The unmanned combat aerial vehicles generally called as UCAVs or combat drones proved to be very useful and cost effective machines in dealing with the dreaded terrorists’ targets. India also possesses some 200 machines from Israel long back and used them during Kargil war in year 1999.

Now, India wants to manufacture them on its own. Actually, the previous UPA government has sanctioned Rs. 12.50 crores for conceptual and feasibility study on Project Ghatak, UCAVs in year 2009 and the report was submitted in year 2013. Now, it is in evaluation process by the expert committee constituted by Finance Ministry. Once it gives clearance to this project, it will be immediately taken up, said defence Rao Inderjit Singh few days back. This indigenous project will be taken up with an estimated cost of Rs.2, 650 crores.

Interestingly, the Kaveri engines that failed in India’s first indigenous Tejas fighter plane project will be utilized for this Ghatak UCAVs so as the Rs. 2,839 crore have been spent on it in 1989 will not go waste. Kaveri model engines were rejected as they failed to provide enough thrust to Tejas fighter planes, but the study reveals that it is enough for light weighted UCAVs. India is likely to seek Israel help in this project as it already has possessed 200 UCAVS from it. Indian Government decides not to waste time as it may take nearly 10 years to launch the first piece of this Ghatak Project if cleared now.

Currently, the armed forces possessing two models- Israeli Heron and Searcher-II UAVs and Israeli Harop Killer UCAVs. The Heron and Searcher-II UAVs are capable for firing missiles and precision-guided munitions at enemy targets and then returning to home bases to re-arm for further missions. Israeli Harop Killer UCAVs are self-destructive ones.