India flight-tests Gaurav long-range glide bomb

India's Gaurav long-range glide bomb (LRGB) has undergone its first airborne test flight, the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 13 August.

Under development by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Gaurav LRGB is an air-launched 1,000 kg class glide munition.

An Indian Air Force (IAF) Sukhoi Su-30MKI multirole combat aircraft launched the munition off the Odisha coast on 13 August, according to the MoD.

“During the flight test, the glide bomb hit the target erected at Long Wheeler's island,” the ministry said.

According to the MoD, the glide munition steered to the target using a “hybrid navigation scheme with a combination of INS [inertial navigation system] and GPS data”.

The munition has a low-drag cylindrical body with a conical nose, fitted with mid-body foldable wings, and four tail fins. It measures 4.027 m in length, is 620 mm in diameter, and has a wingspan of 3.4 m.

Janes understands that the Gaurav has a maximum range of more than 80 km. The munition's guidance system comprises satellite-aided INS with digital control and it is also compatible with the GPS-aided GEO augmented navigation (GAGAN) and Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) guidance systems.

The munition's modular design allows it to carry penetration cum blast (PCB) or pre-fragmentation warheads. Janes