HAL Combat Air Teaming System

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2021-06-14 05:30:04

The HAL Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) is a planned unmanned and manned combat aircraft air teaming system being developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.[1] The system will consist of a manned fighter aircraft acting as "mothership" of the system and a set of swarming UAVs and UCAVs governed by the main aircraft. A twin-seated HAL Tejas is likely to be the main fighter aircraft.[2][3] Various other sub components of the system are currently under development and will be jointly produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and private firm namely "Newspace Research & Technologies".[4][5]

The primary aim is to make multiple advanced aerial platforms that can act as atmospheric satellite for high altitude surveillance, perform autonomous deep penetration precision strikes from standoff distance with maximum firepower while reduce human error and the threat on life. HAL is planning to complete all the project related developmental work by 2024 or 2025.[6][7]

Modeled after United States Air Force (USAF) Skyborg project, Combat Air Teaming is composite amalgamation of a manned fighter aircraft acting as "mother ship" which is supported by a number of swarming UAV and UCAVs.[8][9] The objective is to make artificial intelligence (AI) based high altitude surveillance drone, air launch platform and loitering munitions with full situational awareness that can take out enemy targets from longer distance without the need of human pilots entering the battlefield. While Newspace Research & Technologies first proposed the idea, it was HAL that came up with the actual concept at the end of 2019 for a family of artificially intelligent (AI) weapons called Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) that included a range of subsystems meant to perform various kind of autonomous missions. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) in 2018 initiated a national level Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) programme under the Defence Innovation Organisation to help startups develop advance technologies and products for the Indian Armed Forces such as long range loitering munitions, stealth coating etc.[10][11] Newspace Research & Technologies is one of the two Indian startups which is selected and funded through DRDO technology development fund for Combat Air Teaming System programme.[5][12]