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SOURCE: IDRW.ORG.

In a significant development for India’s indigenous defence capabilities, the Indian Navy has given the go-ahead for the procurement of the Tapas Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), as confirmed by a high-ranking naval official to idrw.org. This decision comes even as Adani Defence and Aerospace’s Drishti-10 UAV has made headlines recently.

The Navy plans to procure 10 units of the Tapas UAV, which will be stationed at the strategic naval base in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for maritime surveillance operations. This move is aimed at securing key maritime lanes in the region, crucial for India’s strategic interests in the Indian Ocean. The Tapas UAV, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has been undergoing rigorous testing to meet the stringent requirements set by the armed forces, specifically to achieve a service ceiling of 30,000 feet and to reduce drag and weight for better endurance and efficiency.

While the Tapas UAV is being refined for production, the Navy has taken a pragmatic approach by procuring two Drishti-10 UAVs as interim measures. These UAVs, essentially a collaboration between Adani Defence and Israeli firm Elbit Systems, are based on the Hermes 900 Starliner and serve as a stopgap to complement the 15 MQ-9 Sea Guardian UAVs that the Navy has already ordered from the United States. The Drishti-10 provides immediate capabilities for surveillance, adding to the Navy’s operational flexibility while waiting for the indigenous Tapas to be production-ready.

The Tapas MALE UAV project has faced challenges, particularly in meeting the operational altitude and endurance criteria requested by both the Army and Navy. The DRDO is actively working on design modifications to reduce the UAV’s drag and weight, which are crucial for achieving the desired performance metrics. These refinements are part of a broader effort to ensure that the Tapas can perform effectively in diverse operational environments, from the mountainous borders in the north to the expansive maritime regions.

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