The GryphonWorks team at NewSpace Research & Technologies (NRT) has achieved a significant indigenous milestone by successfully validating a Rocket-Assisted Take-Off (RATO) booster for the Sheshnag-150 deep-strike platform.

The Sheshnaag-150 is an Indian, long-range, swarming one-way attack drone, developed by the Bangalore-based private company NewSpace Research & Technologies

Previously restricted to vehicle-based and mobile highway launches, the addition of the RATO booster enables the system to launch without requiring a conventional runway.

This development substantially increases operational flexibility, allowing the platform to be deployed from confined, unprepared and rugged forward locations. The capability could enhance survivability and responsiveness by reducing dependence on fixed launch infrastructure.

Developed by the Bangalore-based defence Start-Up under the IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) category, the Sheshnag-150 is intended to provide India with a low-cost, mass-producible deep-strike capability.

The platform belongs to the 150 kg weight class and is designed for long-range precision missions. Its operational range exceeds 1,000 km, while previous strike trials at Pokhran demonstrated a continuous flight path of approximately 720 km before target engagement.

The Sheshnag-150 can remain airborne for more than five hours and is capable of carrying a 25 kg to 40 kg high-explosive warhead, providing a combination of endurance and strike effectiveness.

A key feature of the system is its AI-powered swarm intelligence. Multiple drones can coordinate autonomously during flight, enabling saturation attacks intended to confuse, overwhelm and penetrate hostile air-defence networks.

The platform also incorporates AI-driven visual navigation, allowing accurate target tracking and engagement even in GPS-denied or heavily jammed environments. This enhances operational effectiveness during electronic warfare conditions where satellite navigation may be unavailable.

The Sheshnag-150 has been developed as part of India's broader push towards indigenous autonomous strike systems and reflects growing emphasis on low-cost, long-range unmanned capabilities that can operate with limited human intervention.

While the successful RATO booster validation marks an important step towards greater deployment agility and launch-site flexibility, additional operational testing and evaluation will be required before the platform can be fully integrated into frontline service.

Agencies