NEW DELHI: The defence ministry on Wednesday inked a Rs 811 crore contract with state-run Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) for 160 satellite-guided smart anti-airfield weapons (SAT-SAAW) for the Indian Air Force. The weapons will allow IAF fighters to knock out enemy runways, radars and bunkers from stand-off ranges without venturing into heavily defended hostile airspace.
According to the government statement, issued Wednesday, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) developed precision-guided glide bombs, along with associated equipment, will be delivered in batches starting next year. They will arm the IAF's Jaguar deep-penetration strike jets, Hawk trainers and frontline Su-30MKI fighters.
The SAT-SAAW has a declared range of up to 100 km depending on release conditions. Its stated accuracy is under seven metres with INS-GPS guidance and under three metres with a seeker. The weapon has no engine since it uses foldable wings and the speed and altitude of the launch aircraft to glide to its target, which makes it far cheaper than a cruise missile.
That cost advantage is the crux as grounding an adversary's air power by cratering runways and destroying aircraft shelters and radars is the opening move in any air campaign. Doing that with conventional "dumb" bombs means flying over airfields ringed by surface-to-air missiles. Expensive cruise missiles like BrahMos and SCALP, meanwhile, are better reserved for high-value targets. The lightweight SAAW lets a single fighter carry several rounds. An indigenous Smart Quad Rack allows one Su-30MKI to carry four and the vintage Jaguar can carry six.
Sources said that the glide bomb has already been tested in combat. During Operation Sindoor, when the IAF pounded a string of Pakistani air bases, the SAAW was among the weapons used against Pakistani airfields.
The project has been a long time coming as the first successful test came in May 2016. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh, cleared the SAAW in September 2020 under the Buy Indian (IDDM) category at an approximate cost of Rs 970 crore for the Navy and the IAF. Subsequently, the fresh IAF-specific contract is part of that approval and has come six years after it was cleared by the ministry.
As per the statement, the weapon will have 60% indigenous content. Key sub-systems have also been indigenised, including the inertial measurement unit, the long impact delay fuse and the twin store carrier. The delay fuse lets the warhead penetrate a runway or hardened structure before detonating. The twin carrier allows two bombs to be mounted on a single pylon.
The deal also chips away at the IAF's reliance on imported stand-off munitions such as the Israeli SPICE and the French HAMMER. Moreover, integration of the glide bomb is also planned on the Rafale and Tejas Mk1A fleet
