India’s ‘Stealth Works’

Publically revealed for the first time were an array of projects and programmes being undertaken by the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) alongside the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), the latter directly involved in the LCA Mk.II (medium weight fighter) and advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA). In model form, these were the cynosure for all and being referred to as work in progress in India’s stealth works, a take off from the US ‘Skunk Works’ which has been working on advanced development programmes since the mid20th century, some of its products being the F-117, F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters.

However, the model seen were those of the SWIFT, an autonomous stealthy unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV), being developed by DRDO for the Indian Air Force. Details of the project are classified but according to public sources, this UCAV will be a stealthy flying-wing concept aircraft with internal weapons bay and a turbofan engine.