Scaling Up India's Ghatak UCAV into a Manned Stealth Bomber : Exploring Technical Feasibility and Design Challenges

India’s Ghatak Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) program stands as a milestone in the country's pursuit of self-reliant defense technology. Developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Ghatak UCAV is designed as a stealthy, autonomous combat platform. With an emphasis on deep-strike capabilities, this futuristic aircraft is powered by the indigenous 49kN Dry Kaveri engine, a product of years of research and commitment to indigenous aerospace development. Yet, the idea of scaling up the Ghatak UCAV into a full-fledged manned bomber is not only a fascinating concept but also a technically complex undertaking.

At the heart of the Ghatak UCAV’s development lies a stealthy, tailless flying-wing design, validated through ADE’s SWiFT (Stealth Wing Flying Testbed) demonstrator. Weighing in at 1.1 tons, the SWiFT provided crucial insights into stealth technology, flight control mechanisms, and aerodynamic principles. The Ghatak itself has since evolved into a more formidable 13-ton UCAV, designed for carrying precision-guided munitions and executing autonomous offensive missions. Its performance as an unmanned platform is already impressive, but the question remains: Can this technology be scaled up to create a manned, stealth bomber capable of significantly expanding India’s aerial strike capabilities?

The first technical challenge in such a transformation revolves around weight and structural integrity. A manned version of the Ghatak would demand substantial reinforcements to support the cockpit, pilot control systems, life-support mechanisms, and ejection seats. Simply adding these elements could increase the platform's weight by an estimated 2-3 tons. Additional structural enhancements to ensure safety and operational stability might add another 1-2 tons. All this could push the aircraft's Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) to around 20-25 tons, considerably more than the current 13-ton UCAV.

Adapting the Ghatak’s current air intake system also poses a significant challenge. The existing front-center intake design, while effective for a UCAV, is not optimal for a manned bomber that needs to maximize stealth and aerodynamic efficiency. Instead, adopting side intakes, similar to those on the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, would likely be necessary to maintain a low radar cross-section and ensure adequate airflow to the engines. This modification, however, would involve substantial redesigns of the airframe, increasing both complexity and cost.

Moreover, a bomber's role demands far more than just structural upgrades. Advanced avionics for navigation, targeting, and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities would need to be integrated, allowing the aircraft to perform strategic strike missions while defending against sophisticated enemy systems. To carry a variety of payloads, from guided bombs to standoff missiles, the aircraft would also require a modular internal bomb bay. These features, while enhancing the bomber’s strategic potential, would significantly add to the overall weight and necessitate further engineering efforts to maintain the airframe's stealth profile.

The engine requirements for this scaled-up bomber version are another key hurdle. The Dry Kaveri engine, delivering 49kN of thrust, is suitable for the 13-ton Ghatak UCAV but falls short for a heavier, 20-25 ton manned platform. A bomber generally needs a thrust-to-weight ratio (TWR) ranging between 0.3 to 0.5 to ensure a balance between performance, range, and payload capacity. For an MTOW of 25 tons, this translates to a thrust requirement of between 73.5 kN (low-end) and 122.5 kN (high-end). The most plausible engine solution could be the 110 kN engine being developed for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), which could offer around 75 kN of dry thrust. Alternatively, a twin-engine configuration using two Dry Kaveri engines, producing a combined 98 kN thrust, could be explored, though this would necessitate a comprehensive redesign of the airframe, potentially compromising its stealth features.

Integrating these propulsion upgrades is no simple task. A dual-engine configuration, while providing the necessary thrust, would complicate engine integration, exhaust management, and thermal signature suppression. Meanwhile, the airframe would need meticulous redesigning to accommodate these engines without undermining the platform’s stealth characteristics. Even with a single, more powerful engine, engineers would face challenges in balancing the aircraft's center of gravity, aerodynamics, and flight stability.

Despite these obstacles, the concept of a manned Ghatak-derived bomber holds considerable promise for India's defense capabilities. With the right investments and technological advancements, a compact, stealthy bomber could be developed to meet the country's strategic needs. However, the transition from an unmanned UCAV to a manned bomber would be a long, expensive process requiring breakthroughs in propulsion, materials science, and stealth technology.

In conclusion, scaling the Ghatak UCAV into a manned bomber platform is technically feasible but demands extensive modifications in design, propulsion, and avionics. While the endeavor is ambitious, the strategic advantages of a domestically developed, stealthy manned bomber could justify the investment, providing India with a significant edge in aerial warfare and long-range strike capabilities. Nonetheless, the path forward will require a comprehensive engineering effort and a substantial increase in funding to realize this ambitious vision.