The CATS Warrior UAV is proposed to be used as the "eyes" of the Indian Air Force's Tejas pilot.

The Indian Air Force is aiming to create a fighter jet whose pilot would be able to obtain more information about the patrol (combat) area. For this purpose, it is proposed to use a sensor-equipped fighter. UAV CATS Warrior by HAL.

CATS in this case stands for Combat Air Teaming System. aviation interactions (in the Russian version – SBAV).

It is planned that such a drone will become “additional eyes” for the pilot operating the Tejas fighter.

HAL:

By extending pilot awareness beyond the aircraft's onboard sensors, CATS Warrior enables faster and more accurate decision making in contested airspace.

The authors of the development say that Drone planned for use in activity zones Defense enemy without putting the pilot in the Tejas cockpit at risk. The UAV's equipment will therefore provide the pilot with situational awareness information "for optimal strikes on the selected target." This is intended to reduce combat losses for Indian Air Force pilots in the event of an armed conflict, and India has had several such conflicts (with Pakistan) involving combat aircraft recently.

It is known that the combat radius of the Indian fighter-assistant UAV is about 350 km.

It is also noted that the drone can also be used "disposably"—to carry out a combat mission to strike deep within the enemy's control zone. In this case, the maximum flight range is stated to be 800 km. In this case, the CATS Warrior is positioned as a "kamikaze" drone, which would attack the target itself.

Indian press:

The drone's dual-mode capability provides mission planners with significant flexibility, allowing them to balance asset conservation with long-range force projection. Commanders can tailor deployment strategies to threat levels, target significance, and operational responsiveness.

India hasn't yet stated that the mission would clearly have to be reconsidered in the event of the loss of such a UAV (like the Tejas's co-pilot). But the idea itself is quite feasible.

Comments

[gridasov]

Drones are needed where their capabilities exceed those of a human's physical presence—defined as a complex of psycho-intellectual-physical capabilities. Therefore, drones must, first and foremost, fly at acceleration and maneuverability exceeding the capabilities of a pilot. They must also achieve flight durations, altitudes, and a host of other possible priorities. This therefore opens up opportunities for design thinking—but where are they?

[Andrey_i_K]

I completely agree. And take the MANPADS shot.

[voyaka uh]

One example...
This is the future of aviation.
The pilot will become an "option." The number of pilots will be reduced.
And the number of operators will grow.
Such a drone will be controlled by a network of satellites, flying command posts, and ground headquarters.
And with autonomous capabilities: map, astronavigation, GPS...

When you don't fear for the pilot's life, operations become daring and profound.

[Mikhail3]

Typical programmers. Programming is a poor emulation of one of the functions of the human brain. One of those functions, and a poor one at that. That's why programmers have little understanding of people, whose brains also use other functions. This is the main reason why the vast majority of programs have a huge number of completely unnecessary functions, and the ones they need most are so poorly implemented.
The pilot is already desperately overwhelmed by information. Introducing an even larger array of video data into his immediate field of vision will lead to a mass migration of pilots to hospices. There, they will lie for days with their eyes closed, clutching them with their hands and pillows, and will cry whenever anyone tries to open them.
Programmers should be driven like a lazy horse, and not allowed to do anything that involves deciding what the user actually needs. Goal setting requires thinking like a human, not like an emulation...

[gridasov]

Big data analysis isn't programming. It's working with variable situations and optimizing them using large amounts of new input data. In other words, it's not necessary to recalculate the entire data set, but to distribute it according to capacity and scalability. This is why we're talking about fundamental properties of numbers that fundamentally change the analysis process, such as algorithmically linked systems of data sets that aren't programmable, but rather oriented.

[Mikhail3]

Offering a pilot a job that will make him lose his mind is programming. You seem to be a programmer too. It's obvious. Are you suggesting the pilot "don't recalculate"? We'll fix his brain, right? That's how products that make your brain go nuts appear on the market...

[Revolver]

Judging by its appearance, this drone would be more expensive than the manned Tejas. Using it as a one-off is not very smart. Besides, constantly carrying a warhead takes up space and weight that could be used more efficiently.

[belovvladimir]

Wouldn't it be easier to equip all new aircraft with sensors, all around the aircraft, and even in the wings, which doesn't provide the same level of awareness, and is cheaper than a drone with such sensors?