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Made-in-India, 1,000-km range and more details on loitering munition successfully tested in Pokhran

The test is a significant milestone for the private sector, which has increased efforts in recent years to create customised solutions for the armed services. During its tests in Ladakh earlier this year, the ALS 50, which can take off like a quadcopter and switch to fixed wing mode for long-distance travel, also proved its capability to function from high-altitude areas.

Mirror Now Digital

Updated Sep 24, 2022, 18:50 IST

Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) has developed the bomb-carrying drones.

Photo : BCCL

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

The loitering munition system was earlier tested in Ladakh region signifying success in high-altitude ops.
The system has the capacity of 23 kgs bombs to the range of 1,000 km

Pokhran: An indigenous loitering munition has achieved a significant milestone by successfully showing its strike capacity during tests held at Pokhran on Thursday. This munition is capable of operating from challenging terrain and high-altitude zones, reported The Economic Times.

The autonomous system, created by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), is soon to be integrated into the armed services and is intended for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL). The load carrying capacity of the system is 23 kgs.

The system, known as ALS 50, successfully hit the ground target while carrying an explosive warhead, during the tests.

The test is a significant milestone for the private sector, which has increased efforts in recent years to create customised solutions for the armed services as a result of policy measures driven by the Defence Ministry.

During its tests in Ladakh earlier this year, the ALS 50, which can take off like a quadcopter and switch to fixed wing mode for long-distance travel, also proved its capability to function from high-altitude areas.

With a range of 1,000 km, the made in India, bomb-carrying drone is developed by the engineers of TASL. It boasts of an autonomous targeting system, that can identify its pre-determined target with great precision and hit it accurately from its defined distance.

According to some sources, the loitering munition system, ALS 50 can also be enhanced to increase its range and payload capacity depending on the requirements of the forces at any given time.

In its next-generation versions, the developers also intend to equip it with the integration of artificial intelligence and swarming.

The main feature of ALS 50 is its vertical take-off and landing capacity, which makes it capable of operating in difficult and narrow terrain like valleys, fortified military positions in the mountains, forests, or even warships.

These drones will fulfil the army's need for cost-effective Kamikaze drones that can carry bombs and such loitering ammunition.

These indigenous systems will not only support India’s self-reliance or “aatmanirbhar” initiative in defence but will be low-cost and can be used to target high-value targets like command centres, launchers, and enemy fortifications, with minimum risks.

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