BHUBANESWAR: India on Tuesday successfully carried out the maiden flight test of long range glide bomb (LRGB) Gaurav from a Sukhoi-30 MK-I aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The test was conducted off the Odisha coast.
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Gaurav is an air launched 1,000 kg class glide bomb capable of hitting targets at long distance.
Defence sources said the glide bomb steers towards the target using a highly accurate hybrid navigation system with a combination of INS and GPS data.
“During the flight test, the glide bomb hit the target erected at Long Wheeler’s island with pinpoint accuracy. Complete flight data during the test launch has been captured by telemetry and electro optical tracking systems deployed by the integrated test range (ITR) along the coastline,” said a defence statement.
Gaurav has been designed and developed indigenously by the Hyderabad-based Research Centre Imarat (RCI), a unit of DRDO. The flight was monitored by senior DRDO scientists. Adani Defence and Bharat Forge, the development-cum-production partners also participated during the flight trial.
Secretary of Department of Defence R&D and DRDO chairman Samir V Kamat congratulated the entire DRDO team on conducting the maiden flight test of LRGB.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh complimented the DRDO, IAF and industry for the successful flight test. He termed it a major milestone in the country’s effort in developing indigenous defence technologies for further strengthening the capability of the armed forces.