Industry Odisha Bureau, Sept 03: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has successfully tested an indigenously developed long range glide bomb, marking another step towards strengthening India’s domestic defence capabilities.
The 125-kg Khagantak 243 was designed and developed by Nagpur based startup JSR Dynamics Pvt Ltd. This was in partnership with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) under the Development cum Production Partner model. The weapon was successfully released from a Su-30MKl fighter jet at the Pokhran test range.
The glide bomb can reportedly strike targets located 144 to 180 km away when released from an altitude of around 12 km at a speed of Mach 0.8. It carries an Mk-81 general purpose blast fragmentation warhead and uses swivel type mid body wings and five rear control surfaces to achieve a glide ratio of more than 12.
Notably, the “243” designation refers to the configuration class of the weapon. The Khagantak family also includes heavier variants, including the 225 and 306 versions, which are designed for longer range missions.
The IAF has placed a limited series production contract with BEL for the weapon. The Khagantak 243 is expected to be integrated with other aircraft, including the MiG-29K and Mirage-2000.
Unlike cruise missiles, glide bombs do not have their own propulsion systems. They use aerodynamic lift to travel towards their targets. This makes them comparatively simpler and cheaper weapons for precise strikes.
