NewSpace (NRT) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Programs : Updates

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EXCLUSIVE: Indian Navy Selects NewSpace For Unmanned Wingman

February 8, 2025 / By Team Livefist
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Render of Abhimanyu by NewSpace

In what is easily the most significant deal between the Indian military and a local startup company, the Indian Navy has selected Bengaluru-based startup NewSpace Research & Technologies (NRT) to develop its Naval Collaborative Combat Air Vehicle (N-CCAV), an unmanned aircraft that will operate collaboratively with the navy’s MiG-29K and future Rafale-M fighter aircraft.

The N-CCAV is to be based on NRT’s Abhimanyu collaborative combat aircraft/loyal wingman concept. The contract includes a minimum purchase quantity (MPQ) for a specified number of systems that the Indian Navy has committed to procuring once the platform is ready. Development of the Abhimanyu lightweight jet-powered N-CCAV has begun at NRT.

Livefist can confirm that NRT was chosen by the Indian Navy under the Indian MoD’s Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), a scheme launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018 aimed at harnessing leading edge private sector R&D to deliver focused advanced technologies to the Indian military. NRT was chosen from a group of Indian private sector contenders.

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The Abhimanyu, a low-RCS (radar cross section) design, is expected to be a smaller and lighter platform compared to HAL’s Warrior, with a mandate to deliver manned-unmanned teaming missions with the Indian Navy’s combat aircraft. The two separate CCA developments will consolidate in the future, with Warrior for the IAF and Abhimanyu for the Indian Navy. It must said, however, that while the Abhimanyu has the Indian Navy’s backing in the form of a contract, the IAF is yet to throw its full weight behind HAL’s CATS Warrior.

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General Atomics CCA concept art

The Indian military’s selection of these uncrewed platforms is in line with the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program that envisions a similar drone wingman. In April 2024, the USAF chose General Atomics and Anduril Industries to present their contending platforms for a final selection to be made by 2026.

The NRT Abhimanyu is being designed with a modular architecture, making it adaptable for multiple roles, including surveillance, electronic warfare, and strike missions. Documents reviewed by Livefist suggest that NRT is likely developing the N-CCAV to be both cost-effective and expendable, with an emphasis on rapid production. This approach would enable the Indian Navy—and potentially other operators—to deploy the system in large numbers, complementing both current and future fighter fleets. Project literature also highlights that these interconnected platforms can function as sensors, effectors, and command-and-control nodes, facilitating agile decision-making within a flexible, scalable operational framework. This structure is intended to seamlessly integrate emerging platforms, technologies, and operational concepts in the future.

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Unmanned wingmen and Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCAs) are not intended to replace manned fighter jets but to serve as strategic force multipliers. These systems can help the Indian Air Force and Navy address squadron shortages, modernize operations cost-effectively, and strengthen defenses against peer adversaries like China. An officer familiar with the agreement emphasized that prioritizing indigenous programs such as Warrior and Abhimanyu would drive AI innovation, enhance air combat capabilities, and enable India to close its capability gap while establishing itself as a leader in autonomous military technology.,” an officer familiar with the deal said.

A half-scale replica of the Abhimanyu N-CCAV will be on display at Aero India 2025, where the Indian Navy and NewSpace are expected to announce the deal.

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The churn in the Indian Ocean region means the Indian Navy is already cognisant of its need for force-multipliers. In a theoretical, if simplistic scenario, imagine tensions escalate in the IOR as China increases its maritime presence near India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Satellite intelligence suggests an enemy carrier strike group is moving toward the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, accompanied by advanced fighter jets and maritime strike aircraft. To counter the threat, the Indian Navy could deploy INS Vikrant with a squadron of MiG-29K fighters and several Abhimanyu N-CCAVs to support manned aircraft in high-risk missions.

Two MiG-29Ks take off from INS Vikrant, each accompanied by an Abhimanyu N-CCAV. The drones fly ahead of the fighters, using advanced radars and electronic warfare (EW) suites to jam enemy sensors and detect hostile aircraft before they come within engagement range. Enemy Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft and maritime patrol planes attempt to locate the Indian fleet. An Abhimanyu armed with air-to-air missiles intercepts and engages the reconnaissance aircraft before they can relay critical targeting data, preventing an enemy carrier group from obtaining accurate intelligence on Indian Navy movements.

Enemy 4.5-gen and stealth fighters move in to engage the Indian MiG-29Ks. The Abhimanyu drones act as missile trucks, carrying extra Astra and R-77 air-to-air missiles for the MiGs, allowing them to engage multiple targets without exhausting their onboard weapons. The drones use AI-driven evasive maneuvers to bait enemy aircraft into disadvantageous positions. One drone is sacrificed in a kamikaze maneuver to take down a high-value enemy stealth fighter.

A second wave of Abhimanyu drones joins a joint strike mission against enemy destroyers and missile cruisers. Armed with Smart Anti-Airfield Weapons (SAAW), the drones launch a coordinated attack, overwhelming enemy air defenses. Some drones use EW systems to disrupt enemy ship radars, reducing the effectiveness of their SAM (surface-to-air missile) response.

Simply, Abhimanyu drones would reduce risk to human pilots by taking on dangerous missions, giving the Indian Navy an asymmetric advantage by using AI-driven force multipliers, and reinforcing India’s deterrence posture in the IOR.

These are future air power scenarios that systems like the Abhimanyu and CATS Warrior are being built for. Needless to say, China is developing its own such force multiplier wingmen.

The Indian Navy’s deal with NRT is a test case in more ways than one. It will provide valuable insights into how the Indian MoD assesses design and cost trade-offs to define high fidelity requirements, and whether it has the stamina to support leading edge research initiatives that could spawn technologies that stretch beyond the military sphere.

“The key lies in balancing urgency with technological pragmatism, supported by a dedicated budget and end user mandate. The development of the Warrior and Abhimanyu CCAs by HAL and NRT represent a milestone event for the uncrewed air system sector in India, with a clear intent to push for integration of CCAs into India’s larger defence strategy — particularly in scenarios that demand rapid deployment and scalability of airborne uncrewed systems,” the officer said.

Perhaps most importantly, the Warrior and the Abhimanyu N-CCAV programs underscore India’s effort to modernize its air operations with cutting- edge home grown sovereign hardware, while balancing affordability and strategic autonomy as a nation.

EXCLUSIVE: Indian Navy Selects NewSpace For Unmanned Wingman - Livefist
 
We have no specs as of now. No mention of engines, sensors, weapons etc.

Manik or a derivative can meet the need for an expendable version at this scale. It's enough to perform EW/ISR, act as a decoy, and crash into enemy jets.
 
Is this drone supposed to fly ahead of fighters at supersonic speeds?

Nope. The current version is restricted to below 6000 m and can only fly at 350 knots. It's supposed to assist in strike missions. The Manik engine will have to be detuned for use on a drone as well, 'cause the current one is meant for a single flight at low altitudes, ie, below 1000 m.

It can assist in dog fights, if it's built to such standards. But for now, strike only when it comes to kamikaze.
 
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Nice. It's like a little missile, it's better than I expected.

They need an upgraded engine to boost speed by quite a bit, or it's stuck operating separately from a fighter jet. Enemy operators will be able to tell it's a drone too.

Look at how simple it is. Only an IRST with EW upgrade. And even a warhead. Should be different types though, not all on one aircraft. We can estimate the cost at $1M or so.
 

India’s Own Long-Range Swarming Killer Drone Flies


Even as India’s dilemmas over its next manned fighter drastically deepen, even as the Indian government begins navigating the waters of a fresh Trump pitch of F-35 stealth fighters, a game changing bit of flight test has just begun at a test range in India’s aeronautical hub of Karnataka. Sheshnaag-150, a long-range collaborative attack swarming system developed by startup Newspace Research Technologies (NRT) has taken to the air to validate not just the flying vehicle, but far more importantly the homegrown code that will allow these systems to perform ‘mass and saturation’ attacks on protected enemy sites.

While still images of the Sheshnaag 150’s first flight were posted on social media during the just concluded Aero India 2025 show in Bengaluru, Livefist has a short video of the flight:


The Sheshnaag-150, part of an intended family of intelligent swarming sytstems being developed from scratch by NRT, is designed for coordinated swarm attacks, allowing multiple drones to overwhelm enemy defenses and execute precision strikes. With an operational range of over 1000 km and endurance of over 5 hours, it can loiter over target areas, providing real-time surveillance and strategic attack options. The air vehicle itself is perhaps the most rudimentary part of the program, the real meat of NRT’s package being the software and electronic connective tissue that will play mother to the Sheshnaag 150 and the other collaborative systems being delivered under the Sheshnaag umbrella. This particular saystem under test will be able to autonomously identify, track, and engage enemy targets with minimal or no human intervention. Apart from strike missions, it supports ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) and electronic warfare (EW) operations. The ability to carry 25-40 kg warheads allows for significant damage to enemy infrastructure, vehicles, or personnel.

The Sheshnaag 150 is being developed internally by the startup and will be pitched for the certain deep strike swarm-based needs of the Army, Air Force and the Navy. As the Indian armed forces grapple with conventional gaps and juggle the implications of budgetary pressures, the space for swarming systems can only blow up. In the words of an IAF officer familiar who was briefed on the Sheshnaag 150 at the Aero India 2025 show, “There is always space for such a platform which can create a combat mass with disaggregated payloads and attack options.”

When ready and deployed, India could deploy the Sheshnaag-150 systems to strengthen its defence posture along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan. Given the long-range and swarm capabilities of these drones, they could be used for persistent surveillance and precision strikes against enemy military build-ups in the event of an escalation, bunkers, and infiltration attempts. For instance, during a border standoff, a swarm of Sheshnaag-150 drones could be launched to patrol high-altitude regions, identifying adversary troop movements in real time. If an incursion is detected, these drones could autonomously engage enemy positions, neutralising threats before they escalate into full-scale confrontations, while minimising risks to Indian soldiers.

Beyond border security, India could perhaps use the Sheshnaag-150 for preemptive counter-terror operations in hostile areas. If intelligence suggests an impending terror attack, a drone swarm could be dispatched to track and eliminate high-value targets in remote hideouts along the LoC, particularly in areas where manned operations would be risky. The drones could conduct coordinated strikes on terror camps, ammunition depots, or infiltration routes, effectively disrupting enemy networks. Additionally, their electronic warfare (EW) capabilities could jam enemy communications, further degrading their ability to coordinate attacks.

Building small air vehicles isn’t overly complex. But developing the algorithmic secret sauce that converts them into intelligent, resilient, constantly self-refreshing flying weapons that talk to each other and chart out autonomous, efficient attack plans is a whole different thing. NRT, which has bet the farm on the success of this proprietary mother-code, already has a mature fixed wing swarming stack which has been tested with radio comms, 4/5g and SATCOM options. According to an update on the company’s LinkedIN page, NRT commanded and controlled a swarm of drones from its home city of Bengaluru while the swarm was flying in Ladakh over 2,500 km away at the other end of the country, show-casing very long range control and communication with deep strike drones. The company has also recently announced development of a visual navigation system (VNS), which can help the Sheshnaag 150 swarm navigate in global nav-sat system (GNSS) denied environments. The build-up to testing the Sheshnaag-150 has allowed NRT to bring its swarming autonomy stack to an advanced level.

Commentators on social media, where the Sheshnaag 150 broke cover this week, have likened the system to the Iranian Shahed 136 (or the Russian Geran 2) loitering munition, though as stated, it is the software framework in which Sheshnaag 150 and its cousin systems will operate that will separate it widely from conventional systems on market. The Indian Air Force currently operates the tactical non-swarming Israeli Harop as a frontline loitering munition.

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When fielded, the Sheshnaag-150 will enhance modern battlefield capabilities by reducing reliance on expensive, crewed aircraft while increasing operational flexibility. Its ability to saturate enemy defenses and conduct cost-effective precision strikes will likely make it very valuable in attritable warfare, exemplifying to most watching, the future of warfare.

Introducing the Sheshnaag program on social media this week, NRT CEO Sameer Joshi wrote, “Much like the mythological multi headed snake from Indian scriptures which strikes its prey with deadly effects, the different types of unmanned systems under the Sheshnaag brand will undertake precision strikes in the tactical battlefield area with de-centralised swarm based kinetic and non-kinetic effects. Utilising collaborative autonomy and advanced mission workflows, these one-way attack UAVs will be able to saturate targets between ranges of 15 km, to strikes in depth of over 1000 km. NRT’s Sheshnaag series will enable next-generation concept of operations for Indian MoD users. The Sheshnaag drones are a major development initiative under NRT’s Fused Teaming With Uncrewed Rapid Effects FUTURE multi-domain combat doctrine.”

While the Sheshnaag program is currently internal, NRT is already plugged into a major active capability development program with the Indian military. You can read about the latest (and biggest) here. In 2021, NRT won a $15 million order from the Indian Army to supply 100 swarm drone units to develop swarming concept of operations (CoP_ as well as explore technologies like manned unmanned teaming, with an emphasis on learning lessons to help design future swarming systems.
 
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Unmanned Multi-role Collaborative Combat Platform

Abhimanyu is a futuristic, autonomus and swarm capable UAV, setting the benchmark for kinetic and non-kinetic missions, collaborative robotic operations and MUM-T. Designed with low radar cross-section for offensive and defensive missions, Abhimanyu can travel long distances at high speeds. Carring Al and autonomus technologies onboard along with distributed payloads, Abhimanyu's versatility as a multi-role aircraft is unparallelled.

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UAV Launched Guided Micro Munition

Ishuk is a miniaturized glide device with high-precision guidance and control, transforming an aerial iron bomb into a precision-guided glide bomb. A marvel of aerodynamics, it is engineered for pinpoint kinetic strikes, deployable from multi-rotor and fixed-wing platforms to overwhelm and neutralize threats. Its compact size, low weight, and high glide ratio provide exceptional range, maneuverability, and lethality. Designed for steep, direct attacks, Ishuk ensures maximum impact with minimal performance penalty on the carrier aircraft.
 
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Canister/Air Launched Loitering Munition

Sheshnaag-50 is a swarm-capable loitering munition derived from the Sheshnaag platform, designed for mid-range lethal precision strikes. Featuring a dual-warhead configuration, it excels in covert operations, flying at low altitudes with dive speeds of up to 550 km/h for rapid deployment. Sheshnaag-50 delivers precision airstrikes while staying beyond enemy fire, with a low acoustic and thermal signature for reduced detectability.

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SHESHNAAG-150 : Long Range Flexible Loitering Munition

A game changing range of advanced swarm capable flexiable assets boosting the ability to execute attritable warfare. Sheshnaag builds MASS and SATURATION for long range autonomous and semi-autonomous missions. Deployed with large warheads, this series of products can wreck havoc to impose high cost and damage on the adversary. On board with advanced Al based technologies, Sheshnaag is capable of additional roles such as ISR, EW etc.
 
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KREN : Long Endurance Mono-rotor Platform

Resilient Multi-role Runway Independent UAV

Ushering in a new era of UAVs, Kren sets a new benchmark for operational resilience and flexible adaptability across various mission types. Built with a single-rotor configuration, Kren is capable of remotely piloted, semi-autonomous, or fully autonomous flights. It can be equipped with distributed payloads to enhance its capabilities. Additional use cases include medium-lift logistics for both military and civilian applications.

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NIMBUS : Multi-Purpose Electric UAV

Class-Leading Electric Multi-Rotor UAV, meticulously designed with specialized variants for optimal performance in adverse operating conditions. Built for CONOPS, these menacing UAVs can overcome challenges posed by electronic warfare and anti-drone systems to operate in denied environments. These UAVs seamlessly integrate intelligent swarming capabilities to propel missions into a new realm of unparalleled sophistication and efficiency.
 
NewSpace Research and Technologies is very excited to announce a technology collaboration with the U.S. Army DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory to develop & integrate cutting edge #intelligence #autonomy algorithms for multi-agent sensing and operations on #Blue #UAS approved hardware. Foreign Technology (and Science) Assessment Support program known as #FTAS encourages investigations of new ideas that may offer advantages to the US Army initiatives.

Being the first autonomous systems centric FTAS between the two nations, this partnership will help catalyse the Indo - US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology #ICET; and the recently launched Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance ASIA.

This fantastic milestone will help NRT consolidate its presence in the US, with support for the Blue UAS #NDAA complied hardware through our proprietary Mission Oriented Scalable Architecture Intelligence & Computing #MOSAIC collaborative autonomy suite.

We are thankful to the #US #Army for giving us this opportunity. This is also a great manifestation of our Honourable Prime Minister's #AatmanirbharBharat and #MakeInIndia mission, and a vanguard for next generation technology collaboration between two of the world's largest democracies and trading partners.

 
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