SAAW glide bomb more precise than missiles, says DRDO chief after test

Don't want to miss the best from Business Standard?

The Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW) guided bomb that India successfully test-fired on Friday has higher precision and is much cheaper compared to missiles, DRDO Chief S Christopher said on Sunday.

The SAAW glide bomb, which is guided by an onboard navigation system, was successfully tested at Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha on Friday.

The DRDO Chief said unlike the normal bombs, which may not hit the precise target due to the environmental condition, this bomb with a navigation system has higher precision and is cheaper than missiles which have similar precision.

"So far the bombs we have don't have precision, so they go by wind condition, weather condition... When you are fighting the enemy, you can't keep trying hundred times, once you have fired he will know where you are," Christopher said.

"As the weather and wind conditions change, it is always possible for the bomb to go elsewhere. In this bomb, the guidance system will correct its course and go and land at the same place.

"This is a sort of guided bomb and it will be much much cheaper than a missile or rocket, the reason being that it is not having a propulsion, it is making use of the aircraft's propulsion. It can go and land in a place we want," he added.

The SAAW is a long-range precision-guided anti-airfield weapon, designed to be capable of engaging ground targets with high precision out to a range of 100 km.

The lightweight high-precision guided bomb is one of the world-class weapons systems designed and developed in the country. The 120-kg class smart weapon is intended against runways, bunkers, aircraft hangers and other reinforced structures.