CATS Warrior, India’s Loyal Wingman Project, Will Take To The Skies By 2024

India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is on track to complete flight testing of a faithful wingman programme by 2024.

The project, dubbed the Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior, began in 2018 and was unveiled at Aero India 2021. The HAL Combat Air Teaming System programme includes CATS Warrior.

The Warrior is a twin-engined unmanned combat aerial vehicle, according to the firm (UCAV). To protect the tails of manned fighter aircraft, the aircraft will fly behind or alongside them. The UCAV will be capable of attacking both aerial and ground targets.

The project has progressed since Aero India 2021, according to a HAL source.

“The CATS Warrior is now being tested in a wind tunnel. “Our original deployment schedule was 2024–25, and we expect CATS Warrior flight testing to begin in 2024,” the source told Janes.

HAL has two indigenous engine possibilities for the Warrior, according to Jane. The PTAE-7, a 400 kg, 3.43 kN single spool turbojet developed by HAL in the 1980s, is one example. The second is HAL’s HTFE-25 turbofan, which has a thrust of 25 kN.

The HTFE-25 has a twin-spool, mixed-flow, low bypass arrangement, according to Janes. The low-pressure spool has a three-stage low-pressure fan that is powered by a single-stage low-pressure turbine, while the high-pressure spool has a five-stage high-pressure compressor that is powered by a single-stage high-pressure turbine.

The engine is expected to be certified by 2025, according to the manufacturer.

“Because the CATS Warrior is a twin-engined design, we feel that employing two HTFE-25 engines will provide the UCAV with the performance required to compete with frontline combat aircraft,” the HAL source explained.

At Aero India 2021, India unveiled its new ‘Warrior’ drone, which is part of the indigenous Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) being developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in collaboration with the private sector.

HAL’s Warrior is being designed to complement and maximise the effectiveness of existing manned fighter jets such as the LCA Tejas and Rafale of the Indian Air Force. The drone, which will be equipped with sensor packages, will act as a force multiplier for the manned fighter, undertaking surveillance, reconnaissance, and early warning missions in support of the human fighter’s mission.

The Warrior is a component of the Combat Air Teaming System, which is defined as “a composite amalgamation of human and unmanned platforms that work together to breach heavily protected enemy airspace.”

This manned-unmanned teaming system is currently being developed in India by HAL in collaboration with private sector partners. With New Space Research & Technologies, a Bengaluru-based start-up, it is developing CATS Hunter, which will be capable of hitting targets at a range of 200 kilometres, and ALFA-S.

ALFA-S is a swarm drone system that can zero in on numerous targets. It was initially presented in 2019 as part of the ‘Jaguar Max’ upgrade package.

Drones are housed in a carrier with this method. This drone carrier, placed on a fighter, can fly for up to 100 kilometres before deploying the drones. These drones may strike adversary objectives like surface-to-air missile positions and parked aircraft.