DRDO AURA

Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV)

India | 2027

"The DRDO AURA unmanned combat air vehicle is in the early stages of development."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the DRDO AURA Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV).

1 x Non-Afterburning turbofan engine of unknown make, model, and thrust output.
Propulsion

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the DRDO AURA Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV).

0
(UNMANNED)
Crew

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the DRDO AURA Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) .

PROPOSED:
2 x Laser-Guided Bombs held in two internal bays.

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the DRDO AURA family line.

AURA - Project Designation.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 07/06/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The "AURA" is an Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) currently under development by DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization) for probable procurement in the Indian Air Force (IAF). The design is an all-wing concept similar to the Boeing "Phantom Ray" UCAV, featuring a defined triangle frontal section, swept-back wings, a "saw tooth" trailing wing edge and a centralized engine placement, straddled by an internal weapon bay. As an armed UAV (hence its "combat" designation), the AURA is expected to carry a pair of laser-guided bombs or similar (depending on mission scope). The DRDO AURA program is in its very early stages of design with certain aspects of the program still being addressed. Development of the AURA came to be largely due to the lack of interest in global suppliers of UCAVs willing to sell an existing system to the IAF. As such, a home-grown effort was born.

First flight of the system was optimistically planned for some time in 2015 with introduction into service expected in 2020. However, development of the indigenous solution has been slow.

The AURA will make use of many indigenously-designed and fabricated components, allowing the burgeoning Indian aviation industry to become ever-more independent of suppliers from Europe, Russia and the United States. The UAV will follow suit with other similar-class contemporaries and include full autonomy on missions with a data-link package offering hands-on control through ground stations as necessary. DRDO engineers have stated that the AURA will operate up to 30,000 feet and its internal weapons bay may be of the rail-launching type - capable of releasing missiles, laser-guided munitions or conventional drop bombs. Of note is the indigenous route being taken by the Indians in this initiative as much of the technology at play is largely new to the local aviation industry. Regardless, the government and associated participants remain very optimistic that the set project goals will ultimately be met. At any rate, the Aura will become a huge symbol of national pride for the country of 1.2 billion.

The initial prototype was not expected to be ready until 2015 but this came to naught - the technology demonstrator only recently went into the air for the first time in July of 2022.

Released computer drawings showcase a very elegant design forthcoming. A cut-away view envisions a top-mounted intake drawing air into the fuselage-mounted turbofan engine, the engine then exhausting through a horizontal slat-type opening at the rear for reduced radar signatures. The aircraft will further be coated in special radar-absorbing materials being developed within India. DRDO may, at some point, also partner with a European defense power to further the development envelope and bring the Aura online as soon as possible and possible with fewer kinks thanks to a lowered learning curve. At this early stage, however, only the planform of the airframe has been close to its finalized form.

As of this writing (2022), the AURA name is the project designation and may change during the lifecycle of this program. Adoption into service may coincide with India's first 5th Generation Fighter which has the potential to provide IAF pilots and warplanners with a potent "one-two" punch.

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Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the DRDO AURA. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 0 Units
Contractor(s): Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) - India

[ India (probable) ]

1 / 1

Top profile illustration view of the Indian DRDO AURA Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle; www.MilitaryFactory.com

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Going Further...
The DRDO AURA Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) appears in the following collections:

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