The India-manufactured drone, set to be inducted into naval maritime operations, departed from Hyderabad to Porbandar in Gujarat.
Drishti 10 Starliner UAV
The Chief of India’s Naval Staff, Admiral R Hari Kumar, unveiled the indigenous Drishti 10 Starliner drone for the Indian Navy at Adani Defence’s drone unveiling ceremony on Wednesday. The India-manufactured drone, set to be inducted into naval maritime operations, departed from Telangana’s Hyderabad to Porbandar in Gujarat.
The Drishti 10 Starliner is an advanced Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform boasting a 36-hour endurance, a 450kg payload capacity, and clearance to fly in both segregated and unsegregated airspace. Admiral R Hari Kumar of the Indian Navy commended Adani for aligning their roadmap with the requirements of the Indian Navy and establishing an ecosystem of partners and capabilities to enable Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in defence and security.
Admiral R Hari Kumar said the drone will be a potent force multiplier in the Indian Ocean region that faces an array of security challenges. The Drishti 10 Starliner drone has been built by Adani Defence and Aerospace at its Hyderabad facility with tech. transfer from Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems. The UAV is the first major defence platform to be delivered to the Indian military by Adani and is a variant of Elbit Systems’ Hermes 900 Starliner drones.
Kumar was in Hyderabad for the drone’s unveiling and accepting its delivery. It is the first of the four drones (two each) ordered by the navy and the army by invoking emergency financial powers. The remaining systems will be delivered in the coming months. The armed forces have a requirement for around 100 such drones.
The navy’s challenges include China’s carefully calculated power play for influence, defending the rules-based international order, and the emergence of the Arabian Sea as a new front with tensions in the Red Sea escalating and piracy continuing to be a problem in the Gulf of Aden. The navy has stepped up surveillance in the Arabian Sea substantially and deployed task groups consisting of around 10 warships in the face of rising threats. P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft, Sea Guardian remotely piloted aircraft, Dorniers, helicopters and ICG ships are part of the effort to strengthen security in the area.
What Adani Group Does In Defence Sector
Adani Defence, which aims to transform India into a destination for world-class defence manufacturing mid a push for self-reliance in the sector, has established India’s first unmanned aerial vehicles and small arms manufacturing units. It is currently setting up the first comprehensive aircraft maintenance facility to ensure safety and airworthiness as per to international standards.
UAVs
The UAV flagged off is a MALE (medium altitude long range) type, while other products in this category include medium-range unmanned aircraft systems that the company claims to be combat proven.
SMGs, LMGs and Sniper Rifles
The products on the company’s websites includes light machine guns (LMGs), the only model in the world that comes with a semi-automatic mode, besides assault and sniper rifles, pistols and submachine guns.
Counter Drone Systems
Counter drone systems that can be installed quickly and operated easily – both in auto and manual mode – is also among its products. The company claims that their systems ensure multi-layer detection and day-and-night operating capability in urban, semi-urban, and rural environments.
Aircraft Maintenance
Adani Defence aims to a one-stop fleet maintenance destination for civil and defence aircraft, providing MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) services for the engine, painting, and electrical and mechanical components.
