Indian Navy Sets REARM‑D Drone Specs for VLS Reload
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- Indian Navy released a problem statement titled “Rearming by Drone (REARM‑D) at Sea” to solicit a multi‑rotor drone for at‑sea VLS missile reloading.
- Indian Navy cites rapid depletion of surface‑to‑air missiles while countering low‑cost drones and missiles as the main driver for sea‑based rearming, noting current harbour crane methods cause significant operational downtime.
- Drone will have a flight endurance of over two hours and a payload capacity exceeding 900 kg, powered by an internal combustion engine for station‑keeping in varied ship speeds, wind and weather.
- UAV will use a gyro‑stabilised platform to transfer missile canisters from a supply ship to a receiving warship, minimizing swing during the hand‑off.
- UAV will hover precisely above the designated Vertical Launch Unit cell, lower the missile with an onboard winch, and employ real‑time stabilisation to keep the payload steady during loading.
- Loading mechanism will be portable and removable, installed on the VLU cell to enable vertical loading of the missile canister.
Why it matters: The Indian Navy gains the ability to keep its warships armed without returning to port, slashing the downtime caused by crane‑based replenishment and improving readiness against swarming low‑cost threats. Suppliers of maritime UAVs stand to benefit from a new high‑payload, long‑endurance market.
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