Page 13 - ADT JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2023 Online Magazine

Consortium of Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Tata Rudram is the first indigenous anti-radiation
Consultancy Services (TCS) led by TASL. missile designed and developed in India and
has been integrated onto the SU-30 MKI. The
The 16 fly-away aircraft will be delivered between September 2023 anti-radiation missile will be utilised by the
and August 2025, while the delivery of the first C-295MW ‘Made in air force for suppression of enemy air defence
India’ aircraft is to take place in September 2026. All 56 aircraft will (SEAD) missions from large stand-off ranges
be fitted with an indigenous electronic warfare (EW) suite devel- against targets such as enemy radars, com-
oped by Indian defence public sector undertakings (DPSU) – Bharat munication sites and other RF emitting targets.
Electronics Ltd (BEL) and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). BRAHMOS TARGETS EXPORTS
MISSILE FOCUS It has been just over a year, since BrahMos

A bewildering array of indigenous missile systems are under devel- Aerospace signed on the Philippines as the as
opment in India by the DRDO and augurs well for the nation’s efforts the first foreign country to acquire the BrahMos
to gain self-sufficiency in this arena. The Astra is a beyond visual supersonic cruise missile. In a deal valued at
range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) developed for the air force. In May approximately Rupees 28 billion, the Philippine
2022, the MoD contracted the state-owned defence firm Bharat Department of National Defence (DND) ordered
Dynamics Limited (BDL) for supply of Astra MK-I BVRAAMs to the the Shore-Based Anti-Ship Missile System
army and navy in a deal worth Rupees 29.7 billion. Previously AAMs in for the Philippine Navy. Three BrahMos mis-
this class were being imported from Vympel (Russia), MBDA (France) sile batteries will be delivered to the Coastal
and Rafale (Israel). While the navy will will integrate the Astra Mk-1 Defence Regiment of the Philippine Marines. A
missile on its MiG 29K fighter aircraft, the air force has chosen to single BrahMos missile battery has three missile
equip its Sukhoi Su-30 MKIs with the weapon. MoD sources also launchers. The Philippines has also ordered an
indicate that the Tejas Mk-1A light fighter is also slated to receive Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) package.
the new weapon.
The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile has been
Another new air-launched weapon which is in development is the attracting interest from South East Asia and
new generation anti-radiation missile (Rudram), which has a range the Middle East, with Vietnam, Indonesia and
of 100km and is planned to be carried on the SU-30 MKI. The new Malaysia emerging as strong prospects for a
weapon features INS-GPS navigation with passive homing head for future missile deal. Indonesia has been inter-
the final attack. Its Passive Homing Head can detect, classify and ested in acquiring the advanced missile system
engage targets over a wide band of frequencies as programmed. since 2018.

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