Bengaluru company announces first flight of unmanned bomber aircraft

Bengaluru: Flying Wedge Defence and Aerospace (FWDA) on Tuesday announced the successful maiden flight of its unmanned bomber aircraft, the FWD 200B.

Speaking with reporters, Suhas Tejaskanda, founder and CEO, FWDA, said the indigenously built combat UAV was a key milestone in India’s run-up to self-reliance in the defence sector.

The first flight of the UAV, at a classified location, was also showcased through a video screening at the media briefing. FWD 200B is classified as a Medium Altitude 15,000-ft, Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV). It can be equipped with optical payloads for surveillance and missile-like weapons for air strikes and bombing.

The Bengaluru-based FWDA pitched the UAV as a cost-effective alternative to imported technology. Suhas noted that India has often paid “up to ten times” the cost for military technology from countries like the US and Israel.

The aircraft’s aerodynamics, airframe, propulsion systems, controls systems, and electronics have been designed and developed at FWDA’s manufacturing facility at Electronic City. It comes with a wingspan of 5 metres (16.4 feet) and a length of 3.5 metres (12.1 feet). With a Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) of 102 kg, the UAV can carry a payload capacity of 30 kg, FWDA said.

The FWD 200B can operate at a cruise altitude of 12,000 feet and reach a ceiling of 15,000 feet. It can fly at a cruise speed of 152 km/h, with a maximum speed of 250 km/h. The UAV has an endurance of seven hours and a range of 800 km. A runway requirement of just 300 metres allows it to operate from shorter airstrips, FWDA said.