HAL has bagged an order for the manufacturing, assembly, integration, testing and supply of High Speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) System known as ABHYAS. The drone developer, the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), is a unit of DRDO and is tasked with the delivery of the systems to the users.
HAL has to prove its manufacturing capability to qualify as the Development cum Production Partner (DcPP) for the supply of Abhyas target system along with a private firm that will share 50% of the volume. Abhyas is projected to have a large requirement from the tri-services and the DRDO laboratories for evaluation trials of missile programs.
ABHYAS first flew in May 2019, and subsequent evaluation trials are being conducted by ADE- DRDO. The order would mark the beginning of the series production of ABHYAS.
ABHYAS High Speed Expendable Aerial Target
Abhyas is launched utilising twin under-slung boosters to provide the initial acceleration. The targets gas turbine engine then sustains a long endurance flight at subsonic speed. Abhyas Expendable target flight electronics include an Inertial Navigation System (INS) with Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) for navigation and a Flight Control Computer (FCC) for guidance and control. The vehicle is programmed for fully autonomous flight. The check-out of air vehicle is done using laptop-based Ground Control Station (GCS).