Flying Wedge Defence Unveils 'FWD Supreme Lite', India's First AI-Piloted Fighter Jet Programme

22 August 2026National

Indian defence start-up Flying Wedge Defence & Aerospace Technologies (FWDA) unveiled 'FWD Supreme Lite', billed as India's first AI-piloted fighter jet programme, moving the effort from digital engineering to a physical demonstrator. Designed and built entirely in India, the platform targets up to 30 hours endurance and a 3,000 km range, with AI autonomy enabling precision strikes, swarm operations and real-time ISR missions. The roughly 250 kg demonstrator is undergoing airframe development, system integration and ground testing. Phase-I targets Mach 0.9 maximum speed and 700–1,000 km operational range; Phase-II aims for Mach 2 and multi-aircraft autonomous teaming under the new 'Mobbing Doctrine'.

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DRDO's CATS Warrior and the Ghatak stealth UCAV are India's other flagship unmanned combat air vehicle programmes | iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence), launched in 2018 under the Ministry of Defence, funds defence start-ups | The AMCA is India's fifth-generation stealth fighter programme, led by ADA under DRDO

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