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DRDO Ends 2021 On High Note; Will Equip Indian Military With ‘Game-Changing’ Missiles, Drones & Precision Kill System

India conducted a spate of successful test launches of indigenous defense equipment and systems in 2021. With the possible threat of a two-front war looming, New Delhi is looking to prepare for the worst.  

The latest to join the list is an aerial expendable target called ‘Abhyas’.

From the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur off the coast of Odisha, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested Abhyas, an indigenously produced, pilotless, high-speed expendable aerial target (HEAT).

The Bengaluru-based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) is working on Abhyas.

This test conducted on December 23 comes just a day after DRDO tested the ‘Pralay’ surface-to-surface missile,  followed by a test of the nuclear-capable ‘Agni Prime’ ballistic missile. It also test-fired the Vertical Launch Short Range surface-to-air missile earlier this month.

The unmanned aerial vehicle, ‘Abhyas’ achieved a high subsonic speed trajectory at a very low altitude with a long endurance during the test flight. During the launch, two boosters supplied initial acceleration, and a small turbojet engine was employed to maintain a high subsonic speed with long endurance.

ADE’s Bengaluru-based industrial partner’s indigenous data link was also successfully flown and tested throughout the flight.

The operation of the system over the full flight period was validated by data acquired by the numerous range devices positioned along the shore, according to a DRDO spokesperson.

Abhyas is guided by a ground-based controller and an indigenously built micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) based inertial navigation system, which works in tandem with the flight control computer to follow a pre-determined path in completely autonomous mode. This allows the system more precision and easier maneuverability.

Earlier this month, ADE had placed an order with the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the manufacturing, assembly, integration, testing, and supply of the High-Speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) System, Abhyas, as previously reported by Economic Times.

HAL stated in a statement that after this initial order is completed, it would be designated as a Development-cum-Production Partner (DcPP) for the provision of this target system with a private enterprise (50 percent of the volume).

According to HAL, the platform is expected to have a high demand from the tri-services and DRDO laboratories for missile program evaluation trials in the coming days.

The platform that was successfully test-fired off the Odisha coast was tested for the first time ever in May of 2019.

“Raksha Mantri [defense minister] Shri Rajnath Singh said the successful test is a testament to the collaboration between scientists and industry. Secretary DD R&D and Chairman DRDO praised the laboratory’s scientists, team members, and industrial partners for their successful research efforts,” according to the Defense Ministry.

The ‘Abhyas’ Aerial Target

Abhyas provides a realistic danger environment for weapon system training. The project is being developed for autonomous flying. For weapon practice, Abhyas possesses RCS, visual, and infrared augmentation systems.

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