DRDO, Navy Test Indigenous Air Drop System
ADC-150 container successfully released from P8I aircraft in trials off Goa coast
- DRDO and Indian Navy conduct successful trials of ADC-150 system
- Indigenous air droppable container designed to deliver 150 kg payload
- Trials carried out from P8I aircraft off Goa coast
- System to enhance naval logistics and emergency response at sea
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 10th March: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy have successfully conducted a series of in-flight release trials of the indigenous Air Droppable Container ‘ADC-150’, designed to enhance naval logistics capabilities at sea.
The trials were carried out from a P8I maritime patrol aircraft off the Goa coast between February 21 and March 1, 2026, under different extreme release conditions. A total of four successful in-flight releases were conducted during the testing phase.
The ADC-150 has been indigenously designed and developed to deliver a 150 kg payload, enabling rapid delivery of critical supplies such as equipment, medical aid and essential stores to naval ships deployed far from the coastline.
Officials said the system would significantly improve the Navy’s ability to provide quick logistical support to vessels in distress or requiring urgent supplies during operations in the open sea.
The Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) in Visakhapatnam served as the nodal laboratory for the project.
The Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) in Agra developed the parachute system for the container, while the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) in Bengaluru provided flight clearance and certification for the trials.
Instrumentation support during the testing was provided by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad.
According to officials, the ADC-150 system was developed and qualified within a short timeframe to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Navy.
With all developmental flight trials completed successfully, the system is now expected to be inducted into operational service with the Indian Navy in the near future, strengthening India’s indigenous defence capabilities and maritime logistics support systems.
