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What is the News?
India has successfully tested the indigenously-designed Abhyas – a High-speed Expendable Aerial Target(HEAT) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), off the coast of Odisha.
What is Abhyas?
Source: Wikipedia
Designed and developed by: Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) of DRDO
Purpose: It offers a realistic threat scenario for practice of weapon systems.Hence, it can be used as an aerial target for evaluation of various missile systems.
Features:
Firstly, it is powered by a gas turbine engine to sustain a long endurance flight at subsonic speed.
Secondly, it is equipped with a MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems)-based Inertial Navigation System (INS) for navigation along with the Flight Control Computer (FCC) for guidance and control.
Thirdly, the vehicle is programmed for fully autonomous flight and their check-out is done using a laptop-based Ground Control Station(GCS).
Lastly, the system is equipped with Radar Cross-Section(RCS) and infrared signatures which can be used to simulate a variety of aircraft for the practice of anti-aircraft warfare and also for the testing designed to target aerial targets.
Source: The post is based on the article “High-speed expendable aerial target Abhyas successfully tested off Odisha coast” published in Indian Express on 30th June 2022
