Platform profile · India · Stealth flying-wing unmanned combat aerial vehicle · Indian Air Force
Ghatak Remotely Piloted Strike Aircraft (RPSA)
ApprovedThe DAC granted Acceptance of Necessity for the IAF Remotely Piloted Strike Aircraft on 2026-03-27, and DRDO described the full-scale Ghatak configuration on 2026-04-30.
On 30 April 2026, DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat described Ghatak as an LCA-type stealth aircraft in roughly the 13-tonne class. An Economic Times report on 1 April identified the DAC-approved Remotely Piloted Strike Aircraft as the programme formerly called Ghatak and described a six-prototype development effort followed by a reported fleet of 60-67 aircraft. The Defence Acquisition Council had granted Acceptance of Necessity for the IAF RPSA on 27 March 2026, after the Defence Procurement Board recommended taking the programme forward earlier that month. The smaller SWiFT technology demonstrator made its maiden autonomous flight in July 2022 and completed a seventh, final-configuration flying-wing trial in December 2023. Ghatak matters because it is India's principal indigenous route to a low-observable unmanned system for deep strike, suppression of air defences and stealth ISR without exposing an onboard crew.
Updated 30 Apr 2026
Verified figures
Specifications
Spec sources: economictimes.indiatimes.com ↗ · pib.gov.in ↗ · business-standard.com ↗ · navbharattimes.indiatimes.com ↗ · pib.gov.in ↗ · pib.gov.in ↗
Changelog
Program timeline
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At the ANI National Security Summit, DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat described Ghatak as an LCA-type stealth aircraft in roughly the 13-tonne class and cited 67 as the fleet figure he recalled, the upper end of the reported 60-67 range.
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The Economic Times identified the Remotely Piloted Strike Aircraft as the programme formerly called Ghatak and reported a six-prototype, roughly Rs 10,000 crore development phase under a DRDO-led industry-partner model.
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The Defence Acquisition Council granted Acceptance of Necessity for the IAF's Remotely Piloted Strike Aircraft for offensive counter-air, coordinated air operations and stealth ISR.
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Business Standard reported that the Defence Procurement Board recommended taking forward a proposal for 60 Ghatak UCAVs, the lower end of the subsequently reported 60-67 range, pending DAC approval.
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DRDO flew the SWiFT Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator in final tailless configuration at Chitradurga, its seventh flight after six developmental sorties using two prototypes.
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DRDO completed SWiFT's maiden autonomous flight from Chitradurga, including take-off, waypoint navigation and touchdown with an indigenous airframe, undercarriage, flight controls and avionics.
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Specialist media reported that the stealthy demonstrator conducted taxi trials at Chitradurga in mid-August 2021.
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CVRDE handed ADE the indigenous one-tonne retractable landing-gear system developed for the SWiFT flying-wing demonstrator.
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The Ministry of Defence disclosed a Rs 231 crore lead-in project for Ghatak design and critical technologies for Ghatak and AMCA; the release's sanction-date field contains an apparent 'May 2106' typographical error.
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