DRDO Developing Jet-Powered SAAW Glide Bomb For 200+ Km Range

In a major boost to India’s long-range strike capabilities, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is upgrading its Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) from an unpowered precision glide bomb into a jet-powered mini air-launched cruise missile.

The powered version will feature a compact turbojet engine and a built-in fuel tank, enabling it to fly more than 200 kilometres—over double the current unpowered range of about 100 km. This transformation means the weapon will no longer rely solely on gravity and glide but will have sustained propulsion, allowing Indian Air Force (IAF) fighters to hit high-value targets from far outside enemy air defence zones.

From Glide Bomb to Cruise Missile

The SAAW, originally developed by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in Hyderabad, is a 125 kg precision-guided munition designed to take out runways, bunkers, and fortified shelters with pinpoint accuracy. The present version, which uses foldable wings for aerodynamic glide, has already been integrated with aircraft such as the Sukhoi Su-30 MKI, Jaguar, and Hawk, with plans to add it to the Rafale and Tejas Mk1A fleets.

An indigenous Smart Quad Rack system enables a Su-30 MKI to carry up to 20–32 SAAW units, allowing the IAF to carry out mass saturation strikes on enemy airbases in a single sortie.

Next-Gen Targeting Capability

The upgraded, jet-powered SAAW will come with an advanced Electro-Optical (EO) seeker using Imaging Infrared (IIR) technology. This will provide a “fire-and-forget” capability, letting the weapon autonomously identify and lock onto targets using visual or heat signatures.

Unlike the current GPS and inertial navigation-based guidance, the IIR seeker will allow the missile to strike moving targets such as mobile missile launchers, armoured convoys, or radar systems—critical in fast-changing battlefield environments. It will also be resilient against GPS jamming, an increasingly common tactic in modern warfare.

With a Circular Error Probable (CEP) of less than three metres, the system ensures near-surgical precision.

Strategic Edge in South Asia

The extended range and autonomy could significantly change the IAF’s operational playbook. From safe standoff positions, Indian fighters could target airfields, command centres, and supply depots deep inside hostile territory—including sensitive locations like Skardu in Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan or Sargodha in Punjab province—without crossing into enemy airspace.

Along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, the weapon could hit high-altitude logistics hubs and airstrips, which are otherwise difficult to target due to terrain and air defence constraints.

DRDO is expected to conduct a series of powered SAAW flight trials by late 2025, testing the weapon in varying altitudes, weather conditions, and day-night scenarios. Once proven, it will be integrated across multiple fighter platforms, dramatically enhancing India’s precision-strike reach in the region.

With this upgrade, India is not just modifying a weapon—it is reshaping the IAF’s strike doctrine, ensuring it can project power deep into adversary territory without exposing its pilots or high-value aircraft to unnecessary risk.