HAL’s CATS Warrior is a key component of India’s emerging Combat Air Teaming System, engineered to function as a forward sensor amplifier for the TEJAS fighter. By extending the pilot’s awareness well beyond the aircraft’s onboard sensors, the Warrior enables faster and more precise decision-making in contested airspace.

Designed to operate ahead of the TEJAS in potentially hostile zones, the drone can push into areas where manned fighters would be at higher risk. Its sensor suite detects, classifies, and relays target data in real time to the parent aircraft, allowing the pilot to select optimal strike options before entering the battlespace.

For routine missions, the Warrior is configured to operate within a combat radius of roughly 350 km, ensuring it can return safely to friendly territory after completing reconnaissance or offensive tasks. This recoverable mode preserves the asset for repeated deployments and sustained operational tempo.

In more aggressive scenarios, the system can extend to 800 km in a one-way strike mode. Here, the Warrior deliberately sacrifices itself to neutralise high-value targets beyond its safe return range. This mode is particularly suitable for penetrating heavily defended areas where retrieval would be impractical or impossible.

The drone’s dual-mode capability offers mission planners considerable flexibility, enabling a balance between asset preservation and deep-strike force projection. Commanders can tailor deployment strategies to threat levels, target value, and operational urgency.

Acting autonomously as a forward sensor node, the Warrior reduces the exposure risk for manned aircraft while maintaining offensive pressure on adversaries. Its role as a pathfinder for the TEJAS improves survivability for pilots, maximises strike success, and integrates seamlessly into networked warfare architectures.

By combining autonomous intelligence gathering and precision strike capability, HAL’s CATS Warrior represents a significant jump in India’s ability to project air power in complex operational environments.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)