Combat Air-Teaming System
This article is about India’s Combat Air Teaming System under development by HAL and Private entity New Space Research and Technologies. CATS will be used for a precision strike in enemy territory without risking pilot life. it includes total 9 systems and 1 mothership.
1. CATS-LCA MAX (Mothership for Air-Exploitation)
→ LCA MAX will be a twin sitter advanced version of LCA which will act as a mothership in CATS. there will be one pilot and one controller who will control and command all CATS UAV system.
2. CATS-Warrior
→ CATS Warrior is a stealth Loyal Wingman UCAV. it will have an internal weapon bay to carry Air-to-Air missiles, Air-to-Ground bombs, and also carry out anti-ship mission. it has a range up to 200KM.
Warrior comes in 2 different sizes. The large one will have a length of 8.5 to 9 m and the smaller one will have a length of 3 to 4 meters. Warrior will be powered by 2 Indian made PTAE-7 engines which will give max speed upto 0.7 mach.
In 2nd week of 2025, Hindustan Aeronautics unveiled it full scale prototype and engaged in engine run tests.
3. CATS-Hunter
→ Hunter is a UAV cum Cruise missile which able to carry a warhead up to 250kg and have two versions, one will have electro-optical sensors and the other will have AESA radar for target tracking. it will be powered by a small turbofan engine.
4. CATS-ALFA (Air Launched Flexible Assets)
→ Alpha is a drone swarm consisting of 5 fixed retractable wing drones in one carrier. this carrier will go up to 75km and the swarm drone gets separated and will go 150km further. each drone consists target acquisition system and warhead for penetration.
5. CATS-Infinity High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS)
→ CATS Infinity is a High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite that will provide data link connectivity and surveillance in manned-unmanned formation in CATS. it will fly up to 65,000 Ft. and will be powered by solar panels. The CATS Infinity can remain in flight for upto 90 days.
6. CATS-HALE UCAV (High Altitute Long Endurance Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle)
→ CATS High Altitude Long Endurance UCAV will be similar to General Atomics MQ-20 Predator-C Avenger UCAV with a service ceiling of ~50,000 ft, an endurance of upto ~15 hours, a combat range of ~1500km.
It will be powered by an indigenous Turbofan engine
*Not much is revealed about this project so far, hence ~estimates.
7. CATS-SARPA (Swarm Adaptable Reconnaissance & Precision Attack)
→Although not much is disclosed about this project, but it’s name may hint towards it being a loitering munition, also it is still not clear whether it’s a part of CATS program or not.
8. CATS-OMCA (Optionally Manned Combat Aircraft)
→Retired MiG-21, MiG-27 and Kiran Jets will be converted to Optionally Manned Combat Aircrafts. The project aims to use these aircrafts as both manned and unmanned platforms depending on the risk factor of the operations they will be involved in.
9. TIA-AV
10. CATS-Abhimanyu
11. CATS-ACID (Air Combat Intelligence Development)
→ACID stands for Air Combat Intelligence Development. this program will provide Artificial Intelligence and data link for Manned Unmanned teaming in CATS.
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Jai Hind🇮🇳
