DRDO successfully flight tests SAAW: All you need to know

New Delhi, Aug 20: The Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) has successfully conducted flight test of the Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) at Chandan range in Rajasthan. SAAW is a long-range precision-guided anti-airfield weapon.

The SAAW project was approved by the Indian government in 2013. The first successful test of the weapon was conducted in May 2016. Another successful test was conducted in November of the following year. This was followed by a series of three successful tests in December 2017.

During the recent test, Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) was successfully flight tested from an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft at Chandan range. The Defence Ministry said SAAW was integrated with live warhead and it successfully hit the targets with high precision.

"The SAAW is capable of destroying a variety of ground targets using precision navigation. The tests were conducted between August 16 and 18," it said in a statement, as per a PTI report.

What can SAAW do?

The SAAW was developed by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), and other DRDO laboratories in collaboration with the Indian Air Force (IAF). It is a lightweight high precision-guided bomb designed to destroy ground targets, such as runways, bunkers, aircraft hangers and other reinforced structures.

Weighing 120 kg it has deep penetration capabilities, carries a high explosive warhead and has a standoff range of 100 kilometres, which will allow users to strike targets, such as enemy airfields, at a safe distance without putting pilots and aircraft at risk. It is India's first fully indigenous anti-airfield weapon, being designed and developed wholly by DRDO.

The SAAW can currently be launched from the SEPECAT Jaguar and Su-30MKI aircraft. The Jaguar is capable of carrying six such weapons. There are plans to integrate the weapon with the Dassault Rafale when it is inducted into the Indian Air Force.