India to launch its Own UCAV project 'Ghatak' Soon

BENGALURU: India is all set to take its major step in Indian defense system by preparing itself to launch an ambitious project named Ghatak to develop its own combat drones or Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs), reports Times of India.

The Indian government gave a green signal to the Project Ghatak worth 2,650 crore to develop the futuristic ‘Indian Unmanned Strike Air Vehicle,’ which will be capable of firing missiles with precision on the enemies and then returning safe to home base for further missions.

 "The project is now being evaluated by an expert committee set up by the finance ministry. Once approved, Project Ghatak will be placed before the cabinet committee on security for the final nod," said a source.

Project Ghatak flows from the earlier Autonomous Unmanned Research Aircraft (AURA) programme that was sanctioned in 2009 at the cost of 12.50 crore to carry out a feasible study for the future of Indian UCAV. The AURA program was successfully completed in April 2013 within the time schedule.

Aeronautical Development Agency-DRDO in consultation with the IAF initiated Project Ghatak is now planning to bring in collaborators from the initial stage itself. The UCAV will take at least a decade to become fully-operational. The UCAV will be powered by a "52-kilonewton dry variant" of the indigenously-developed Kaveri aerospace engine.
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