Bharat Forge, Pratt & Whitney Canada to evaluate engines for DRDO HALE UAV

Bharat Forge and Pratt & Whitney Canada to explore turboprop engines for India's indigenous HALE UAV programme

Engineering firm Bharat Forge and engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney Canada will jointly evaluate the integration of advanced turboprop engines into a high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programme designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

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Indian manufacturing company Bharat Forge and Pratt & Whitney Canada, a unit of American aviation manufacturer RTX, will work together to assess the compatibility and integration requirements of turboprop engines for the DRDO-developed HALE UAV programme.

In a press statement, Bharat Forge says that under the collaboration, Pratt & Whitney Canada will evaluate engine compatibility, performance and installation requirements, while Bharat Forge will lead engine-airframe integration, including installation design and systems interfaces, drawing on its engineering, manufacturing and aerospace systems capabilities.

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Amit Kalyani

“Bharat Forge Aerospace business is proud to collaborate with Pratt & Whitney Canada to advance India’s indigenous aerospace and defence manufacturing capabilities. By combining Pratt & Whitney’s globally proven propulsion technologies with Bharat Forge’s engineering and systems integration expertise, we aim to support development of a world-class HALE platform that strengthens India’s strategic self-reliance and defence preparedness,” says Amit Kalyani, Vice Chairman and Joint Managing Director, Bharat Forge.

Ashish Saraf

“This collaboration with Bharat Forge reflects our continued commitment to supporting India’s aerospace and defence ambitions. Pratt & Whitney Canada’s turboprop engines have a proven legacy of reliability in demanding operational environments, which is exactly what’s needed for India’s HALE programme,” says Ashish Saraf, Vice President and Country Head, Pratt & Whitney.