India plans 500 Ghatak drones for fighter jets

The Indian Air Force plans to operate up to 500 Ghatak stealth drones alongside Rafale, Tejas, and Su-30MKI fighter jets.

The fleet includes HAL's CATS Warrior loyal wingmen and ALFA-S swarm drones to penetrate defended airspace before manned aircraft.

Funding approval from the Cabinet is still pending, and questions remain over realistic timelines and production capacity.

The programme aims to counter China's expanding drone capabilities and Pakistan's growing unmanned arsenal.