bay & hybrid design whose front section looks like Boeing Airpower Teaming System wingman & from its mid fuselage to its tail like Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie. It has a single serpentine air intake on the top of its fuselage that leads to its two engines. It will be powered by modified HAL PTAE-7 or HAL HTFE-25 turbofan engine.[5]
It can carry two new-generation short-range or beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles externally, and two DRDO Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) internally in its internal weapon bay.[8]
It will be equipped with an electro-optic/infrared payload, Active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, inertial navigational unit, and a jammer for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance and combat operations.[2]
Its exhaust will feature chevron nozzle design like Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II to reduce the Jet blast noises & radar emissions.
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Projected specifications
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General characteristics
- Length: 9.2 m (30 ft 2 in)
- Wingspan: 5.8 m (19 ft 0 in)
- Max takeoff weight: 2,100 kg (4,630 lb)
- Powerplant: 2 × HAL HTFE-25 turbofan
- Powerplant: 2 × HAL PTAE-7 turbofan
Performance
- Maximum speed: Mach 0.9
- Cruise speed: 790 km/h (490 mph, 430 kn)
- Range: 1,500 km (930 mi, 810 nmi)
- Combat range: 700 km (430 mi, 380 nmi)
Armament
- Hardpoints: 4: 2 internal & 2 external with a capacity of up to 600kg, with provisions to carry combinations of:
- Missiles: Air to air missiles
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "HAL loyal wingman project to go airborne by 2024". Janes. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
- ^ a b "HAL Earmarks $53.5 Million Investment in CATS Warrior Stealth Drone Project". defenseworld.net. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ "nation/2021/feb/05/hals-futuristic-deadly-cats-to-be-battle-ready-by-2024-25-2259724". newindianexpress.com. 9 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ "Strikes from 700km away to drones replacing mules for ration at 15,000ft, India gears up for unmanned warfare - India News". indiatoday.in. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ a b "CATS – Combat Air Teaming System". Alpha Defense. 8 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ "Aero India 2021: HAL's loyal wingmen break cover". janes.com. 5 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ "HAL Earmarks $53.5 Million Investment in CATS Warrior Stealth Drone Project". Defense World. 5 February 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
- ^ "HAL unveils ambitious air-teaming system centred on Tejas | News". Flight Global. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ "HAL's unique deep penetration attack system for fighter pilots to be developed by 2024-25". The New Indian Express. ENN. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- ^ The transparent place in the picture is not it's sideway weapon bay, its only a mean to see its internal weapon configuration in HAL warrior model at Aero India. The weapons will be stored internally in center of warrior's body not on its side.