In a display of India’s military might, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has displayed five aerial launched weapons to mark the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’. This includes air-to-air missile ‘Astra’ which is an all-weather, active radar homing missile with beyond visual range striking capabilities; ‘Rudram’, a new generation anti-radiation missile with a capability to destroy adversary’s radar and communication systems; ‘Smart Anti Airfield Weapon, meant to destroy the ground targets and airfields; a long-range guided glide bomb ‘Gaurav’ and ‘Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation’, an advanced precision strike weapon meant for ground targets. These weapons are developed using complex technologies by Hyderabad-based DRDO laboratories.
Tejas is fitted with ‘Advanced Self Protection Jammer’ designed to provide protection from acquisition radars, fire control radars, anti-aircraft artillery and airborne multi-role radars. Developed by the electronic laboratory at Hyderabad, it provides the electronic warfare capability for the LCA. Integration of these weapons, radar and EW systems with LCA is an important step towards increasing the indigenous content of systems and making the LCA mission ready.
‘Uttam’ – an indigenously-developed Advanced Electronically Scanned Array Radar:
DRDO’s tableaux, Uttam will display five different aerial launched weapons and an Electronic Warfare (EW) Jammer that further enhances the capabilities of fourth-generation LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) Tejas. The ‘Uttam’ radar is a highly compact and modular state-of-the-art sensor that provides situational awareness to the pilot. The radar has been developed by a Bangalore-based electronics laboratory.
Five aerial launched weapons this Republic Day Parade 2022:
- ‘Astra’ – Astra is India’s first beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It is intended to engage and destroy aerial targets with high manoeuvrability and supersonic speeds. The missile’s advanced air combat capabilities allow it to engage multiple high-performance targets.
- ‘Rudram’- A new generation anti-radiation missile with a capability to destroy adversary’s radar and communication systems
- ‘Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon’ – meant to destroy the ground targets and airfields
- ‘Gaurav’ – A long-range guided glide bomb
- ‘Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation’ – an advanced precision strike weapon meant for ground targets
