Air Force eyes smart anti-airfield weapons to strike targets over 100 km

The Indian Air Force is planning to equip its fighter jet fleet with indigenous Smart Anti Airfield Weapons (SAAW) to enhance its long-range strike capability.

Designed to hit targets over 100 kilometres away, the SAAW missiles are expected to play a crucial role in future conflicts. The proposal to acquire the missiles will soon be taken up for discussion in the Defence Ministry, defence sources said.

Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the SAAW is a 120 kg class precision-guided bomb capable of engaging ground-based enemy assets such as radars, bunkers, taxiways, and runways.

The weapon system has been developed by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad. Its light weight and high accuracy make it a potent standoff strike system, allowing the launching aircraft to remain out of enemy air defence range.

The missiles are set to be integrated across the Indian Air Force's fighter fleet, including the Su-30 MKI and Jaguar aircraft. The acquisition gains significance against the backdrop of recent hostilities with Pakistan and China. Officials said the weapon system is similar in operational concept to those used during the Balakot air strikes on Pakistani terror camps.

The proposal also comes at a time when the Indian armed forces are increasingly focused on enhancing their long-range strike capabilities. This focus was recently evident in Operation Sindoor, where standoff weapons were successfully deployed against Pakistani military and terror infrastructure.

The DRDO, which counts SAAW among its major successful projects, has also offered the missiles under the emergency procurement route to enable faster induction and boost frontline capabilities in view of potential future threats.