Panaji: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy achieved a major logistical milestone on Tuesday, announcing the successful completion of four in-flight release trials for the indigenous "ADC-150" air droppable container.

The tests, conducted between Feb. 21 and March 1, 2026, utilised a P8I maritime patrol aircraft operating off the coast of Goa. During the evaluation, the container was released under various extreme flight conditions to verify its structural integrity and deployment accuracy.

Indigenously designed to transport a 150-kilogram payload, the ADC-150 is engineered to bolster the Navy's "blue water" logistical reach. The system allows for the rapid delivery of critical engineering spares, medical supplies, and essential equipment to vessels in distress located far from the coastline, reducing the need for ships to return to port for minor repairs or urgent stores.

Collaborative Development

The project was a multi-laboratory effort coordinated by the Naval Science & Technological Laboratory in Visakhapatnam. Other key contributors included:

  • ADRDE, Agra: Developed the specialised parachute recovery system.
  • CEMILAC, Bengaluru: Provided the essential flight clearance and airworthiness certification.
  • DRDL, Hyderabad: Managed the instrumentation and data collection for the flight trials.

Path to Induction

The Ministry of Defence noted that the ADC-150 was developed and qualified within a condensed timeframe to meet the specific operational requirements of the P8I fleet. With all developmental flight phases now successfully concluded, the system is slated for imminent induction into active service with the Indian Navy.