Gaurav (glide bomb)
{{Short description|Smart Glide Bomb}}
{{Infobox weapon
| is_missile = yes
| name = Gaurav long range glide bomb
| image = Gaurav glide bomb.jpg
| caption = Gaurav glide bomb during trials
| origin = India
| type = Glide bomb{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jodhpur/DRDO-successfully-tests-glide-bombs-in-Pokhran/articleshow/53780015.cms|title=DRDO successfully tests 'glide bombs' in Pokhran|newspaper=Times of India|date=20 August 2016 |access-date=20 August 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://m.ndtv.com/india-news/india-successfully-tests-one-ton-glide-bomb-why-thats-important-715505|title=India Successfully Tests One Ton Glide Bomb. Why That's Important|publisher=NDTV|accessdate=20 August 2016}}
| used_by =
| designer = G. Satheesh Reddy, Research Centre Imarat (DRDO)
| manufacturer = *Adani Defence & Aerospace
| propellant =
| design_date = 2014–present
| production_date =
| engine =
| variants =
| weight = {{convert|1000|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| length = 4.0 m
| height =
| diameter = 0.62 m
| wingspan = 3.4 m
| speed =
| vehicle_range = {{convert|30-150|km|nmi}}{{cite news |last1=Rout |first1=Hemant Kumar |title=DRDO conducts release trials of LRGB ‘Gaurav’ in Odisha |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2025/Apr/12/drdo-conducts-release-trials-of-lrgb-gaurav-in-odisha |access-date=13 April 2025 |publisher=The New Indian Express |date=12 April 2025}}
| ceiling =
| altitude = 10 km
| filling = CL-20 (fragmentation, cluster munition, PCB){{cite web |title=Annual Report 2022-23 |url=https://mod.gov.in/sites/default/files/DEFENCE%20AR%202022-23%20LOW.pdf |access-date=30 March 2024 |website=Ministry of Defence |publisher=Government of India}}
| guidance = Mid-course: INS + multi-GNSS and digital control{{Cite web |date=2024-08-14 |title=India flight-tests Gaurav long-range glide bomb |url=https://www.janes.com/osint-insights/defence-news/defence/india-flight-tests-gaurav-long-range-glide-bomb |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=Janes |language=en}}
Terminal: SALH{{Cite web|last=Gupta|first=Shishir|date=2021-10-29|title=India's 1st long-range 1 ton guided bomb test-fired, hits target 100 km away|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/indias-1st-long-range-1-ton-guided-bomb-test-fired-hits-target-100-km-away-101635521080880.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-30|website=Hindustan Times|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029161123/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/indias-1st-long-range-1-ton-guided-bomb-test-fired-hits-target-100-km-away-101635521080880.html |archive-date=29 October 2021 }}
| accuracy =
| launch_platform = Sukhoi Su-30 MKI
| detonation = Contact and proximity fuze
}}
The Long Range Glide Bomb, also known as Gaurav is a product of the Defence Research and Development Organisation to deploy a standardised medium range precision guided weapon, especially for engagement of targets from outside the range of standard anti-aircraft defenses, thereby increasing aircraft survivability and minimising friendly losses. The development was carried out by Research Centre Imarat with production from Adani Defence & Aerospace and Bharat Forge.
Development
The bomb was designed by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI){{cite web |author= |date=2014-12-19 |title=DRDO Tests 1000 Kg Class Indigenous Guided Glide Bomb |url=https://www.pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=113801 |accessdate=21 August 2016 |work=Press Information Bureau}} in Hyderabad with the help of the Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE) in Bengaluru, Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) in Chandigarh and Armaments Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) in Pune. The team designed the bomb specially for the Indian Air Force to fulfill a requirement for precision guided weapons.
The length of the bomb is 4 meters and the diameter is 0.62 m. The wingspan of Gaurav is 3.4 meters. It has a range of up to 100 km and weighs 1,000 kg. It can carry either pre-fragmented or penetration-blast warheads.{{cite news |date=20 December 2014 |title=India tests glide bomb |url=http://m.thehindu.com/news/national/india-tests-glide-bomb/article6709249.ece |accessdate=20 August 2016 |newspaper=The Hindu}} To guide the glide munition towards the target, DRDO Glide Bombs use a hybrid navigation approach that combines satellite guidance and an inertial navigation system with digital control.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-14 |title=India flight-tests Gaurav long-range glide bomb |url=https://www.janes.com/osint-insights/defence-news/defence/india-flight-tests-gaurav-long-range-glide-bomb |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=Janes |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Missiles {{!}} Adani Defence & Aerospace |url=https://www.adanidefence.com/en/missiles |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=www.adanidefence.com}} Gaurav is claimed to be able to destroy a wide range of targets, such as reinforced buildings, airfields, bunkers, and blast hardened structures.
Trials
- 19 December 2014: A DRDO-developed 1,000 kg-class glide bomb was successfully tested in the Bay of Bengal. The bomb was dropped from an Indian Air force aircraft and covered a range of 100 km, guided through its on-board navigation system. The flight path is of the glide bomb was monitored by DRDO radars and electro-optic systems situated at Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, Odisha.{{Cite web |date=2014-12-22 |title=India tests 1000 kg guided Glide bomb which can hit target 100 kms away |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-and-current-affairs/story/india-tests-1000-kg-guided-glide-bomb-which-can-hit-target-100-kms-away-232344-2014-12-22 |access-date=2025-06-02 |website=India Today |language=en}}
- 29 October 2021: DRDO and IAF successfully tested the Long Range Glide Bomb from a Su-30MKI at Balasore, Odisha. The bomb was released from 10 km altitude and successfully hit a sea based target using laser guidance. It is a 1,000 kg bomb which DRDO developed as an alternative to the Spice 2000. The LRGB is part of a family of newly developed precision guided munitions with a range of 50 km to 150 km in range.{{Cite web |last=Gupta |first=Shishir |date=2021-10-29 |title=India's 1st long-range 1 ton guided bomb test-fired, hits target 100 km away |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/indias-1st-long-range-1-ton-guided-bomb-test-fired-hits-target-100-km-away-101635521080880.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029161123/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/indias-1st-long-range-1-ton-guided-bomb-test-fired-hits-target-100-km-away-101635521080880.html |archive-date=29 October 2021 |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2021-10-30|title=DRDO, Air Force successfully test India's first indigenously developed long-range bomb|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/drdo-air-force-test-india-first-long-range-bomb-7598371/|access-date=2021-10-30|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}
- 14 August 2024: The Gaurav glide bomb was successfully tested from a Su-30MKI, striking a target at Abdul Kalam Island. Using electro-optical tracking equipment and telemetry provided by the Integrated Test Range, a team comprising DRDO, Adani Defence & Aerospace, and Bharat Forge tracked the trajectory and performance.{{Cite web |title=India Conducts 1st Flight Test Of Long-Range Glide Bomb 'Gaurav' From Sukhoi Fighter Jet |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/india-conducts-1st-flight-test-of-long-range-glide-bomb-gaurav-from-sukhoi-fighter-jet-6330959 |access-date=2024-08-14 |website=NDTV.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Rout |first=Hemant Kumar |date=2024-08-09 |title=Maiden test of long range glide bomb Gaurav from Su-30 MKI successful |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2024/Aug/13/maiden-test-of-long-range-glide-bomb-gaurav-from-su-30-mki-successful |access-date=2024-08-14 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2024-08-13 |title=DRDO carries out maiden test of Long Range Glide Bomb from Su-30MKI |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/drdo-carries-out-maiden-test-of-long-range-glide-bomb-from-su-30mki/article68521806.ece |access-date=2024-08-14 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}
- 8 to 10 April 2025: Release trials of LRGB Gaurav were conducted from a Su-30MKI by DRDO at the Integrated Test Range, where it was claimed to have demonstrated a maximum range of 100 km with "pinpoint accuracy".{{Cite news |date=2025-04-11 |title=DRDO conducts successful Release Trials of Long-Range Glide Bomb ‘Gaurav’ from Su-30 MKI aircraft |url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2120989 |access-date=2025-04-11 |work=Press Information Bureau |agency=Ministry of Defence, Government of India.}}{{Cite web |date=12 April 2025 |title=India Successfully Conducts Trials Of Long-Range Glide Bomb 'Gaurav' |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/india-successfully-conducts-trials-of-long-range-glide-bomb-gaurav-8143101 |access-date=2025-04-13 |website=ndtv.com |language=en}} The weapon was integrated to several stations in various warhead configurations for land targets during the trials.{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2025-04-11 |title=DRDO conducts release trials of Long-Range Glide Bomb ‘Gaurav’ from Su-30 MKI |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/drdo-conducts-release-trials-of-long-range-glide-bomb-gaurav-from-su-30-mki/article69439542.ece |access-date=2025-04-13 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}
Operators
;{{IND}}
See also
- BLU-109 bomb - United States