India successful tests smart weapons for airfield and anti-tank operations
23 Aug 2018
India successfully tested two indigenously designed and developed smart weapons, including an anti-airfield guided bomb and a helicopter launched anti-tank guided missile.
The Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW) was successfully flight tested from IAF aircraft at Chandan range. The weapon system was integrated with live warhead and has destroyed the targets with high precision.
The telemetry and tracking systems captured all the mission events.
This weapon is capable of destroying a variety of ground targets using precision navigation. A total of three tests with different release conditions were conducted during 16 to 18 August 2018 and all the mission objectives have been achieved, a defence ministry release stated.
The weapon has undergone eight developmental trials till date and performance of system for different ranges under multiple launch conditions has been demonstrated. Senior officials from DRDO, HAL and Indian Air Force participated and witnessed the flight tests.
The Indigenously developed helicopter launched anti-tank guided missile ‘HELINA’ was flight tested from an Army helicopter in the ranges of Pokhran on Sunday. The weapon system has been tested for its full range. The ‘HELINA’ weapon system released smoothly from the launch platform has tracked the target all through its course and hit the target with high precision. All the parameters have been monitored by the telemetry stations, tracking systems and the Helicopters, said another defence ministry release.
The missile is guided by an infrared imaging seeker (IIR) operating in the Lock on Before Launch mode. It is one of the most advanced anti-tank weapons in the world. Senior officials from DRDO and Indian Army were present during the mission.