Flying Wedge Defence and Aerospace (FWDA), a Bengaluru-based private manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and components, has announced the successful maiden flight of India’s first indigenous unmanned bomber aircraft, the FWD 200B, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s defence sector.
The FWD 200B, classified as a Medium Altitude (15,000 ft), Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV), is equipped with optical payloads for surveillance and missile-like weapons for air strikes and bombing missions.
The UAV features a compact but powerful design with a wingspan of 5 metres (16.4 feet) and a length of 3.5 metres (12.1 feet).
Despite its size, it boasts a maximum take-off weight of 102 kg and can carry a payload of up to 30 kg, allowing it to execute significant missions with precision.
The FWD 200B operates at a cruising altitude of 12,000 feet, with an absolute ceiling of 15,000 feet. It cruises at a speed of 152 km/h, with a top speed of 250 km/h.
A unique feature of this UAV is its short runway requirement of just 300 metres, enabling it to take off and land from shorter airstrips. It has an endurance of 7 hours and a range of 800 km, offering extended mission capabilities without frequent refuelling or landing.
The maiden flight, conducted at a classified location, has been lauded as the fulfilment of India’s long-anticipated ambition to produce a domestically-built combat UAV.
Suhas Tejaskanda, Founder and CEO of FWDA, said, “India is the world’s largest importer of arms in the last five years and has often paid up to ten times the cost for military technology from countries like the US and Israel. The successful flight of the FWD 200B is not just an achievement for our company, but a victory for the entire nation.”
With Turkey denying its Bayraktar UAV to India and a deal for US Predator drones on hold for two years, the successful development of the FWD 200B is a crucial advancement for India’s defence sector.
The FWD 200B’s aerodynamics, airframe, propulsion systems, control systems, and electronics have all been indigenously developed at FWDA’s 12,000 sq.ft manufacturing facility in Electronic City, Bengaluru.
“This landmark achievement follows years of persistent efforts to develop a combat UAV indigenously, overcoming challenges which had previously hindered similar initiatives by leading defence agencies,” Tejaskanda added.
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