Not the intakes duct but the air duct. Intake duct is at the intakes and they than join to make an air duct. This air duct is used to streamline the airflow and reduce its speed to around 0.5 Mach. The shaping of this duct is most important.
Ghatak and Rustom Indigenous UAV Programs
- Thread starter Ashwin
- Start date
NLG For 1 ton class UAV.(swift)
MLG
MLG
There are 2 ducts then. A serpentine intake duct followed by an air duct then the engine ?
New Ghatak Stealth UCAV Model Breaks Cover
By Shiv Aroor
Oct 04 2020, 2:27 pm
A never-before seen model of India’s GHATAK stealth flying wing combat drone has broken cover in a recently uploaded video by the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-Kanpur), the principal academic institution conducting fundamental research on the program.
In February 2018, Livefist had detailed IIT-K’s involvement in the Ghatak program, which you can read in full here — it remains the most detailed report so far on a program first uncovered on this site a decade ago.
The new scale model makes its appearance sitting in the background in a video of an IIT-K lecture on UAV aerodynamics shared last week. The date of the lecture itself is not clear, but the model is the first of the Ghatak with its undercarriage and landing gear. It is also unclear if this is a mock-up or a flying model of the SWiFT (short for stealth wing flying testbed). The model matches the evolution of the Ghatak as Livefist has tracked so far across images and art.
The Ghatak is now a fully funded and sanctioned national defence project, and will likely see large-scale private sector participation going forward, given its many linkages with India’s AMCA fifth generation stealth fighter program. You can read Livefist’s newsbreak here on how the AMCA is to be executed as India’s first public-private joint venture.
Livefist recently had a video out with all of the images so far of the Ghatak, including 2019 and early 2020 images of a model, which were the last time they were seen. You can watch that full video here. which provides a full update on the program and where it’s headed:
Next to the Ghatak model in the video is another smaller model that could be part of aerodynamics research, though significantly less finished than the bigger wheeled model.
Livefist will update this report with details if and when they come in. Our reportage on the Ghatak continues.
New Ghatak Stealth UCAV Model Breaks Cover - Livefist
A never-before seen model of India's GHATAK stealth flying wing combat drone has broken cover in a recently uploaded video by the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-Kanpur), the principal academic institution conducting fundamental research on the program. In February 2018, Livefist had...
www.livefistdefence.com
If the Ghatak which is supposed to be some sort of a TD for the technologies going into the AMCA itself hasn't taken wings & is likely to be granted IOC ( as per certain media reports by 2030) , when will the AMCA actually obtain IOC ( presuming Mk2 to be the definitive stealth version here. In which case, one wonders what would be the function of Mk1) .
New Ghatak Stealth UCAV Model Breaks Cover
By Shiv Aroor
Oct 04 2020, 2:27 pm
View attachment 18071
A never-before seen model of India’s GHATAK stealth flying wing combat drone has broken cover in a recently uploaded video by the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-Kanpur), the principal academic institution conducting fundamental research on the program.
In February 2018, Livefist had detailed IIT-K’s involvement in the Ghatak program, which you can read in full here — it remains the most detailed report so far on a program first uncovered on this site a decade ago.
The new scale model makes its appearance sitting in the background in a video of an IIT-K lecture on UAV aerodynamics shared last week. The date of the lecture itself is not clear, but the model is the first of the Ghatak with its undercarriage and landing gear. It is also unclear if this is a mock-up or a flying model of the SWiFT (short for stealth wing flying testbed). The model matches the evolution of the Ghatak as Livefist has tracked so far across images and art.
The Ghatak is now a fully funded and sanctioned national defence project, and will likely see large-scale private sector participation going forward, given its many linkages with India’s AMCA fifth generation stealth fighter program. You can read Livefist’s newsbreak here on how the AMCA is to be executed as India’s first public-private joint venture.
Livefist recently had a video out with all of the images so far of the Ghatak, including 2019 and early 2020 images of a model, which were the last time they were seen. You can watch that full video here. which provides a full update on the program and where it’s headed:
Next to the Ghatak model in the video is another smaller model that could be part of aerodynamics research, though significantly less finished than the bigger wheeled model.
View attachment 18072
Livefist will update this report with details if and when they come in. Our reportage on the Ghatak continues.
New Ghatak Stealth UCAV Model Breaks Cover - Livefist
A never-before seen model of India's GHATAK stealth flying wing combat drone has broken cover in a recently uploaded video by the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-Kanpur), the principal academic institution conducting fundamental research on the program. In February 2018, Livefist had...
I've never thought of the Ghatak to be a TD prtoject. The AMCA & Ghatak do share technologies. The Ghatak was chosen to be a testbed because the SWiFT would fly sooner than the AMCA's TDs. There is a difference between Testbed and tech demonstrator.
There was an EOI out from GTRE recently inviting "reputed Indian Industries/Orgs" with minimum 2 years experience of aerospace-grade manufacturing for component manufacturing, module-level assembly, engine level integration & delivery to GTRE of 50kN class aero-engine.
- The plan is to make 5 engines in first 3-4 years, to be made with GTRE as Lead System Integrator(LSI).
- 15 more engines over the next 3-4 years with an industry partner taking over LSI role.
- Sum total of only 20 engines over next 7-8 years.
- A production run of 70-80 engines is envisaged thereafter over 10-12 years.
- The first 5 engines planned to be realized at a 3-month interval with subsequent engines made at 2-month intervals.
More than 20 engines will be delivered by 2030 according to the EOI. We are going to get IOC after 20 engines are delivered ? That makes no sense, 12 Tejas were made before IOC was given. That was our first manned fighter. How can an unmanned bomber take longer ?
As far as engine production goes HAL is an obvious player. Others like Bharat Forge, TATA Aerospace Systems Ltd., L&T Aerospace, Godrej & Boyce Aerospace are all likely to go for it. If they are planning a production run of 80 engines then we will probably order 40 of the Ghatak UCAVs, assuming each uses up 2 engines in its lifetime. Would've preferred a larger order, but with the budgetary constraints 40 is not bad. Also it makes little sense to buy that many drones if it was just a TD project.
GTRE has been testing the dry Kaveri with the new fan for a while :
The intake simulations were from 2016, landing gear designs are out, control law simulations have been validated, new fan for the engine is being tested & GTRE is calling for industry partners to manufacture engines. All of this points to a relatively advanced stage of development that the AMCA has clearly not reached yet. It is perfectly normal for un manned aircrafts to develop sooner than manned, thus it makes good sense to test out tech like stealth coatings on the Ghatak.
What's the deal with Mk1 & Mk2 ? AMCA versions ?
Mk 1 is probably a stopgap till Mk 2 enters service. It may not even be a true 5 gen fighter, but a capable one nonetheless... Basically a 4.5 gen in a 5th gen airframe...
..
@Gautam the model livefist posted above can't be swift. Swift was supposed to be 1 ton scale model of Ghatak UCAV.
But it is placed on an ordinary table looking kinda fragile. No way it can bear weight of a 1 ton object and I don't think they would place such sophisticated scaled model somewhere like this table.
What's your thought?
But it is placed on an ordinary table looking kinda fragile. No way it can bear weight of a 1 ton object and I don't think they would place such sophisticated scaled model somewhere like this table.
What's your thought?
Did I say Ghatak is a TD project ? I clearly stated Ghatak is a sort of TD project for the technologies which'd eventually go into the AMCA. Of course , the Ghatak is a product oriented project which won't end at The TD phase.The SWIFT test bed is one of the core technologies being tested but not the only one. This would help validate the stealth geometry, twin engine concept in such a stealth fighter apart from RAM coatings.
The AMCA project is designed to be executed in 2 phases - Mk-1 & Mk-2. . Mk-1 is likely to be semi stealth - more 4.5++ generation before the definitive stealth version Mk-2 makes an appearance.
Given the timelines for production of the Kaveri dry thrust engines stretching right upto 2030 , it translates into the the IOC of the Ghatak going into the 2030's which in turn makes it all the more imperative to question the bonafides of the TL of the AMCA - both Mk-1& Mk-2.
Granted the Ghatak & the AMCA ( ADE & ADA respectively ) are being designed by 2 different establishments but the commonalities in developing & maturation of their technologies would certainly have a bearing in realisation of the final products within the stipulated time which as things stand seems already delayed from what is expected & projected into the public domain. That was the nature of my question & concern.
Its a load distribution model. This is used to ensure the model can keep the center of gravity within safe bars to make sure the thing doesn't topple while landing. Notice that there is another model with landing gear behind it. That landing gear has a balancer link too.
The IAF & DRDO were claiming the AMCA to be a 5.5 gen jet.
How ? The plan is to make 80 engines in 12 years. We wont be needing all the engines to get IOC. That way the spare engines will be rusting by the time we get FOC.
All that depends on when does the Ghatak make the first flight. Between that & the IOC lies the validation of it. Even if we assume that first flight of the Ghatak is scheduled for 2023-24 timeline, it should be a good 2-3 years before design, stealth , flight & other parameters are validated. I think it's safe to assume AMCA Mk1 won't take wings before 2027-28 or perhaps later.
True AMCA project will be executed in 2 phases. Mk1 will be 5th generation and Mk2 will be 5.5/5.75 generation and not 4.5 & then 5th gen. A 4.5 gen fighter is a fighter with 4th generation airframe without internal weapons bay with 5th generation avionics. Now we do have Tejas Mk1a and Mk2 programs which will develop 5th generation avionics to make Tejas a proper 4.5gen fighter.
Now AMCA from start will be a 5th generation airframe with internal weapons bay and 5th generation avionics making it a proper 5th generation fighter but in 2030 6th generation fighters will start rolling out Tempest, NGAF, etc. So AMCA will need upgraded 6th gen avionics to compete with its contemporaries and so will be upgraded to 5.5/75 Avatar which will be AMCA Mk2. And not 4.5 and 5th generation fighter....☺
The Ghatak UCAV Takes Shape In India, As ADE Sets Eyes On Building Full-scale Prototype
Wednesday, October 07, 2020
The Aeronautical Development Establishment [ADE] is certainly witnessing an up-tick in it's activities. Following yet another test-flight of it's Abhyas HEAT, it set the ball rolling for productionising it. Following on it's heel, it's now seeking out a Development Partner for an 'Experimental Unmanned Aerial Vehicle'. The private Partner once zeroed-in, would start by building 1 Airframe. Then, as the program progresses, ADE would ask it to build batches of prototypes, over a period of time. The total build order would not exceed 14.
The most striking aspect being that ADE has stated that it's Airframe alone would weigh in the vicinity of 3 metric tons(MT).
"The broad scope of work across multiple phases / milestones will include engineering, manufacturing, assembly & integration of a large airframe (approximate structural weight of about 3 tons, including metallic and composite parts) of an experimental UAV."
Adding to it, the weight of the Power Plant, the Control & Navigation Systems, plus Surveillance-Weapons Package, we could be seeing a bird, weighing around 5 MT, taking to the air, in the future.
The system would be a Gas Turbine-powered UCAV design, with offensive capabilities. We know this because it has stipulated that all prospective vendors would need to have demonstrated prior expertise in their integration. Composite materials have come to become the mainstay of Indian Aerial systems & the partner would have to be able to form large sized composite structures & have the necessary infrastructure, such as Autoclaves to bake it & laser guided lay-up to to ensure quality.
In all likelihood, this is a full-scale prototype of the Ghatak UCAV, that it is developing, in collaboration with the IIT-Kanpur, overseen by the Aeronautical Development Agency [ADA]. As per the latest issue of DRDO's Technology Focus, the Stealth Wing Flying Testbed [SWiFT], the precursor to the Ghatak, would weigh around 1 MT.
In all likelihood, this is a full-scale prototype of the Ghatak UCAV, that it is developing, in collaboration with the IIT-Kanpur, overseen by the Aeronautical Development Agency [ADA]. As per the latest issue of DRDO's Technology Focus, the Stealth Wing Flying Testbed [SWiFT], the precursor to the Ghatak, would weigh around 1 MT.
"the ADE projected a requirement to develop a retractable landing gear system for 1 ton class Stealth Wing Flying Testbed (SWiFT) UAV, which is under development. SWiFT UAV is a Technology Demonstrator and is a scaled-down version of Ghatak UCAV (Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle)."
As per Livefist's quasi-official reportage, the SwiFT is to be powered by the Russian NPO Saturn 36MT turbofan engine. The maiden flight is estimated to happen in 2021. At 5 MT, this experimental UCAV is bigger & heavier.
Ghatak would, eventually, be powered by a non-Afterburning variant of the GTX-35VS Kaveri Engine, incorporating Fluidic Thrust Vector Control [FTVC] for manoeuvre. It's developer, the Gas Turbine Research Establishment [GTRE], recently, began looking for a private partner to undertake Reliability Engineering studies on the Dry-thrust version of the Kaveri, that would power the production-ready design. Scope of the studies include carrying out Failure Mode & Effects Analysis [FMEA], Reliability Apportionment, Fault Tree Diagram, System Safe Analysis, Reliability Block Diagram etc.
Taking everything into consideration, it calls into doubt some of the prior known public information about the Ghatak. For one, weapons-release test from a scaled model tosses a googly onto the pitch. The dynamics of flight, following weapon release is a function of the dimension & weight-distribution of the flying body. Vibration harmonics experienced during firing would vary, as per weight & dimension. A weapon fired from an internal bay, as the Ghatak is believed to have, would require corresponding aircraft dimension. Thus, what is observed in scaled down model, would not to be experienced in the full-scale version, & vice versa
If one had to assert, one would say that it is a full-scale prototype that we are reading about. The Ghatak would weigh around 5 MT, not 10. This would put it in the Dassault Neuron category [below].
If one had to assert, one would say that it is a full-scale prototype that we are reading about. The Ghatak would weigh around 5 MT, not 10. This would put it in the Dassault Neuron category [below].
Interestingly, ADE has stipulated that the partner would be responsible for integrating the UCAV at it's facility, & would have to develop all necessary tooling, jigs & fixtures, needed for the assembly. The Intellectual Property Rights [IPR] of the outcome would, however, be with ADE.
The need to develop & deploy capable unmanned systems, in numbers, is the key to undertaking more audacious missions that, both, promises to bring a swift end to conflict, as well as not put precious human capital in the harm's way. Some key technologies that the Ghatak would have to demonstrate include flying autonomy in a Networked environment, ability to operate in a manned Airspace, sub-system miniaturisation - Propulsion, Payload, ISR package, an effective Human System Engineering for a responsive Command & Control etc.
The mass proliferation of Unmanned Systems - UAV & UCAV, in India's inimical neighbourhood, has it scrambling to play catch-up. Trotting down, yet again, the well-beaten path of imports, recent reports indicates forward movement in the it's bid to acquire the MQ-9 Reaper from USA. The Israelis, too, it has tapped, seeking it's IAI Heron TP Armed Drones, whose unarmed ISR variant, India has been an operator of, since early 2000s.
The mass proliferation of Unmanned Systems - UAV & UCAV, in India's inimical neighbourhood, has it scrambling to play catch-up. Trotting down, yet again, the well-beaten path of imports, recent reports indicates forward movement in the it's bid to acquire the MQ-9 Reaper from USA. The Israelis, too, it has tapped, seeking it's IAI Heron TP Armed Drones, whose unarmed ISR variant, India has been an operator of, since early 2000s.
Before the Ghatak demonstrates it's lethality, in all it's manifestation, ADE could have, up and running, an Armed variant of the Rustom Drone. The taxi trials of Rustom-1 was noted, way back in 2015, with a pair of the Air-launched Anti-Tank HELINA Missile underslung it's wings. The bigger, Rustom-H MALE, primarily developed for ISR operations, holds promise of carrying a more meaningful offensive payload.
The IAF, in it's Long Term Integrated Perspective Plan [LTIPP], had envisaged a need to operationalise 3 Squadrons of Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle [UCAV], by 2017. Major timeline slip-up, would be an understatement. These stop-gap retrofit/import measures would only partially assuage the Indian end-user requirement. The big-gun, the indigenous Ghatak UCAV, is the real deal. In light of this, the current full-scale prototype building phase, therefore, indicates a major step forward.
www.spansen.com
The Ghatak UCAV Takes Shape In India, As ADE Sets Eyes On Building Full-scale Prototype
Tracking development of Space, Nuclear & Military Technologies of interest to India
I think there’s urgent need to develop the whole range of UAVs from Large Neuron like stealthy bombers to MQ9 like workhorse and down to as small as DJI like quadcopters and Maoz LMs of IAI .The Ghatak UCAV Takes Shape In India, As ADE Sets Eyes On Building Full-scale Prototype
Wednesday, October 07, 2020View attachment 18180
The Aeronautical Development Establishment [ADE] is certainly witnessing an up-tick in it's activities. Following yet another test-flight of it's Abhyas HEAT, it set the ball rolling for productionising it. Following on it's heel, it's now seeking out a Development Partner for an 'Experimental Unmanned Aerial Vehicle'. The private Partner once zeroed-in, would start by building 1 Airframe. Then, as the program progresses, ADE would ask it to build batches of prototypes, over a period of time. The total build order would not exceed 14.
The most striking aspect being that ADE has stated that it's Airframe alone would weigh in the vicinity of 3 metric tons(MT).
"The broad scope of work across multiple phases / milestones will include engineering, manufacturing, assembly & integration of a large airframe (approximate structural weight of about 3 tons, including metallic and composite parts) of an experimental UAV."
View attachment 18176
Adding to it, the weight of the Power Plant, the Control & Navigation Systems, plus Surveillance-Weapons Package, we could be seeing a bird, weighing around 5 MT, taking to the air, in the future.
The system would be a Gas Turbine-powered UCAV design, with offensive capabilities. We know this because it has stipulated that all prospective vendors would need to have demonstrated prior expertise in their integration. Composite materials have come to become the mainstay of Indian Aerial systems & the partner would have to be able to form large sized composite structures & have the necessary infrastructure, such as Autoclaves to bake it & laser guided lay-up to to ensure quality.
In all likelihood, this is a full-scale prototype of the Ghatak UCAV, that it is developing, in collaboration with the IIT-Kanpur, overseen by the Aeronautical Development Agency [ADA]. As per the latest issue of DRDO's Technology Focus, the Stealth Wing Flying Testbed [SWiFT], the precursor to the Ghatak, would weigh around 1 MT.
"the ADE projected a requirement to develop a retractable landing gear system for 1 ton class Stealth Wing Flying Testbed (SWiFT) UAV, which is under development. SWiFT UAV is a Technology Demonstrator and is a scaled-down version of Ghatak UCAV (Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle)."
As per Livefist's quasi-official reportage, the SwiFT is to be powered by the Russian NPO Saturn 36MT turbofan engine. The maiden flight is estimated to happen in 2021. At 5 MT, this experimental UCAV is bigger & heavier.
View attachment 18179
Ghatak would, eventually, be powered by a non-Afterburning variant of the GTX-35VS Kaveri Engine, incorporating Fluidic Thrust Vector Control [FTVC] for manoeuvre. It's developer, the Gas Turbine Research Establishment [GTRE], recently, began looking for a private partner to undertake Reliability Engineering studies on the Dry-thrust version of the Kaveri, that would power the production-ready design. Scope of the studies include carrying out Failure Mode & Effects Analysis [FMEA], Reliability Apportionment, Fault Tree Diagram, System Safe Analysis, Reliability Block Diagram etc.
Taking everything into consideration, it calls into doubt some of the prior known public information about the Ghatak. For one, weapons-release test from a scaled model tosses a googly onto the pitch. The dynamics of flight, following weapon release is a function of the dimension & weight-distribution of the flying body. Vibration harmonics experienced during firing would vary, as per weight & dimension. A weapon fired from an internal bay, as the Ghatak is believed to have, would require corresponding aircraft dimension. Thus, what is observed in scaled down model, would not to be experienced in the full-scale version, & vice versa
If one had to assert, one would say that it is a full-scale prototype that we are reading about. The Ghatak would weigh around 5 MT, not 10. This would put it in the Dassault Neuron category [below].
View attachment 18178
Interestingly, ADE has stipulated that the partner would be responsible for integrating the UCAV at it's facility, & would have to develop all necessary tooling, jigs & fixtures, needed for the assembly. The Intellectual Property Rights [IPR] of the outcome would, however, be with ADE.
The need to develop & deploy capable unmanned systems, in numbers, is the key to undertaking more audacious missions that, both, promises to bring a swift end to conflict, as well as not put precious human capital in the harm's way. Some key technologies that the Ghatak would have to demonstrate include flying autonomy in a Networked environment, ability to operate in a manned Airspace, sub-system miniaturisation - Propulsion, Payload, ISR package, an effective Human System Engineering for a responsive Command & Control etc.
The mass proliferation of Unmanned Systems - UAV & UCAV, in India's inimical neighbourhood, has it scrambling to play catch-up. Trotting down, yet again, the well-beaten path of imports, recent reports indicates forward movement in the it's bid to acquire the MQ-9 Reaper from USA. The Israelis, too, it has tapped, seeking it's IAI Heron TP Armed Drones, whose unarmed ISR variant, India has been an operator of, since early 2000s.
View attachment 18177
Before the Ghatak demonstrates it's lethality, in all it's manifestation, ADE could have, up and running, an Armed variant of the Rustom Drone. The taxi trials of Rustom-1 was noted, way back in 2015, with a pair of the Air-launched Anti-Tank HELINA Missile underslung it's wings. The bigger, Rustom-H MALE, primarily developed for ISR operations, holds promise of carrying a more meaningful offensive payload.
The IAF, in it's Long Term Integrated Perspective Plan [LTIPP], had envisaged a need to operationalise 3 Squadrons of Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle [UCAV], by 2017. Major timeline slip-up, would be an understatement. These stop-gap retrofit/import measures would only partially assuage the Indian end-user requirement. The big-gun, the indigenous Ghatak UCAV, is the real deal. In light of this, the current full-scale prototype building phase, therefore, indicates a major step forward.
The Ghatak UCAV Takes Shape In India, As ADE Sets Eyes On Building Full-scale Prototype
Tracking development of Space, Nuclear & Military Technologies of interest to India
DRDO should set up a separate division for UAVs like they have for helicopters.
We already are too late to enter in the game with enemies like China and turkey taking huge lead.
recent skirmishes has shown how important is a cheap and mass producible UAVs are in low intensity conflicts
Last edited:
Yep. We have programs for all of them already though.
DRDO’s Rustom-2 drone takes-off, India goes for armed Heron
Rustom-2 is capable of carrying different combinations of payloads depending on the mission objectives including synthetic aperture radar, electronic intelligence systems and situational awareness systems.
Too much is being made of drones.
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict: India keeping a close watch, feels that just drones can’t win wars
Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said that India has similar capability available – a reference to the Israeli origin Harop/Harpy suicide drones in service – but UAVs are very susceptible to enemy action and have to be part of a larger mix of weapons in any conflict.
The kind of drones that are actually a threat do not exist yet.