Not sure if its related to archer or not, but ADE has uav related tender work , one scope mentioned weapon bay.
Since, its ADE hopefully in the next 10 years, before it gets declared TD.
Hello Gurus and all seniors here, good day.
any update on Archer -NG first flight? we are a little delayed if the earlier reports were correct.
Whatever happened to the Archer-NG's first flight? Didn't the ADE chairman say it would be flying in a few months during the last Aero India?
When did this happen?
Two Archer NG prototypes exist currently.
— Adithya Krishna Menon (@AdithyaKM_) November 10, 2024
Getting ready for flight testing. pic.twitter.com/ealS3sqcfO
Prototypes are in cold storage for few years now.
I can't wait to hear the overly optimistic timeline from the same people again at Aero India.
tbh ADE re- released the uav pilot job ad again last month, indicating either there is a shortage of qualified test pilot for this class of uav flight within the country or there are other issues in terms.
anyway , here , main one is SRUAV as you can easily guess, fired mpatgm variant already and more ready.
ADE is making sensor suite for uav, called " Due Regard Radar"
Archer-NG & new-look Archer warm up for first flights
By Anantha Krishnan M
Tarmak Media House
By Anantha Krishnan M
Tarmak Media House
India's weaponized Archer-NG UAV set to dominate skies soon? Report suggests maiden flight likely in February
DRDO's Archer-NG UAV, capable of precision strikes and ISTAR missions, is set for its maiden flight soon, boasting advanced weapon systems, 30,000-feet altitude, and multi-role capabilitiesArcher-NG (Next Generation), the advanced Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is all set to take to skies very soon.
According to leading aerospace and defence journalist Anantha Krishnan M, the high-speed taxi trials of Archer-NG have been completed.
Designed for multiple roles, including intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, tracking, and reconnaissance (ISTAR), as well as precision strike missions, Archer-NG can reportedly carry a payload of over 300kg. Quoting military sources, Anantha Krishnan, in a tweet, said efforts are on to fly the UAV ahead of the Bengaluru Air Show, scheduled for February 10 to 14 at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru.
"Else, before March Archer-NG will have its first flight," the source has been quoted as saying.
Archer-NG, which is capable of operating at altitudes up to 30,000 feet, can carry various weapon systems, including smart anti-airfield weapons (SAAWs) and anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs).
According to the defence journalist, Archer-NG is expected to meet the specifications of the now-downgraded project TAPAS (earlier R-II). "It will be a weaponized UAV using the same avionics, software, Ground Control Station and Ground Data Terminal developed for TAPAS," he wrote.
The Archer- NG said to be armed with laser guided rockets, bombs, and loitering munitions having a range of 100 km.
Tri-Services Command (CINCAN) based out of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have shown interest in this new desi UAV, Anantha Krishnan wrote.
Everytime it's close to Aero India , we get a parade of the usual suspects. I've been seeing news of the Rustom / Tapas / Archer / SRUAV since 2019 in case of the first 2 & since 2023 for the last one respectively promising immediate induction.
In fact last AI-23 we were told how spectacularly the Tapas was performing & it'd achieve induction shortly. The program was terminated shortly after that. ADE is basically the RST of labs - flatters to deceive. All talk no action. All fart , no sh!t.
Do me and the forum a favor anybody going to AI-25 , it's a sincere request . If you meet anybody from ADE , just punch him on his nose for me & run . I've just about had it with those Great Indian bustards. You could do it for Anantha Krishna too for being a willing propagandist for ADE & also RST if you come across him.
On second thoughts you can skip Anantha Krishna. I love his dedication to his passion . It's a rarity . Difficult to duplicate or find another such person . Much like PKS who I believe is no more.
The others on that list deserve no mercy.
In fact last AI-23 we were told how spectacularly the Tapas was performing & it'd achieve induction shortly. The program was terminated shortly after that. ADE is basically the RST of labs - flatters to deceive. All talk no action. All fart , no sh!t.
Do me and the forum a favor anybody going to AI-25 , it's a sincere request . If you meet anybody from ADE , just punch him on his nose for me & run . I've just about had it with those Great Indian bustards. You could do it for Anantha Krishna too for being a willing propagandist for ADE & also RST if you come across him.
On second thoughts you can skip Anantha Krishna. I love his dedication to his passion . It's a rarity . Difficult to duplicate or find another such person . Much like PKS who I believe is no more.
The others on that list deserve no mercy.
Tapas was fine, it has seen plenty of flight trials sufficient enough to validate the design. It must have crashed due to some man-made snag, which is quite common during development programs.
The IN is interested in continuing Tapas for their own needs, while the IAF and IA are happy with a single-engined version, this one, particularly 'cause it can carry some weapons. But IN Tapas won't move ahead without sufficient numbers, and there's enough time to modernize is quite a bit more with a new Indian engine.
The IN is interested in continuing Tapas for their own needs, while the IAF and IA are happy with a single-engined version, this one, particularly 'cause it can carry some weapons. But IN Tapas won't move ahead without sufficient numbers, and there's enough time to modernize is quite a bit more with a new Indian engine.
We have ITBP demands for airwing from 2016 and BSF demanding MALE UAVs.
Why not create something like Air National Guard with pooled aviation assets for all the paramilitary?
Easier for 1 pooled agency to buy 15-20 Tapas than 5 different forces trying to buy and operate 3-5 each.
This model can be later extended to Dhruv and LUH helicopters. Subsuming the BSF airwing into it.
This could create a decent market