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The Indian Air Force is setting up an indigenous kamikaze drone ecosystem at Sulur, aiming to develop, manufacture and sustain one-way attack drones entirely within India.
Image used for respresentation.
Drawing lessons from recent conflicts where loitering munitions and one-way attack drones have emerged as game-changing battlefield weapons, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has initiated a major project to build a fully indigenous ecosystem for the design, development, manufacturing and sustainment of kamikaze drones.
The initiative envisages the creation of a dedicated drone development and production facility at Air Force Station Sulur in Tamil Nadu, marking a significant step in India’s push for self-reliance in advanced military technologies.
Sources said the IAF has already begun the process of identifying an Indian company that will partner with the service to establish end-to-end capabilities for weapon-delivery unmanned aerial systems under the Air Force’s 5 Base Repair Depot (BRD) at Sulur.
Building An Indigenous Attack-Drone Ecosystem
Unlike a conventional procurement programme, the project is aimed at creating a long-term indigenous capability within the Air Force.
The selected Indian firm will assist in the design, development, integration and manufacturing of one-way attack drones while also helping establish critical infrastructure required for future drone programmes.
The initiative includes the development of two operational prototypes as well as the creation of production facilities within the Air Force station itself.
Officials familiar with the project said the objective is not merely to induct a new platform but to develop a self-sustaining ecosystem capable of supporting future generations of attack drones.
Designed For High-Value Battlefield Targets
According to the operational requirements, the proposed drone will be capable of carrying a minimum 30-kg weapon payload and executing terminal strike missions against designated targets.
The platform is expected to engage a wide range of battlefield objectives, including enemy radar installations, air-defence systems, logistics hubs, command centres and other high-value military assets.
The growing effectiveness of loitering munitions in conflicts across Ukraine, West Asia and the South Caucasus has underscored the importance of such systems in modern warfare, where relatively low-cost drones can neutralise expensive and strategically important targets.
Dedicated Infrastructure At Sulur
The facility planned at Sulur will support every stage of drone development and production, including airframe manufacturing, avionics integration, propulsion testing, datalink development and payload integration.
The project will also establish dedicated testing, validation and certification infrastructure, reducing dependence on external agencies and enabling faster development cycles for future unmanned systems.
Several critical subsystems will be jointly developed by the selected industry partner and the Air Force, with certification support from military airworthiness agencies.
Training IAF Personnel
As part of the capability-building effort, 50 Air Force personnel will undergo specialised training covering drone design, manufacturing, integration, maintenance and operational deployment.
The programme aims to ensure that the IAF can independently sustain the platform, undertake upgrades and develop derivative systems in the future.
Pilot Project With Long-Term Ambitions
The initiative is being executed by the IAF’s Maintenance Command, which oversees the maintenance, overhaul and lifecycle support of Air Force platforms and equipment.
Officials described the programme as a pilot project that could serve as the foundation for a much larger indigenous attack-drone ecosystem within the Air Force.
If successful, the Sulur facility could evolve into a centre of excellence for military drone development, strengthening India’s ability to design and produce next-generation loitering munitions and reducing reliance on foreign suppliers in a domain that is increasingly shaping modern battlefields.
About the Author
.jpg?impolicy=website&width=60&height=60 "Akash Sharma")
Akash Sharma, Defence Correspondent, CNN-News 18, covers the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Railways. In addition, he also follows developments in the national capital. With an extensive experien…Read More
Delhi, India, India
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