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**Teligacio** · 01-24-2012, 03:23 AM

Link DRDO UCAV programme moves forward
By SP's Special Correspondent

In a significant boost to India's classified unmanned combat aerial vehicle programme, titled AURA (autonomous unmanned research aircraft), the government is considering bestowing it with "major project" status. Sources in the Indian Air Force (IAF), the primary customer for the ambitious stealth UCAV, have been pushing for greater Ministry support for a programme that is likely to be one of India's most momentous in the future.

With the Bangalore-based Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) leading the effort, and string of DRDO labs and academic institutions like IIT-Kanpur working on different elements of the proposed strike drone, the IAF is keen that scientists deliver a state-of-the-art platform to augment the country's growing manned fleet.

The AURA programme, led by ADA's Dr Biju Uthup and a handful of specialised scientists, is currently working to freeze the preliminary design configuration of the drone. ADA and DRDO have been in discussions with several countries for possible technology tie-ups, though the IAF has insisted that the AURA's major components and systems be designed in-country. In an ideal situation, the AURA's materials, engine, on board electronics, software and sensors will be developed and built in-house. One of the chief development effort associated with the AURA programme is the Dehradun-based Defence Electronics Application Laboratory's (DEAL) effort to develop brand new secure datalinks that will allow the AURA to meld into existing and future net centric infrastructure in service with the IAF and other two services.

While the DRDO has spoken out about the AURA programme, it is still designated classified and the IAF would like it to be treated as a secret programme until the engineering development phase.

01-24-2012, 03:23 AM	#2
Teligacio Join Date Nov 2005 Posts 433 Senior Member	Link DRDO UCAV programme moves forward By SP's Special Correspondent In a significant boost to India's classified unmanned combat aerial vehicle programme, titled AURA (autonomous unmanned research aircraft), the government is considering bestowing it with "major project" status. Sources in the Indian Air Force (IAF), the primary customer for the ambitious stealth UCAV, have been pushing for greater Ministry support for a programme that is likely to be one of India's most momentous in the future. With the Bangalore-based Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) leading the effort, and string of DRDO labs and academic institutions like IIT-Kanpur working on different elements of the proposed strike drone, the IAF is keen that scientists deliver a state-of-the-art platform to augment the country's growing manned fleet. The AURA programme, led by ADA's Dr Biju Uthup and a handful of specialised scientists, is currently working to freeze the preliminary design configuration of the drone. ADA and DRDO have been in discussions with several countries for possible technology tie-ups, though the IAF has insisted that the AURA's major components and systems be designed in-country. In an ideal situation, the AURA's materials, engine, on board electronics, software and sensors will be developed and built in-house. One of the chief development effort associated with the AURA programme is the Dehradun-based Defence Electronics Application Laboratory's (DEAL) effort to develop brand new secure datalinks that will allow the AURA to meld into existing and future net centric infrastructure in service with the IAF and other two services. While the DRDO has spoken out about the AURA programme, it is still designated classified and the IAF would like it to be treated as a secret programme until the engineering development phase.
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