Unmanned aerial vehicle-launched precision guided missile system completes final development trials in both air-to-ground and air-to-air configurations at the DRDO test range near Kurnool. The ULPGM-V3 achievement advances India's operational capability in networked airborne strike systems and demonstrates integrated command-and-control architecture at scale.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation successfully concluded final deliverable configuration development trials of the ULPGM-V3 missile system Kurnool test range in Andhra Pradesh. The weapon system operated in both air-to-ground and air-to-air firing modes under an integrated ground control station managing command, control, and launch sequencing. The missile was integrated on unmanned aerial vehicles supplied by Newspace Research and Technologies, Bengaluru, and controlled via automated ground infrastructure designed to streamline operational readiness and firing procedures.
The ULPGM-V3 represents a multi-lab collaborative effort across the DRDO ecosystem, with Research Centre Imarat serving as nodal agency alongside the Defence Research and Development Laboratory in Hyderabad, Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory in Chandigarh, and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory in Pune. Production partnerships with Bharat Dynamics Limited and Adani Defence Systems and Technologies Limited indicate transition toward manufacturing scale-up. The missile's dual-mode targeting capability and automated ground control integration enhance tactical flexibility for airborne platforms while reducing crew workload during complex engagement scenarios.
Successful completion of configuration trials accelerates the system toward operational deployment pathways. Integration compatibility across the Indian air force's expanding unmanned fleet remains a critical next-phase consideration, as does qualification across diverse platform variants and operational altitudes. Production scaling and pilot-platform transition timelines will determine operational availability within defence acquisition schedules.