Defence Minister hails DRDO's successful release trials of Long-Range Glide Bomb from jet

The Minister said the development of LRGB will further enhance the capabilities of the armed forces.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the release trials of Gaurav from a Su-30 MKI aircraft.

During the trials held between April 8-10, the weapon was integrated to multiple stations in different warhead configurations, with land target on an island. The trials successfully demonstrated range close to 100 km with pin-point accuracy, said the official.

LRGB 'Gaurav' is a 1,000 kg class glide bomb, designed and developed indigenously by Research Centre Imarat, Armament Research and Development Establishment and Integrated Test Range, Chandipur.

Senior officials of DRDO and the IAF participated and reviewed the trials, said the statement.

The system has been realised with the support of MSMEs, it said, adding that the trials would pave the way for induction of the weapon into the IAF.

The Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification and Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance contributed towards Certification and Quality Assurance, it said.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V. Kamat also congratulated the entire DRDO team on conducting the successful release trials.

Last week, DRDO and the Indian Army conducted four successful flight-tests of the Army version of Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha on April 3 and 4.

The four operational flight-trials were carried out against high-speed aerial targets.

The missiles intercepted the aerial targets and destroyed them, registering direct hits. The trials were carried out to intercept four targets at long-range, short-range, high altitude and low altitude, proving the operational capability.