Indian Navy receives first weaponised unmanned fast interceptor crafts from Sagar Defence Engineering.

Key facts

• Indian Navy will receive the first batch of two autonomous weaponised unmanned fast interceptor crafts (FICs) from Pune-based Sagar Defence Engineering.
• India will join the league of countries possessing weaponised swarm (vessel) capability after induction of these crafts.
• Sagar Defence dispatched the first two FICs to the Navy on Friday for deployment somewhere on the west coast.
• Indian Navy placed orders for 12 weaponised boat swarms after signing a deal with Sagar Defence on 5 January 2022.
• FICs are designed, developed and manufactured entirely in India under the iDEX–DIO framework.
• Each craft is fitted with a 12.7 mm gun and can deploy short-range missiles and loitering ammunition.
• Multiple crafts can be controlled from a single control station and operate in a GPS-denied environment.
• Craft endurance exceeds two days at sea and operational range is over 400 nautical miles (approximately 800 km).