DRDO Ghatak UCAV: India’s Ghatak combat drone is now becoming one of the most important future weapons for the Indian Air Force. This aircraft was earlier known as the AURA project. In March 2026, the Defence Acquisition Council cleared the purchase of Remotely Piloted Strike Aircraft for the Air Force. Official government information did not give the number in that note, but recent Indian media reports said the plan is for four squadrons, which is being described as around 60 to 80 drones.
Ghatak is not built like a normal fighter jet. It uses a tailless flying-wing shape. That shape is made to help it stay hidden from enemy radar. Regular stealth fighters like the F-35 still have vertical tail fins.
Those parts can reflect radar in some situations, especially while turning. Ghatak removes those fins, so its radar signature can stay lower even when it moves in combat. India’s SWiFT testbed, which is the flying demonstrator linked to this programme, has already completed successful test flights and helped prove the basic flying-wing and autonomous control technologies.
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Why this drone is made to stay hidden?
Reports on the programme say the drone is being shaped very carefully so enemy radar gets very little back. Some estimates in recent coverage describe an extremely tiny radar cross-section from the front, with somewhat larger signatures from the side and rear, but the main point is simple: the aircraft is being built to stay hard to spot from many angles. One big reason is that the flying-wing body removes the sharp tail surfaces that can act like “corner reflectors” and send radar energy back to the source. That helps the aircraft keep a more even low-observable profile in flight.
A lot of work has also gone into the engine area, because the back of an aircraft is often easier to detect. Reports say Ghatak is expected to use a “dry” Kaveri Derivative Engine that does not rely on an afterburner. That matters because afterburners create a bigger heat and visibility problem. Coverage on the programme also says GTRE has been working with companies such as Godrej & Boyce for engine production. Along with that, the drone is expected to use an S-duct style intake and a specially planned exhaust path to hide important engine parts from radar and reduce the heat seen by infrared sensors.
DRDO’s design work is also said to balance shape and material together. Recent reporting says about 70% of the stealth effect comes from the aircraft’s shape and 30% from special materials. The edges are aligned in a way that pushes radar energy away instead of back toward the enemy. The drone also carries weapons inside the body, not outside on wing pylons, so the outer skin stays smooth. Reports say it is designed to carry up to 1.5 tonnes of weapons in an internal bay.
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The body also uses carbon-fibre composite structures made in India, and coverage says DRDO has embedded Radar Absorbent Structures into the skin instead of just putting absorbent coating on top. At the nose, the radome is also expected to use Frequency-Selective Surfaces to help the drone’s own systems work while limiting what enemy trackers can get back.
How will Air Force use it?
The Indian Air Force wants this drone for the hardest jobs. In a war, Ghatak is expected to fly deep into enemy airspace before manned fighters go in. Its role would be to attack enemy air defence systems and radar sites. This includes missions linked to Suppression and Destruction of Enemy Air Defences, also called SEAD and DEAD. Reports say the drone is meant to go after strong targets such as long-range missile defence systems and early-warning radars.
