titash wrote:Karan M wrote:Interesting pic and claims here of PG-HSLD being certified for Su-30 carriage (6 per aircraft).
https://twitter.com/GODOFPARADOXES/stat ... 1425372169
IAF is slowly and steadily moving towards adopting desi munitions en masse. This will be the true RMA as versus carefully hoarded stocks of expensive imported PGMs which are reserved for specific targets.
Desi munitions likely intended for Su-30 include and are not limited to Astra 1/2/3, PG-HSLD, Nirbhay, Rudram-1 (NGARM), Rudram-2, Rudram-3, SAAW (EO/Regular), Gaurav/Gautham Glide bombs, Brahmos-NG. More and more, expect the IAF's Su-30 fleet to match or even surpass what Israel has done with its F-15s.
Karan M-ji,
Can you or - or other resident garus - please provide an overview of the ARDE bombs being built?
i.e. why glide bums vs. HSLD bums vs. PG HSLD bums vs. Inertial Guided bums vs. LGBs vs. Garuda/Garuthma? Too many types of bums and would be nice to know why they are different, what is their importance, and what the specifics of their use cases are...
Much Appreciated.
HSLD is as the name suggests High Speed Low Drag. These were just meant to be dropped without the aircraft slowing down, with the bombs shaped for optimal aerodynamics (hence the name) and hence aircraft not being that vulnerable. Of course in an era of SAMs, even this advantage was not sufficient.
So its best to launch from a distance. To achieve that, you need winged kits and adequate navigation, day and night both, irrespective of weather. So bombs like Gaurav, Gautham which have inertial navigation plus a, sat fix for additional accuracy and a lifting body approach, and same navigation plus a wing. Latter provides more range than former, but slows down the bomb, so both have their uses depending on target set.
Now, you may well ask OK we have both, so why add a PG (precision guided) kit to the HSLD, well, suppose you have a target which just needs to be hit with the highest accuracy possible. In which case you don't want to rely merely on the on board sat nav /inertial system, you want to designate the target with a laser. In which case, the PG HSLD becomes useful. Also, with significant stocks of HSLD in service, it can be quickly added to them, as versus purpose built glide bombs. Apart from the desi kits, we have Israeli Griffin LGB guidance units to add to them too. Suppose you want a real heavy LGB. Those would be the KAB-1500 LG.
But suppose you want to undertake a swarm attack on airfield infra. You don't need the large heavy warheads Gaurav and Gautham (aka Garuda and Garuthma) would come in with. But you want specialist warheads available for both ie fragmentation and penetration cum blast. You want a compact bomb which can be carried a dozen at a time under an aircraft. Glide capability too. Internal nav as well, and depending on target set, a terminal seeker as well, so both with and without it. You aren't sure you want to get close enough to designate. Enter the SAAW, or Smart Anti Airfield Weapon, which unlike what the name suggests, can be used against a range of targets. But the SAAW is light. You want a heavy seeker equipped glide unit which can hit at range, night or day. Fire, and forget same as SAAW. That would be the Spice 2000. Suppose its daylight, or low light and you can hit at range? Those would be the KAB-500/1500 (kg).
But, these all fight against gravity. You want missiles which can maneuver or fly even farther. Enter the Rudram series. The first is Rudram 1 aka New Gen Anti Radiation Missile. I expect the seeker assembly to be modular and the missile design to be reused for other strike options too. It is meant to have a passive homing head and a terminal seeker to back up the above. But till then we have the Kh-31 which streaks in using a ramjet engine but at shorter range (100km) vs the NGARMs far greater range. But what if you want to keep the radar off, not just strike it with a missile or perhaps hit the control cabin not the radar itself? Enter the Harop, and Harpy both of which the IAF has.
Then Rudram 2 at 300km plus (to hit at range at short notice), and just because we are such nice guys, Rudram 3, at 500 plus km. Completely India made and can be customized further depending on the targets. Till then of course you have the more expensive Brahmos and also for shorter ranges, the Kh-59MK, pleasantly guided in by the WSO or which can have its seeker go after a day target after its datalink system takes it to right point. Or on the Mirages, the Crystal Maze aka the Popeye, but it's night attack too.
But you still want all the above and more range. You don't want to fight that S400 battery placed right in front. Your Elint has pointed out gaps and you think it's best to plonk a few targets deep into the hinterland but the missile will have to navigate around them. But that means low flight, terrain hugging and range. Enter the Nirbhay.
But for some targets you think Nirbhay being a turbofan based system might just be too slow. How about something fast which can streak in like the wrath of God, similar to the Rudram 2/3 series but is not as heavy as it doesn't need such a heavy warhead, so you can carry several of them. That would be the Brahmos NG. Till then you manage with the Brahmos already in service in air and on land.
Hope this helps.