India plans supersonic firepower upgrade: IAF eyes Israeli AIR LORA missile after Rampage success
The
Indian Air Force
(IAF) is reportedly considering the acquisition of AIR LORA, an advanced air-launched ballistic missile developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), to significantly bolster its long-range strike capabilities.
This potential procurement comes on the heels of the successful deployment of the Rampage missile during Operation Sindoor, where the IAF launched strikes on 11 Pakistani air bases. While Rampage offers a range of 250 kilometres and requires direct aircraft deployment, the AIR LORA missile provides a stand-off range of up to 400 kilometres, enabling precision strikes from a safer distance, beyond the reach of enemy air defence systems.
High-value targeting with deep strike capability
Belonging to IAI's LORA missile family, AIR LORA is described as an extended-range, precise, massive, supersonic weapon. It is specially designed to neutralise high-value, well-defended targets such as airbases, command and control centres, naval vessels, and critical infrastructure.
The missile can be launched from IAF platforms such as the Su-30MKI, with a launch weight of 1,600 kilograms. Once fired, AIR LORA travels at supersonic speeds, reaching its target within minutes.
Its precision strike ability is marked by a Circular Error Probable (CEP) of less than 10 meters, ensuring minimal collateral damage.
Fire-and-forget system with mid-flight target update
AIR LORA features a fire-and-forget design, requiring no further input from the launching aircraft after release. What sets it apart is its ability to update target coordinates mid-flight, allowing it to adapt to evolving battlefield dynamics and shifting targets in real time.
According to IAI, "AIR LORA addresses these operational challenges with unparalleled efficiency and precision."
Navigation, survivability, and all-weather capability
The missile is equipped with GPS/INS navigation along with anti-jamming technology, ensuring accuracy even in electronic warfare environments where GPS signals may be compromised. It also boasts a seekerless design that employs steep-angle, high-speed attack profiles to increase survivability against air defences. AIR LORA is capable of operating in all-weather conditions.
Interoperability and mission flexibility
One of AIR LORA's standout features is its broad compatibility with various aircraft types, supporting both standalone and integrated configurations across Western and Eastern platforms. This means the missile can be quickly adopted without the need for extensive retraining or overhaul of existing systems.
It also offers multiple warhead configurations, including blast fragmentation, general-purpose, and deep-penetration variants, making it suitable for a wide spectrum of tactical and strategic missions.
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