HAL gets ADE-DRDO supply order for ABHYAS Target Platform

New Delhi: HAL has secured an order for manufacturing, assembly, integration, testing and supply of a High-Speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) System known as ABHYAS from Aeronautical Development Establishment, DRDO, recently. DRDO had successfully flight-tested (Third time) the High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) 'Abhyas' on October 22 earlier this year. Before this test, two HEAT 'Abhyas' demonstrator vehicles were successfully test flown on September 22, 2020.

Post successful completion of this initial order, HAL would be identified as Development cum Production Partner (DcPP) for the supply of this target system along with a private firm (50% of the volume). The platform is estimated to have a large requirement from the tri-services, DRDO laboratories for evaluation trials of missile programs.

ABHYAS was first successfully flight-tested in May 2019 and subsequent evaluation trials are being conducted by ADE- DRDO. This order would mark the beginning of the series production of ABHYAS.

What is DRDO's ABHYAS?

It is designed and developed by DRDO's Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru. The air vehicle is launched using twin under-slung boosters which provide the initial acceleration to the vehicle. It is powered by a gas turbine engine to sustain a long endurance flight at subsonic speed. The target aircraft is equipped with Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) based Inertial Navigation System (INS) for navigation along with the 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).

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