LONG RANGE GLIDE BOMB GAURAV (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)
Context: Recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has carried out a successful maiden flight test of Long Range Glide Bomb (LRGB), GAURAV from Su-30 MK-I platform of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Long Range Glide Bomb GAURAV
- About: The LRGB is a 1,000 kg class glide bomb capable of hitting targets at long distances when launched from the air.
- Developed by: The LRGB, named GAURAV, has been indigenously developed by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in Hyderabad.
- Launched from: Indian Air Force (IAF) Su-30 MK-I aircraft.
oThe Sukhoi Su-30 MKI is a twin-jet multirole air superiority fighter
- Features of LRGB:
oAir-to-Surface Weapon: The LRGB is designed to destroy enemy airstrips, bunkers, hard installations, and buildings using conventional warheads.
oCapability: GAURAV is a 1,000kg class glide bomb designed to engage targets at extended ranges using a hybrid navigation system combining inertial navigation with GPS data.
oFighter Aircraft Integration: It is specifically engineered to be compatible with fighter aircraft.
oInertial Navigation System: The bomb uses an Inertial Navigation System (INS) combined with Digital Control for precise guidance.
oHybrid Navigation Scheme: After launch, the bomb steers toward its target using a hybrid navigation system that integrates INS and GPS data.
oTarget Accuracy: During testing, the LRGB successfully hit a target at Long Wheeler’s island with pinpoint precision.
oData Collection: Complete flight data was captured using Telemetry and Electro-Optical tracking systems along the coastline during the test launch.
