SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
In a significant leap for India’s defense technology landscape, the Bengaluru-based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a premier laboratory under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is developing a groundbreaking kamikaze drone variant codenamed SWiFT-K. According to aerospace journalist Anantha Krishnan M, this platform, developed in partnership with Indian industry, marks India’s first foray into kamikaze drones, designed to operate at 0.6 Mach with autonomous high-speed stealth capabilities.
The SWiFT-K project underscores India’s push towards self-reliance in defense innovation, particularly in countering advanced air defense systems, and highlights the growing role of indigenous R&D in shaping the future of warfare.
The SWiFT-K, an offshoot of the Stealth Wing Flying Testbed (SWiFT) program, introduces a new dimension to India’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) development. The ‘K’ in its designation denotes its kamikaze role, meaning the drone is equipped with an integrated warhead and designed to be expendable. Unlike traditional UAVs that return after completing their missions, the SWiFT-K is engineered to strike its target and be destroyed in the process, making it a cost-effective solution for neutralizing high-value enemy assets, such as advanced air defense systems.
ADE has already built two prototypes to prove the platform’s technologies, demonstrating its commitment to rapid prototyping. The drone operates at a speed of 0.6 Mach (approximately 735 km/h at sea level), a high-subsonic velocity that enhances its ability to evade detection and interception. Its stealth features, building on the SWiFT program’s flying-wing design, minimize its radar cross-section, making it a formidable tool against modern air defenses like the Chinese-supplied HQ-9 systems operated by Pakistan, which struggled during Operation Sindoor earlier this month.
The SWiFT-K project has made significant strides despite being developed without formal user involvement or sanctioned funding. High-Speed Taxi Trials (HSTT) for the drone were successfully completed at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Challakere, near Chitradurga, Karnataka. This 4,387-acre facility, established by ADE, has been instrumental in testing various UAVs, including the TAPAS-BH-201 and the precursor SWiFT demonstrator. The HSTT validated the drone’s ground handling, stability, and custom landing gear, which is designed for conventional take-off and landing during initial demonstration flights.
ADE is collaborating with an incubator at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, for the development of the SWiFT-K’s airframe, leveraging academic expertise to accelerate innovation. A Transfer of Technology (ToT) is planned in due course, ensuring that Indian industry partners can scale up production once the system matures. This partnership exemplifies the growing synergy between DRDO labs, academia, and private industry, a cornerstone of India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The project’s preliminary design and prototype realization were achieved in just nine months, a testament to the efficacy of rapid prototyping and indigenous R&D in delivering cutting-edge solutions.
In its current phase, the SWiFT-K serves as a capability demonstrator, focusing on proving technologies for autonomous high-speed stealth drones. The platform uses conventional take-off and landing systems for demonstration flights, supported by a custom landing gear developed by ADE. However, sources indicate that once the proof-of-concept phase concludes, the SWiFT-K will transition to booster-assisted or catapult launches, eliminating the need for runways and enabling deployment from forward bases or mobile platforms. In its final operational form, the drone will be launched from a dedicated launcher, enhancing its tactical flexibility in combat scenarios.
The SWiFT-K’s design draws from the broader SWiFT program, which has been a technology demonstrator for the Ghatak Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV). Posts on X reveal that the SWiFT platform, a scaled-down version of Ghatak, has a wingspan of 5 meters, a length of 4 meters, and an all-up weight of 1,050 kg, with an endurance of one hour and a command range of 200 km. While these specifications likely apply to the base SWiFT model, the SWiFT-K variant is tailored for its kamikaze role, prioritizing speed and stealth over endurance. The drone is currently powered by the Russian NPO Saturn 36MT turbofan engine, but future iterations are expected to integrate the indigenous Small Turbo Fan Engine (STFE) developed by the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), further enhancing self-reliance.
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