India has started an ambitious plan to build an indigenous high altitude airship that can fly at a height of more than 20 kilometers. The total cost of this project will be around Rs 15,000 crore. Its purpose is to strengthen long-term surveillance, intelligence gathering and communication systems. This project is being run under the supervision of the Directorate of Operations (Remote) of the Indian Air Force. It will be developed under the ‘Make-I’ scheme of the Defense Ministry. In this scheme, the government will bear up to 70 percent of the cost of research and development.
According to sources, this airship has been named Airship-Based High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (AS-HAPS). It will be able to fly continuously for several months at an altitude of more than 20 kilometers. Modern sensors like radar, high-resolution cameras and electronic intelligence systems will be installed in it, which will be able to continuously monitor the enemy’s activities.
Will fulfill the potential between drone and satellite
This system will fulfill the potential between drones and satellites. While normal military drones fly about 12 kilometers and low-Earth orbit satellites are at altitudes of 500 to 2,000 kilometers, this airship will facilitate continuous surveillance between them. This will also help in transmitting data from ground to satellite.
According to sources, the Defense Ministry will select at least two private companies for this project. Companies will be selected on the basis of their technical capability and financial strength. India had earlier successfully tested the airship at an altitude of about 17 kilometers with the help of DRDO in Madhya Pradesh in May 2025.
Will keep an eye on China
According to sources, this technology will give India a greater capability to monitor China and other border areas for a long time. China is already working on high-altitude balloon and airship technology and many of its balloons have been seen in different parts of the world. In such a situation, this project of India is being considered very important from strategic point of view.
Leave a Reply