In picture: Guru Biswal, CEO, Bharat Forge Aerospace Business & Wesley Rodrigues, Associate Director, Marketing & Sales, Security & Defence, Pratt & Whitney Canada. On Rodrigues’ left: Ashish Saraf, Vice President & Country Head, India, Pratt & Whitney.
Bharat Forge and Pratt & Whitney Canada have entered into a significant collaboration to assess the integration of turboprop propulsion into a High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programme being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The partnership will focus on assessing Pratt & Whitney Canada’s turboprop engine technology for integration into India’s indigenous HALE UAV platform. The scope will include engine-airframe compatibility, propulsion performance and the installation requirements for incorporating the engine into the aircraft.
As per the sources, Bharat Forge will lead the engine-airframe integration activities, including installation design and system interfaces. The company will draw on its aerospace engineering, manufacturing and systems integration capabilities for the programme.
Pratt & Whitney Canada will assess the compatibility and performance of its propulsion technology against the requirements of the UAV platform. The companies will work together on the technical aspects of integrating the propulsion system with the airframe.
“Bharat Forge Aerospace business is proud to collaborate with Pratt & Whitney Canada to advance India’s indigenous aerospace and defence manufacturing capabilities,” said Amit Kalyani, Vice Chairman and Joint Managing Director, Bharat Forge Ltd. “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.”
For a HALE UAV, propulsion performance and reliability are important to achieving long-duration flight at high altitudes. These platforms are designed for missions such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance across land and maritime domains, where endurance and range are key operational requirements.
“This collaboration with Bharat Forge reflects our continued commitment to supporting India’s aerospace and defence ambitions,” said Ashish Saraf, Vice President and Country Head, Pratt & Whitney. “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 program.”
The partnership combines Pratt & Whitney Canada’s expertise in turboprop propulsion with Bharat Forge’s engineering, manufacturing and systems integration capabilities. It also supports Bharat Forge Aerospace’s efforts to strengthen its presence in India’s aerospace and defence sector through technology development and collaborations with global aerospace companies.
Bharat Forge’s aerospace business develops and manufactures aerospace, defence and marine systems, structures and components, supported by its engineering and advanced manufacturing capabilities.
