New Delhi: The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Thursday test fired a small Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) successfully under the indigenous Hawk-i programme.
A Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon fired from the aircraft of Odisha coast. HAL claimed the SAAW is the first smart weapon fired from an Indian Hawk.
R Madhavan HAL CMD said that “HAL has been focussing on the Atmanirbhar Bharat Campaign. The company owned HAWK-i platform is being extensively used for certification of systems and weapons developed indigenously by DRDO and CISR labs.”
SAAW is an advanced, aircraft launched and precision strike weapon of 125 kg category used to attack and destroy enemy airfield assets such as radars, bunkers, taxi tracks, runways within a range of 100 kilometers.
The indigenous stand-off weapon developed by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), DRDO, is the first smart weapon fired from an Indian Hawk-Mk132.
The Hawk-I is HAL’s internally funded programme offering the Indian Armed Forces an upgraded combat capability for the Hawk, transforming it into an advanced Jet Trainer providing training on sensors and weapons in peace time into a potent combat platform during conflict.
India is steadily increasing in Air Strength to counter any unexpected activities of enemy nations. The SAAW weapon could be helpful for the soldiers at borders and could play a vital role in small combat at borders.
India already test fired the Smart Anti Airfield Weapon successfully from Jaguar aircraft in the past.
_Vinayak