A team from Indian Air Force (IAF) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have successfully flight-tested the country’s first indigenously developed Long-Range Bomb (LRB) from a Sukhoi-30 fighter jet over Balasore, Odisha on Friday.
The LR Bomb has a range of 100 kilometres and was fired from the IAF fighter aircraft flying at an altitude of 10 kilometres. Designed and developed by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat (RCI), the LR Bomb can carry a warhead of 1000 kilograms.
Using laser guidance, the bomb hit a target range inside the sea around 11.00am. It met all mission objectives successfully.
India had in the past been using Israeli laser-guided bombs, right from the Kargil war to Operation Bandar in Balakot in 2019. The successful test of the LR Bomb makes India capable of staying well within its territory and hitting enemy targets at 100 kilometres with high accuracy.
Just a day earlier, India tested DRDO Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) from the Pokhran range. It is capable of hitting ground targets up to a range of 100 kilometres. Carrying a warhead of 125 kg, SAAW is designed to disable airfield runways. DRDO had last tested the anti-airfield weapon in January.
The successful tests can prove to be a force multiplier and major boost to the Indian Armed Forces, especially at a time when border disputes with China are intensifying.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, IAF and other teams associated with successful flight tests.
Last Friday, the DRDO successfully flight-tested Abhyas High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha. The defence ministry said that the indigenous unmanned aerial vehicle will meet the requirements of HEAT for the armed forces.
