India successfully test-fires New Generation Anti-Radiation Missile 'Rudram-1' from Sukhoi Su-30 MKI
India on Friday successfully test-fired the New Generation Anti-Radiation Missile (NGARM) 'Rudram-1' developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) from Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft at Odisha's Balasore.
The missile is capable of providing air superiority, tactical capability for the fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took to his twitter handle to congratulate DRDO in today's successful feat.
The missile is designed for Suspension of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) while also being capable of launch from a varying range of altitudes for destroying enemy surveillance radars, tracking, and communication systems.
The successful testing of the indigenous missile will prove to be a game-changer for the IAF. The missile will be integrated into IAF's Mirage 2000, Jaguar, and HAL Tejas fighter aircraft. This missile is also planned to be equipped in HAL Tejas Mark 2 in the future. However, Sukhoi Su-30 MKI is its primary test platform.
The New Generation Anti-Radiation Missile (NGARM) has a strike range of around 100-150 KM. It is the first indigenous air-to-ground missile developed by the DRDO, after the supersonic BrahMos missile, which was jointly developed with Russia's cooperation. The single-stage missile weighs around 140 kg, and a dual-pulsed solid rocket motor powers it.
The missile has INS-GPS navigation with Passive Homing Head for the final attack. The RUDRAM can hit the radiation target with pin-point accuracy. The Passive Homing Head can detect, classify and engage targets over a wide band of frequencies as programmed. The missile is a potent weapon for IAF for Suppression of Enemy Air Defence effectively from large stand-off ranges.
Indian Air Force earlier possessed Russian Kh-31P anti-radiation missile in its arsenal. With today's successful test, the country has established indigenous capability to develop long range air launched anti-radiation missiles for neutralising enemy Radars, communication sites and other RF emitting targets.
