The Indian Air Force (IAF) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have successfully demonstrated advanced Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) capabilities in a pioneering maritime strike exercise off the Konkan coast. A piloted TEJAS was networked with two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), validating command and control handoffs, sensor fusion, and precision strikes.

Strict navigational protocols were enforced, with a NOTMAR no-sail zone active around Goa and Karwar. The trial occurred during an intensified tri-service exercise window, coinciding with Exercise Konkan and Trishul, highlighting India’s evolving joint warfare readiness across the Arabian Sea.

A core achievement was the seamless integration of manned and unmanned platforms. The TEJAS and UAVs swapped positions mid-mission, shared live sensor feeds, and executed strike waypoints based entirely on instructions from an Autonomous Control System (ACS). These operations required autonomous manoeuvres by the UAVs, without direct human piloting from the ground or the lead aircraft.

Sensor-to-shooter handoff was trialled and validated. Targeting data from the UAVs’ sensor payloads was transferred to the weapons platform—the TEJAS—for execution of precision strikes in a simulated maritime scenario. The command and control (C2) handoffs between the aircraft and UAVs underscore the growing sophistication of the IAF’s networked combat environment.

The exercise concluded with a coordinated rendezvous and recovery at Dabolim, Goa, marking the safe retrieval of all assets and confirming the reliability of autonomous operational modes. This capability dramatically enhances force survivability and operational tempo in contested environments.

The broader tri-service context saw parallel bilateral drills—Exercise Konkan with the UK Royal Navy—and joint tri-service operations under Exercise Trishul, testing indigenous interoperability along western and north-western Indian borders.

The significance of this MUM-T trial is profound for India’s evolving air power doctrine. Integrating indigenous combat aircraft with autonomous platforms positions India at the forefront among nations fielding networked and asymmetric warfare solutions.

The IAF’s MUM-T roadmap now promises expanded lethality, extended operational range, and substantial risk mitigation for aircrew in future maritime and multi-domain engagements.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)