Bangalore: Bangalore-headquartered Flying Wedge Defence and Aerospace (FWDA) on Tuesday announced the successful maiden flight of indigenous unmanned bomber aircraft, the FWD 200B.

Classified as a Medium Altitude (15,000 feet) Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), the FWD 200B is equipped with optical payloads for surveillance and missile-like weapons for air strikes and bombing, the FWDA Founder and CEO Suhas Tejaskanda told reporters here.

“The aircraft’s aerodynamics design, airframe, propulsion systems, controls systems, electronics are all made in India at FWDA’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility of 12,000 Square Feet built on 1.5 acre land, located at Electronic City, Bangalore,” he said.

It can fly at a cruise speed of 152 kms per hour, with a maximum speed of 250 km per hour. Its runway requirement is just 300 metres allowing it to operate from shorter airstrips, Tejaskanda said.

“With an endurance of seven hours and a range of 800 km, the FWD 200B ensures extended mission capabilities, providing substantial coverage without the need for frequent refuelling or landing,” he said.

The aircraft’s aerodynamics, airframe, propulsion systems, controls systems, and electronics have been designed and developed at FWDA’s manufacturing facility at Electronic City, Bangalore. It comes with a wingspan of 5 metres (16.4 feet) and a length of 3.5 metres (12.1 feet). With a Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) of 102 kg, the UAV can carry a payload capacity of 30 kg, FWDA said.

The FWD 200B can operate at a cruise altitude of 12,000 feet and reach a ceiling of 15,000 feet. It can fly at a cruise speed of 152 km/h, with a maximum speed of 250 km/h. The UAV has an endurance of seven hours and a range of 800 km. A runway requirement of just 300 metres allows it to operate from shorter airstrips, FWDA said.

FWDA has pitched the UAV as a cost-effective alternative to imported technology. India has often paid up to ten times the cost for military technology from countries like the US and Israel.

(With Inputs From Agencies)