Indian Navy to Get Next-Gen Aerial Target Drones to Boost Air Defence Training

The Defence Ministry has issued a request for information for next-gen expendable aerial target drones as the Indian Navy is on the lookout to improve at-sea training against fast, low-flying threats such as anti-ship missiles and hostile drones.

The proposed system, formally designated the Expendable Aerial Target, will be used in live-fire exercises to replicate the speed, flight profile and manoeuvres of contemporary sea-skimming missiles. Unlike reusable drones, these targets will be destroyed during training engagements, offering naval crews with realistic combat scenarios for missile and gun systems.

The RFI comes as India’s indigenous target drone programme gathers momentum. The DRDO’s high-speed target drone, Abhyas, has already completed developmental and user trials and entered mass production, marking an important step in expanding domestic capability in this segment.

Demanding performance requirements

As stated by the RFI, the Navy is on the lookout for a target which can fly at a speed of at least 300 metres per second at low altitude, roughly Mach 0.87, while staying in the air for about an hour. The drone should fly as low as 5 metres above sea level and climb at a rate of at least 20 metres per second.

For realistically simulating modern anti-ship threats, the platform must also perform sustained turns of up to 2G. Remote radio control should extend to 100 kilometres from the ground control station. At the same time, the system should also support fully autonomous flight on pre-programmed routes, such as mid-course changes in speed and altitude. The ground control station should be managing at least 6 targets simultaneously.

In the event of a data-link failure, the system must be recoverable and consistent with the user’s programme requirements. The drone will have a low radar cross-section by default, with provisions to increase its radar signature using transponders or corner reflectors when needed for training scenarios.

For post-engagement analysis, the target should carry an acoustic miss-distance indicator capable of detecting incoming fire, from 20 mm naval guns to surface-to-air missiles, within 10 metres.

Operational flexibility is another important requirement. The drone should be launchable from ships or shore facilities using rocket-assisted takeoff and must operate in conditions up to sea state 3 and winds of 30 knots. After ditching at sea, it should be afloat long enough to be recovered by boat or helicopter. The system's service life is about 15 years.

Push for indigenization

The RFI also underlines India’s broader push for defence self-reliance. The ministry has asked vendors whether the system can be supplied under the “Buy Indian–IDDM” category, which requires over 50% indigenous content, or under the “Buy Indian” category, which requires over 60% local content, in accordance with the provisions of the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020.

Strengthening Fleet Air Defence

The need for these drones arises with the Indian Navy looking to expand its fleet and strengthen operational readiness. Indian warships position a few surface-to-air missile systems, such as the Barak-8, which require periodic live-fire validation against realistic aerial targets.

With INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya in service and naval deployments increasing across the Indian Ocean region, upholding crew proficiency in countering fast, low-altitude threats have become a priority. The induction of next-gen expendable aerial targets will significantly enhance the realism and frequency of such training.

Source: Bharat Shakti