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DRDO tests SAAW precision-guided air-to-surface munition
In the past week, the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) tested its Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW), a new air-to-surface precision-guided munition.
As per an official government press release, the DRDO SAAW is a 120 kg munition capable of a range of 100 km. The lightweight munition was tested from an Indian Air Force (IAF) Su-30MKI at the Integrated Test Range on 24 December, 2016 (IHS Jane’s).
In May, DRDO conduced a SAAW test from an IAF Jaguar DARIN-II attack aircraft (Economic Times).
Notes & Comments:
The DRDO SAAW appears to be India’s analogue to the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB), a lightweight guided munition with similar weight and range profiles.
The DRDO SAAW will be a major piece of the IAF’s efforts to enhance its precision-strike capabilities.
The IAF is in the process of vastly upgrading its SEPECAT Jaguar attack aircraft, not just in terms of onboard electronics (including the addition active electronically-scanned array radars), but new turbofan engines (i.e. Honeywell F125IN) as well. This upgrade, designated Jaguar DARIN III, reached initial operational capability (IOC) in November 2016.
The SAAW will join the CBU-105 Sensor Fuzed Weapon (i.e. a guided sub-munitions dispenser) on the IAF Jaguar. This will make the Jaguar a strong asset for striking multiple targets in an area, which makes it a threat for industrial sites, shipyards, dockyards, and air fields, among others. The SAAW will reinforce this capability.
3 Comments
by FAUJI JAT
SAAW does not contain any explosives it will only disable the enemy’s air defence network with EMP.It is based on the airframe of spice 250 and it has rocket motor.Similar weapon used by the IDF AF in operation orchard to disable Syrian air defence.
by John Rue
when you say its range is 100KM…. does that mean it will disable air defences in 100 KM range OR it can fly like missile and target an airfield 100 KM away?
by Parkirama
It’s not a nuke to have a 100km blast radius the range 100km signifies that it’s a stand off munition and will strike a air field 100kms+ away when launched hope that helps.