The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has conducted a successful trial of the indigenously developed Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW). This is the 10th test successfully conducted over the last five years.

The successful flight test of the LR Bomb comes a day after India tested DRDO Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) from the Pokhran range. It is capable of hitting ground targets up to a range of 100 kilometres. Designed to disable airfield runways, SAAW can carry a warhead of 125 kg. DRDO had last tested the anti-airfield weapon in January Hindustan Times reported.

SAAW: Features

1. Its development began around 2012-13, and crucial inputs from the Indian Air Force and the first test was carried out in 2016.

2. The weapon has been designed to strike ground targets, especially adversary airfield infrastructure or similar strategically important installations.

3. SAAW was designed and developed by DRDO's Research Centre Imarat, RCI Hyderabad.

4. It is a 125-kilogram class smart weapon, capable of engaging ground enemy airfield assets such as radars, bunkers, taxi tracks, and runaways, up to a range of 100 kilometres.

5. The high precision-guided bomb is lightweight compared to a weapon system of the same class.

6. The Government of India plans to integrate the weapon with the IAF's Tejas, Rafale and Hawk MK132 fighters

Details On SAAW

Officials said the system belongs to the glide bomb category and its development began around 2012-13, with crucial inputs from the Indian Air Force and the first test was carried out in 2016. The weapon is designed to strike ground targets, especially adversary airfield infrastructure or similar strategically important installations. All the tests were textbook launches, which met all the mission objectives.

Significance of The Tests

The test of SAAW has come after another weapon system designed to target the enemy radar and communication assets, Rudram. It was tested in October in 2020.

Rudram is an air to surface missile designed and developed by DRDO. It has been initiated for the development of anti-radiation missiles of this type around eight years ago and its integration with fighter jets and has been a collaborative effort of various DRDO facilities and formations of the IAF and HAL.

What Is An Anti-Radiation Missile

These are designed to detect, track and neutralise the adversary's radar, communication assets and other radio frequency sources that are generally a part of their air defence systems.