WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFRL) — Under the auspices of the U.S.-India Defense Technology and Trade, the U.S. Air Force has signed an agreement for joint development of air-launched unmanned aerial vehicles (ALUAVs) with India’s Defence Research and Development Organization. The milestone agreement is the first such technical project agreement under the DTTI for joint cooperative research and co-development activities. The DTTI, which began in 2012, aims to utilize both countries’ top-tier capabilities, talent, and resources to jointly develop defense technology as part of a growing bilateral defense partnership.
Under the new seven-year, $22.3 million project, which focuses on cooperation in science and technology, the Air Force Research Laboratory will team with scientists and engineers from the DRDO, the S&T arm of the Indian Ministry of Defence, to design, develop, and build a new ALUAV for underweather and standoff imaging and extended range communication.
The first phase is the design proof of concept, followed by the development of a new ALUAV system to meet operational requirements. U.S. DoD tasks account for 50 percent of the agreement, and the total project doubles the value of ongoing cooperative work with India.