HAL is accelerating development of the CATS Hunter air-launched cruise missile after India’s May 2025 Operation Sindoor, targeting carriage trials by mid-2026 and series production around 2030, according to multiple program updates published this week. The subsonic, stealth-oriented ALCM—part of HAL’s Combat Air Teaming System—has shifted to an upgraded indigenous PTAE-7 turbojet with digital engine controls, a configuration linked to a redesigned low‑observable airframe seen since April 2025 and aimed at penetrating contested airspace with sea‑skimming profiles. Early concepts indicated a 200–300 km class range with a 250 kg payload and recoverable design, while recent reports suggest extended range beyond 300 km as HAL prioritizes endurance over reusability to meet IAF standoff needs post‑Sindoor. The program’s momentum follows IAF disclosures in August 2025 about Sindoor’s outcomes, underscoring a focus on precision strikes and integrated air defense effects, even as the service weighs parallel investments in supersonic ALCMs and jet‑powered glide weapons.