Supersonic speed, 400 KM Range, GNSS anti-jamming…India set to acquire Israel's deadly LORA Missile? Is PM Modi gearing for Operation Sindoor 2.0….

India.com

4 days ago

Following the success of the Rampage Air-Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM), which was used during Operation Sindoor in May 2025 – where IAF Jaguar jets with Rampage missiles accurately struck and destroyed the Pakistan Air Force's Sukkur base – the Indian Air Force is looking to enhance its capability of weapons systems with the use of a combat proven next-generation missile. According to a report by the Indian Defence Research Wing, the IAF is now considering assessing the potential purchase of the Air LORA missile, a deep stand-off version of Long-Range Artillery (LORA) tactical precision missiles developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
The Rampage ALCM, a missile with a range of 250 km, has been integrated onto the Indian Air Force's Su-30 MKI, MiG-29, and Jaguar fighter aircraft. It provided very effective service during Operation Sindoor, destroying a UAV hangar at Sukkur and heavily participating in attacks on 11 Pakistani airbases. The Rampage is manufactured in India in cooperation with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). It is also very fast and has high precision, but one challenge is that the aircraft launching it must fly relatively close to enemy territory. So, if a Rampage is launched, the launching aircraft can possibly face enemy air defenses, namely HQ-9 and LY-80 systems used by Pakistan.
To mitigate risk from enemy air defense systems in executing a tactical strike, the Indian Air Force is now considering the Air LORA missile, which was displayed at Aero India 2025. The Air LORA missile has a significantly longer range of 400 km, which gives tactical jets such as Su-30 MKI enough distance to strike targets outside the enemy weapons area, without having to compromise the safety of the crew.
The Rampage ALCM missile certainly gave an impressive performance during Operation Sindoor. But a big limitation is that the missile needs to be launched relatively close to the enemy territory i.e., the IAF fighter jets expose themselves to being targeted by enemy air defence systems. The threats posed to Indian jets have increased further now that China is supplying Pakistan with more advanced air defence systems, including the HQ-9 series, and Pakistan is already operating the LY-80 system. The need for longer-range missiles is why the IAF feels that they now need longer-range missiles – including ALCMs – to target enemies at a safe distance.
One example of a missile is the Air LORA, which was displayed at Aero India 2025. At this show, it demonstrated a range of 400 km. If India integrates the missile into its fighter aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, it would allow the IAF to strike enemy airbases or high-value targets with precision from outside the range of enemy anti-aircraft systems. If the enemy cannot defend against the strike, both pilots and aircraft are less at risk. What is the Air LORA missile? Know its weight, range and other features?
The Air LORA missile, designed by IAI's MALAM division, is an air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM) designed to attack protected enemy targets such as missile launch sites, rocket units, airbases, air defense systems, command centers, and other tactical military infrastructure. The Air LORA missile weighs approximately 1,600 kg and flies supersonically. It employs state-of-the-art INS/GPS navigation and GNSS anti-jamming technology to ensure its accuracy and reliability when transversing an area of high defense.
The missile has a 'fire-and-forget' system, so it doesn't require guidance after launch. It can be equipped with either blast fragmentation or deep-penetration warheads, allowing it to be used effectively against both soft targets and hard bunkers, and in doing so, limit collateral damage. A Su-30 MKI fighter jet can carry up to four Air LORA missiles. This allows the Indian Air Force significant long-range strike capabilities for deep operations inside enemy territory. Air LORA's range of 400 kilometers enables the IAF to target any key location in Pakistan
The Air LORA's range of 400 kilometers enables the IAF to target any key location in Pakistan, including Karachi, Sukkur, Bahawalpur, or Rawalpindi, while remaining in Indian airspace. But that's not all—in case of conflict with China, the missile can also be used to hit strategic targets across the Line of Actual Control (LAC), putting India in a dominant position in long-range precision strike capabilities.
The Indian Air Force's interests in Air LORA are part of increasing defense cooperation with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), initiated with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between IAI and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) at Aero India 2023. BEL to be principal contractor responsible for the production of the LORA weapon in India
According to that MoU, and as part of India's support for the Make in India programme, BEL will be the principal contractor responsible for the production of the LORA weapon system in India. IAI will support the technology transfer, allowing for domestic manufacture for use by the Army, Navy and Air Force. The Indian Navy has introduced the ground- and sea-launched LORA variant already, but if the IAF employs the Air LORA it will significantly expand India's air strike capability, as well as India's capability to launch preemptive or retaliatory strikes on high-value targets deep inside Pakistan or along the LAC with China, providing the IAF with far longer range and precision in future conflict.
With a range of 400 km and circular error probable (CEP) standing at just 10 m, the Air LORA offers a significant advantage over the Rampage missile, allowing the Indian Air Force (IAF) to strike deep targets such as Karachi or Rawalpindi while remaining comfortably within Indian airspace, reported Indian Defence Research Wing.
This range is particularly crucial as Pakistan continues to upgrade its air defense capabilities, while China is fielding state-of-the-art systems like the HQ-9, which increases the danger posed to IAF jets flying around hostile borders. The Air LORA's combination of supersonic speed and its ability to conduct evasive maneuvers makes it exceedingly capable of defeating enemy air defenses. That makes it an effective weapon for means for destroying time-sensitive targets such as terror camps, missile launch sites, or CMCC headquarters; analogous to precision strikes made during Operation Sindoor.