The Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the research and development arm of India’s Ministry of Defence, recently had a successful flight test for their Abhyas High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT). The test flight was carried out in Chandipur, off the coast of the Bay of Bengal in Odisha. DRDO’s primary objective is to equip India with state-of-the-art defense technologies.
Conception and Development
Abhyas HEAT was designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), which falls under the DRDO. As one of the key aeronautical systems design labs under the DRDO, the ADE has been pivotal in the design and development of cutting-edge Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and aeronautical systems to cater to the needs of the Indian Armed Forces.
Features of Abhyas HEAT
Abhyas HEAT showcases a range of impressive features. This vehicle is powered by a gas turbine engine, allowing it to maintain a long endurance flight at subsonic speeds. The vehicle is also equipped with a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS)-based Inertial Navigation System (INS) and a Flight Control Computer (FCC), both of which assist with navigation, guidance, and control throughout its flight. Furthermore, Abhyas is programmed for fully autonomous flight, and its check-out can be handled via a laptop-based Ground Control Station (GCS).
Purpose of Abhyas HEAT
Primarily, Abhyas will be utilised as a target to evaluate various missile systems. Additionally, Abhyas provides a realistic threat scenario for weapon system practice.
Other Recent Developments by DRDO
The DRDO has been actively advancing their weapons testing and developments. In September 2021, they tested a new version of the Akash Missile — ‘Akash Prime’ at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha.
July 2021 saw the launch of the Akash-NG (New Generation) and the Man Portable Anti Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) by the DRDO. The following month, they successfully test-fired a new generation nuclear-capable ballistic missile known as the Agni-P (Prime).
In February 2021, India successfully test-fired indigenously-developed anti-tank guided missile systems named ‘Helina’ and ‘Dhruvastra’. The previous year, in October, DRDO succeeded in conducting a flight test of the Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) from Wheeler Island off the coast of Odisha.
(Source: PIB)