India successfully tests new smart anti-airfield glide bomb

India conducted a series of successful tests of its indigenously developed glide bomb, the Smart Anti Airfield Weapon, the Ministry of Defence said in a Friday, November 3 press release.

“The guided bomb released from the aircraft and guided through precision navigation system, reached the targets at greater than 70 km range, with high accuracies,” the release said. “A total of three tests with different release conditions and ranges were conducted and all were successful.”

The tests were carried out by Indian Air Force aircraft at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha.

The project was sanctioned in September 2013 and SAAW was developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation and the Indian Air Force. A 120kg-class weapon, SAAW is a lightweight, high-precision guided glide bomb designed to destroy runways, bunkers, aircraft hangers and other reinforced structures form a standoff range of up to 100 kilometres.

SAAW was first test-launched from a SEPECAT Jaguar aircraft in May 2016 in Banglore. A second successful test was carried out in December 2016 from a Sukhoi Su-30MKI at ITR Odisha. Plans are in place to integrate SAAW with the Dassault Rafale when it is incorporated into the Indian Air Force.

Secretary of Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO Dr. S Christopher said SAAW will be inducted into the armed forces soon, the release said.