AURA: New Dawn of New Age

[SpArK]

AURA: New Dawn of New Age​

BY: Vinayak Shetty For Security October issue

Scenario

Year 2022 major infiltration is taking place on the Line of Control in Uri Sector of north Kashmir, small pack of 10 to 12 Pakistani Terrorists are trying to sneak into Kashmir. but they have little idea that Two Hunter Killer UCAV developed under India’s prestigious AURA (Autonomous Unmanned Research Aircraft) have tracked their movement using infrared and motion sensors and are losing altitude fast, this new breed of Stealthy UCAV hunt in pairs and can be on CAP (Combat Air Patrol) 24 hours a day, powered by a modified Kaveri K10 engine armed with four Air to Surface missiles and 2 Air to Air missiles for their own self protection.

UCAV have already alerted movement of intruders to the zonal head quarters and soon go head confirmation comes from Head quarters , both UCAV fire ASM at the intruders and terrorist have no idea what hit them , half of them are killed near loc and others run and hide in a abandoned concrete shelter UCAV is able to track their movement and sends a video feed to the Zonal Army Head quarter for reinforcement , well reinforcement comes in shape of Bomber UCAV again derivative from AURA program , bomber UCAV is able to carry large LGB or joint direct attack munitions ,powered by two modified

Kaveri K10 engine , it is much bigger then Hunter UCAV but is able to carry more payloads .As soon it arrived at the scene of action Hunter UCAV starts moving out area of operation, Terrorist seeing UCAV move have a sign of relief but they have no idea that soon whole complex where they are hiding will be brought to ground in seconds.

This is just a possible scenario where future UCAV of India will operate.

Why a UCAV?​

Longer CAP: Fully Autonomous Unmanned Combat aircraft will have longer endurance in war or in conflict zone since everything is controlled by on board computers level of efficiency from take off to landing will be same ,fatigue and stress factors will be negligible since pilot is absent .

Design of UCAV: it has been openly discussed and told by Aviation community that design of aircraft’s is limited to “Human endurance “ UCAV will always have design advantages over manned aircraft’s even if they are stealthy in nature, risk to pilots live in combat zone is also reduced since UCAV will not need one, another major advantage will weight since UCAV will not require any pilot-support systems this will reduce weight in the aircraft and will enable it to better utilizes space for other purpose , which in turn can reduce size of the airframe of the aircraft , with same payload that a manned aircraft might have .

Lower R&D Cost: Why many of the European Countries are engaged in development of UCAV on other hand same countries are cutting down their own defense budgets in time of recession in their Economy? that Simple, development of new 5 Gen Fighter aircraft will be tremendous pressure on already shaky economic of this countries and since many of them will be operating American –European Jointly developed F-35 soon, need for a new manned 5th Gen aircraft have disappeared and many of them have been actively working on UCAV which will have half the cost for development of a stealthy Fighter or Bomber aircraft, but also be cheaper to operate in future since it will also reduce training of pilots and support crew.

Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle Technological Challenges for India?​

Well India has taken baby steps for the development of its own Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for surveillance but not to be fooled , almost each and every lab of DRDO and HAL has been working on different types of UAV from Hand held battle field UAV to be operated by foot soldiers to larger MALE ,HALE type of UAV’s for Countries armed forces .
sharing of many of the technology or spin offs from this program will help ADA help in development of AURA UCAV’s ,other than this following new developments needs to take place for UCAV .

*Reconfigurable control station for multi Situational operations.

*Development and integration off-board/on-board sensors, weapon targeting, and load outs.

*Battle management sensors for better Situation Awareness among similar or other UCAV.

*Full autonomy Mission computers which will enable it to think for its self in the whole assigned missions.

AURA: New Dawn of New Age

 

[Gene]

Year 2022 major infiltration is taking place on the Line of Control in Uri Sector of north Kashmir, small pack of 10 to 12 Pakistani Terrorists are trying to sneak into Kashmir. but they have little idea that Two Hunter Killer UCAV developed under India’s prestigious AURA (Autonomous Unmanned Research Aircraft) have tracked their movement using infrared and motion sensors and are losing altitude fast, this new breed of Stealthy UCAV hunt in pairs and can be on CAP (Combat Air Patrol) 24 hours a day, powered by a modified Kaveri K10 engine armed with four Air to Surface missiles and 2 Air to Air missiles for their own self protection.

UCAV have already alerted movement of intruders to the zonal head quarters and soon go head confirmation comes from Head quarters , both UCAV fire ASM at the intruders and terrorist have no idea what hit them , half of them are killed near loc and others run and hide in a abandoned concrete shelter UCAV is able to track their movement and sends a video feed to the Zonal Army Head quarter for reinforcement , well reinforcement comes in shape of Bomber UCAV again derivative from AURA program , bomber UCAV is able to carry large LGB or joint direct attack munitions ,powered by two modified

Kaveri K10 engine , it is much bigger then Hunter UCAV but is able to carry more payloads .As soon it arrived at the scene of action Hunter UCAV starts moving out area of operation, Terrorist seeing UCAV move have a sign of relief but they have no idea that soon whole complex where they are hiding will be brought to ground in seconds.

This is the best part....Dil khussss ho gayaaaaaaaaaa.....

 

[INDIAN007]

Has work on this started ??

 

[INDIAN007]

oh man that design looks KILLER........

 

[SQ8]

Oh goodie.. CGI's.
Looks similar to a lockheed design I saw in book a few years back.

 

[jha]

I am somehow not convinced about Autonomous UCAVs..I prefer further development of remotely flown UCAVs. We should not put the decision making power in hands of machines.

 

[kingdurgaking]

I am somehow not convinced about Autonomous UCAVs..I prefer further development of remotely flown UCAVs. We should not put the decision making power in hands of machines.

Remotely operated Drones comes in the form of Rushtom .. I feel Autonomous is more important for surveillance and low profile target hunting... As humans cannot monitor always.. Humans are good in setting up a goal and achieving them rather than monitoring ...

 

[TrendSetter]

Deep inside a non-descript building in Bangalore’s Vimanapura area, Indian military scientists are working hard to define the country’s first unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), one of India’s least known government-sponsored defence programmes. Still classified and “off the books”, the programme is steeped in conceptualizing a robotic drone aircraft that can autonomously seek, identify and destroy targets with on-board guided weapons.

According to information made available for the first time, the project has a typically evasive name – AURA, for Autonomous Unmanned Research Aircraft. But the working title of the drone aircraft itself leaves nothing to the imagination – Indian Unmanned Strike Aircraft Programme (IUSAP). In other words, a pilotless bomber.

The AURA programme is currently under the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), and led by aerospace scientist Biju Uthup, who has worked with the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Tejas) programme in several capacities. Sources reveal that the AURA team is currently conducting a detailed feasibility study of possible parameters under which the aircraft will finally be built. The plan is to develop the IUSAP as a tactical stealth aircraft built largely with composites, and capable of delivering laser-guided strike weapons.

Air Marshal (Retd) Tej Asthana, India’s first Strategic Forces commander says, “We must encourage the programme, and ensure that it stays as Indian as possible. We cannot import UCAVs. It is important for us to have a programme like this to get us in line with the best in the world.”

The AURA programme is, to be fair, still only a concept, and therefore well behind a large number of global combat drone programmes that are either fully operational or near, the most famous of them being the American MQ-1 Predator hunter-killer drone that has garnered a fearsome name for itself as America’s weapon of choice along the Durand Line.

“It would have been prudent if we had started a programme like this 20 years ago,” says Air Marshal (Retd) Padamjit Ahluwalia, who once headed the Air Force’s sword arm Western Air Command. “This is an aircraft that will use artificial intelligence for actual weapon delivery. It is a great thing that it is indigenous, because believe me, no country that has this technology will give it to us. We must make sure we get the sensors and weapons bang-on.”

The parameters of the IUSAP, like range, cruising altitude and sensor/weapon specifications are still unknown, and probably still undefined. Another element that will need thorough working out is the degree of autonomy such an aircraft can be given. For instance, all attack decisions on the American Predators operating in Pakistan are taken by ground controllers.

Former Air Force Chief, FH Major says, “We could have the finest autonomous pilotless vehicles. But that last minute decision to go for the target, abandon or reframe a mission will be difficult for a UCAV. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have huge scope.”

India currently operates unarmed Israel-built drones restricted to surveillance and intelligence-gathering duties, and has ordered a limited number of Harop loitering "kamikaze drones" from the same source. For the AURA programme, there are several challenges still ahead apart from the flying vehicle itself. These include on-board electronics, sensors, guidance systems, and of course, strike weapons that can be used on the platform.

With government funds to be spent on the AURA programme, there are seasoned skeptics as well. Former Air Force Chief, S Krishnaswamy, who flew combat missions in the 1965 Indo-Pak war, “Such research is definitely necessary, but the more we venture into unknown areas the greater the risk of time and cost overruns. We should ask ourselves if such a systems fits in with our requirement at this time. There should be safeguards to ensure it doesn’t turn into another joke like the Light Combat Aircraft.”

 

[Kinetic]

Has work on this started ??

Yes, design works have been started.

 

[Kinetic]

Oh goodie.. CGI's.
Looks similar to a lockheed design I saw in book a few years back.

Its not a CGI of AURA. Te writed must have copied it from elsewhere.

This is the image of model posted by Shiv Aroor from a DRDO presentation....

 

[Firemaster]

Its not a CGI of AURA. Te writed must have copied it from elsewhere.

This is the image of model posted by Shiv Aroor from a DRDO presentation....

looks like a killer BAT
devil:)