TATA Advanced Systems has developed the ALS-50, an indigenous loitering munition, also known as a “suicide drone”. The ALS-50 is a Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) weapon that can operate in any terrain, including high-altitude areas, with a range of over 50 km. Recent reports indicate that Tata Advanced Systems has unveiled an advanced loitering suicide drone with a 250 km range suitable for the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
TATA Advanced Systems developed the ALS-50, an indigenous loitering munition also known as a “suicide drone”. The ALS-50 is a Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) weapon that can operate in any terrain, including high-altitude areas, and has a range of over 50 km. According to recent rumours, Tata sophisticated Systems has developed a sophisticated loitering suicide drone with a 250-kilometre range appropriate for Line of Actual Control (LAC).
TATA Advanced Systems developed the ALS-50, an indigenous loitering munition also known as a “suicide drone”. The ALS-50 is a Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) weapon that can operate in any terrain, including high-altitude areas, and has a range of over 50 km. According to recent speculations, Tata sophisticated Systems has created a sophisticated hovering suicide drone with a 250-kilometer range suitable for Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The drone has a length of 2.4 meters, a wingspan of 3.8 meters, and a maximum take-off weight of 50 kg. It can stay airborne for more than an hour and features fixed landing gear with four legs and a chin-mounted electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) turret and can carry anti-armour warheads.
Defence Loitering munitions can accurately take down high-value targets such as command centres, missile launchers, and enemy armour, minimising risk to personnel. The ALS-50 is expected to integrate Artificial Intelligence and swarming capabilities, depending on the requirements of the armed forces.
The development and delivery of the ALS-50 to the Indian Air Force (IAF) boosts the ‘Make in India’ initiative, reducing dependence on foreign military equipment imports. The ALS-50 was displayed at DefExpo 2022 and received the Raksha Mantri’s Award for Excellence in the Defence and Aerospace Sector.
The ALS-50 has been rigorously tested under harsh environments, including high-altitude locations in Ladakh and scorching weather in Rajasthan. During testing at the Pokhran shooting range, it successfully showed its strike capabilities by correctly striking the ground target with an explosive payload.
