B'luru-based company unveils autonomous combat aircraft

BENGALURU-based Flying Wedge Defence and Aerospace (FWDA) on Friday announced the completion of its Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Autonomous Combat Aircraft program.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @Bengaluru

The aircraft, named FWD Kaal Bhairava E2A2, offers combat capabilities at nearly one-tenth the cost of US-made Predator-class drones such as the MQ-9 Reaper.

The UAV has a 6.5-metre wingspan, a payload capacity of 91 kg and a range of 3,000 km with SATCOM support. It can operate at altitudes of up to 20,000 feet and offers endurance of up to 30 hours on surveillance missions and 11 hours on strike missions.