FWD Supreme Lite — AI-Piloted Fighter Jet Programme

FWD Supreme Lite — AI-Piloted Fighter Jet Programme

Category: Defence / Science & Technology / Artificial Intelligence

• Flying Wedge Defence & Aerospace Technologies (FWDA) unveiled FWD Supreme Lite.
• The source describes it as India's first AI-piloted fighter jet programme.
• It is designed and developed in India.
• Proposed characteristics include:
  • Up to 30 hours endurance
  • Around 3,000 km range
  • AI-enabled autonomy
  • Precision strike capability
  • Swarm operations
  • Real-time ISR missions
• The demonstrator weighs approximately 250 kg.
• The programme is based on the “Mobbing Doctrine”, involving deployment of larger numbers of AI-piloted aircraft.
• Phase-I targets up to Mach 0.9; Phase-II targets Mach 2 and autonomous multi-aircraft teaming.

UPSC Focus: AI in defence, autonomous systems, swarm technology, ISR, unmanned combat aircraft.