DRDO Glide Bombs

DRDO Glide Bomb / Gaurav Bomb
Gaurav glide bomb during trials
Type	Smart Glide bomb [1] [2]
Place of origin	India
Production history
Designer	G. Satheesh Reddy, Research Centre Imarat (DRDO) [1] [2]
Designed	2014–present
Manufacturer	Adani Defence & Aerospace Bharat Forge
Variants	Gaurav (Winged) Gautham (Non-Winged)
Specifications
Mass	Gaurav - 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) [1] [2] Gautham - 550 kg (1,210 lb) [3]
Length	4.0 m
Diameter	0.62 m
Wingspan	3.4 m (Gaurav)
Warhead	CL-20 (fragmentation, cluster munition, PCB) [4]
Detonation mechanism	Contact and proximity fuze
Operational range	Gaurav (Winged): 30–150 kilometres (16–81 nmi) [5] Gautham (Non-winged): 30 kilometres (16 nmi) [1] [2]
Flight altitude	10 km
Guidance system	Mid-course: Inertial navigation system with GAGAN/NavIC satellite guidance and digital control [6] Terminal: Semi-active laser homing [7]
Launch platform	Sukhoi Su-30 MKI [8]

The DRDO Glide Bomb is a product of the Defence Research and Development Organisation to deploy a standardised medium range precision guided weapon, especially for engagement of targets from outside the range of standard anti-aircraft defenses, thereby increasing aircraft survivability and minimising friendly losses. The development was carried out by Research Centre Imarat whereas its production-cum-development partner are Adani Defence & Aerospace and Bharat Forge. ^{[9] [10]}

The DRDO Glide Bomb has the ability to demolish a wide range of targets, such as reinforced buildings, airfields, bunkers, and blast hardened structures. ^[11]

Development

The bomb was designed by the nodal Laboratory Research Centre Imarat ^[12] in Hyderabad with the help of the Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE) in Bengaluru, Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) in Chandigarh and Armaments Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) in Pune. ^{[1] [2]} The team designed the bomb specially for the Indian Air Force to fulfill their requirement for precision guided weapons. ^{[1] [2]}

Variants

Under the DRDO's Long Range Glide Bomb (LRGB) project, 2 variants have been planned:

• Gaurav - The winged version. It has a range of up to 100 km and weighs 1,000 kg. It can carry either pre-fragmented or penetration-blast warheads. ^{[1] [8]}

• Gautham - The non-winged version. It has a range of 30 km, enhanced to 100 km in the future, and weighs 550 kg. It can also carry either pre-fragmented or penetration-blast warheads. ^[1] Although this bomb lacks wings, it does include a control surface that works in conjunction with the inbuilt navigation and guidance system.

The length of both bombs is 4 meters and the diameter of both bombs is 0.62 m. The wingspan of Gaurav is 3.4 meters. To guide the glide munition towards the target, DRDO Glide Bombs use a hybrid navigation approach that combines satellite guidance and an inertial navigation system with digital control. ^{[13] [11]}

Trials

The DRDO and the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully tested a 1,000 kg glide bomb on 19 December 2014 that covered a range of 100 km, guided through its on-board navigation system. The flight path is of the glide bomb was monitored by DRDO radars and electro-optic systems situated at Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur. ^[14] On 17 August 2018, the IAF and DRDO did a covert successful trial of Gautham and Gaurav at Pokhran firing range, Jaisalmer. ^[15]

Long Range Glide Bomb - Gaurav

Gaurav LRGB on display by Adani Defence and Aerospace.

• 29 October 2021: DRDO and IAF successfully tested the Long Range Bomb (LRB) from Su-30MKI at Balasore, Odisha. The bomb was released from 10 km altitude which successfully hit a sea based target using laser guidance. It is a 1,000 kg bomb which DRDO developed as an alternative to the Spice 2000. The LRGB is part of a family of newly developed precision guided munitions with a range of 50 km to 150 km in range. ^{[16] [17]}
• 14 August 2024: The Gaurav glide bomb was successfully tested from a Su-30MKI, striking the target at Abdul Kalam Island with precise accuracy. Using electro-optical tracking equipment and telemetry provided by the Integrated Test Range, a team comprising DRDO, Adani Defence & Aerospace, and Bharat Forge tracked the trajectory and performance. ^{[9] [18] [10]}
• 8 to 10 April 2025: Release Trials of LRGB Gaurav was conducted from a Su-30MKI by DRDO at the Integrated Test Range, where it demonstrated a its maximum range of 100 km with "pinpoint accuracy". ^{[19] [20]} The weapon was integrated to several stations in various warhead configurations for land targets during the trials. ^[21]

Operators

  India

• Indian Air Force

See also

• BLU-109 bomb - United States

References

1. "DRDO successfully tests 'glide bombs' in Pokhran". Times of India . 20 August 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
2. "India Successfully Tests One Ton Glide Bomb. Why That's Important". NDTV. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
3. Rout, Hemant Kumar (12 April 2025). "DRDO conducts release trials of LRGB 'Gaurav' in Odisha". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
4. "Annual Report 2022-23" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. Government of India. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
5. Rout, Hemant Kumar (12 April 2025). "DRDO conducts release trials of LRGB 'Gaurav' in Odisha". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
6. "India flight-tests Gaurav long-range glide bomb". Janes. 14 August 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
7. Gupta, Shishir (29 October 2021). "India's 1st long-range 1 ton guided bomb test-fired, hits target 100 km away". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
8. "India tests glide bomb". The Hindu . 20 December 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
9. "India Conducts 1st Flight Test Of Long-Range Glide Bomb 'Gaurav' From Sukhoi Fighter Jet". NDTV.com. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
10. "DRDO carries out maiden test of Long Range Glide Bomb from Su-30MKI". The Hindu. 13 August 2024. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 14 August 2024.
11. "Missiles | Adani Defence & Aerospace". www.adanidefence.com. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
12. "DRDO Tests 1000 Kg Class Indigenous Guided Glide Bomb". pib.nic.in. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
13. "India flight-tests Gaurav long-range glide bomb". Janes. 14 August 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
14. "1,000-Kg Guided Glide Bomb Tested by DRDO". Indian Defence Review. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
15. "2 smart bombs by DRDO pass test". Deccan Chronicle. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
16. Gupta, Shishir (29 October 2021). "India's 1st long-range 1 ton guided bomb test-fired, hits target 100 km away". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
17. "DRDO, Air Force successfully test India's first indigenously developed long-range bomb". The Indian Express. 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
18. Rout, Hemant Kumar (9 August 2024). "Maiden test of long range glide bomb Gaurav from Su-30 MKI successful". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
19. "DRDO conducts successful Release Trials of Long-Range Glide Bomb 'Gaurav' from Su-30 MKI aircraft". Press Information Bureau . Ministry of Defence, Government of India. 11 April 2025. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
20. "India Successfully Conducts Trials Of Long-Range Glide Bomb 'Gaurav'". ndtv.com. 12 April 2025. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
21. "DRDO conducts release trials of Long-Range Glide Bomb 'Gaurav' from Su-30 MKI". The Hindu. 11 April 2025. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 13 April 2025.