The SkyStriker loitering munition carried out a precision strike at the Mahajan Field Firing Range during the ongoing India-US military exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026, demonstrating the system’s ability to detect, engage and accurately hit designated targets in a realistic operational setting.The Indian Army‘s demonstration highlighted the growing role of indigenous defence technology, unmanned systems and precision-strike capabilities in modern warfare, according to news agency ANI.Yudh Abhyas 2026 is focused on enhancing interoperability between Indian and US forces, with troops training alongside drones, autonomous systems and other emerging battlefield technologies. The exercise is also aimed at preparing both armies for increasingly technology-driven combat environments.SkyStriker & its key features and capabilitiesThe SkyStriker is a loitering munition, an unmanned weapon system that combines surveillance, target acquisition and precision strike capabilities.It can be launched to search for a designated target, remain airborne over an area and then engage the target when directed.The system was developed by Israel-based Elbit Systems and is manufactured in India through its partnership with Bengaluru-based Alpha Design Technologies.The SkyStriker can carry either a 5-kg or 10-kg warhead and uses electric propulsion, allowing it to operate with a relatively low acoustic signature.According to Elbit Systems, the system can travel up to 20 km in about 10 minutes and can remain airborne for up to two hours with a 5-kg warhead or one hour with a 10-kg warhead.For target acquisition, the loitering munition is equipped with a gimballed dual CCD and infrared seeker, along with a synchronised dual tracker. It can dive towards its target at speeds of up to 300 knots.The system also features autonomous navigation during its cruise and loitering phases, as well as abort, go-around and re-engagement capabilities.The SkyStriker was also used operationally during Operation Sindoor in May 2025, when the Indian armed forces carried out strikes against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
