Air-Ships Based High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (AS-HAPS)
Why in News?
- The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) recently granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for AS-HAPS procurement for the Indian Air Force, part of a ₹3.60 lakh crore package including Rafale jets.
- Estimated at ₹15,000 crore, it boosts Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) amid border tensions.
Key Information and Features
- Altitude & Endurance: These platforms operate in the stratosphere at altitudes of 18–20 km (roughly 65,000 feet), which is nearly double the cruising altitude of commercial planes. They are designed to stay airborne for months or even years.
- Solar Powered: AS-HAPS utilizes solar energy during the day and high-density rechargeable batteries at night, enabling perpetual flight without the need for traditional fuel.
- "Towers in the Sky": Because they hover persistently over a specific geographic location (unlike satellites that orbit at high speeds), they function as aerial base stations for communication and monitoring.
- Cost Efficiency: Operating HAPS is significantly cheaper than conventional satellites because they do not require expensive rocket launches and can be retrieved for maintenance or payload upgrades.
- Indigenous Development: India has been developing these systems through the CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) in Bengaluru. A 12-metre wingspan prototype successfully completed test flights in early 2024, and a full-scale version with a 30-metre wingspan is planned for 2027.
Primary Applications
- Military & Defense:
- Persistent ISR: Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance across 15,000 km of land borders and 7,500 km of coastline.
- ELINT: Electronic Intelligence gathering and target tracking.
- Missile Detection: Early warning systems for incoming threats.
- Civilian & Humanitarian:
- Telecom Relay: Providing 5G connectivity and high-speed internet to remote, underserved, or disaster-hit areas.
- Disaster Management: Real-time damage assessment and emergency communication nodes.
- Environmental Monitoring: Precision agriculture, maritime patrol, and tracking climate changes or forest fires.
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