Latest news with #AirLORA
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Time of India
New teeth for the Su-30MKI: Israeli LORA could be India's next big strike weapon
The Indian Air Force wants more reach. Despite owning the formidable BrahMos, it's now looking at Israel Aerospace Industries ' Air-Launched Long-Range Artillery (Air LORA) missile. This comes hot on the heels of May's Operation Sindoor, where the Rampage missile got its first taste of combat and proved how vital stand-off range really is. Air LORA isn't a minor tweak. It's a quasi-ballistic, supersonic missile that flies about 400–430 kilometres and lands within ten metres of its target. That means deep strikes without putting pilots and jets into the teeth of enemy air defences. According to IAI, 'Air LORA addresses these operational challenges with unparalleled efficiency and precision.' What sets LORA apart LORA isn't your typical cruise missile. It blends ballistic missile traits with air-launch flexibility. Instead of hugging the ground like BrahMos, it soars on a high, depressed trajectory. That makes it trickier to shoot down. Its fire-and-forget design frees pilots to turn home the moment it's away. Need to change the target mid-flight? LORA can adjust its course while screaming in at Mach 5. Its navigation uses GPS and an Inertial Navigation System, protected by anti-jamming tech — handy when facing sophisticated electronic warfare. LORA also skips an active seeker. Fewer moving parts, less cost, same deadly accuracy. Live Events Quick Specs Range: 400–430 km Speed: Supersonic, about Mach 5 Accuracy: Less than 10-metre CEP Warhead: Blast fragmentation or deep-penetration, up to 570 kg Weight: 1,600 kg; Length: 5.2 metres One Su-30MKI can carry up to four of these. That's enough to ruin an enemy's runway, radar and command centre in a single sortie. Why buy when BrahMos exists? BrahMos isn't going anywhere. It's a heavyweight supersonic cruise missile flying low and fast, perfect for punching through hardened defences. But BrahMos is big, heavy, pricey and demands special aircraft tweaks. LORA complements it. Lighter, cheaper, easier to deploy across more jets. Its lofted trajectory makes it a better fit for hitting well-defended, high-value targets deep inside enemy territory. A BrahMos might smash open the gates. LORA finishes the job by knocking out command posts or radar grids before the enemy knows what hit them. Made in India: The local edge Back in 2023, IAI and Bharat Electronics Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding to co-produce advanced missile systems. If LORA gets the green light, expect licensed production under Make in India . That means jobs, tech transfer, and a chance for India to export sophisticated stand-off missiles one day. At an estimated $1–5 million per missile, it's not pocket change — but for this reach and accuracy, it's well within reason. Of course, new toys bring new headaches. Integrating LORA onto Indian fighters will need time, tests and trials. Its resistance to jamming and ability to slip through modern air defences must be proven over India's varied terrain. It also needs to prove its worth against homegrown options like BrahMos or the upcoming Long-Range Land-Attack Cruise Missile. Still, the logic is clear: LORA fills a gap BrahMos alone can't cover. Different missile, different fight. The IAF wants to launch first squadrons of LORA by 2026–27. If that happens, India's air strike playbook gets deeper and more flexible overnight. One missile won't change the balance alone — but pair it with BrahMos and India's pilots gain a powerful mix of punch, range and surprise. Sometimes you want to hit hard. Sometimes you want to reach far. LORA lets you do both — without crossing the line of fire. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
India.com
10-07-2025
- India.com
Bad news for Pakistan, China as India to get this lethal missile, its deadlier than BrahMos, speed is..., the name is....
Air LORA is a more advanced supersonic missile than India's BrahMos. (File) LORA missile: India's BrahMos missile showcased its devastating power during Operation Sindoor in the recent India-Pakistan war, decimating Pakistani military infrastructure, including key airbases, and now there is more bad news for New Delhi's enemies like China and Pakistan as the Indian Air Force (IAF) is reportedly mulling to acquire the Israeli-made Air-Launched Long-Range Artillery (LORA) missile. How powerful is the LORA missile? The Air-launched version of the LORA missile which the IAF is considering, is a quasi-ballistic supersonic missile that follows a lower trajectory compared to traditional ballistic missiles, making it difficult for air defenses to intercept. The Air LORA is a fire-and-forget, enabling the pilot to disengage immediately after launch as the missile is capable of mid-course correction, allowing mid-flight. The LORA missile uses GPS as well as Inertial Navigation System (INS) for navigation, and also features anti-jamming technology, allowing precision strikes even when electronic counter measures (ECM) are deployed. Another unique feature of AIR LORA is its seeker-less design which significantly reduces manufacturing cost while maintaining precision and accuracy. The supersonic missile, designed and developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), can be equipped blast fragmentation or deep-penetration warheads, making it a versatile weapon for taking out a wide range targets, such as airbases, command centers, or even hardened bunkers. Why IAF wants the Air LORA missile? The Air LORA has range between 400–430 kilometers, which would give IAF fighter jets the capability to launch strikes on enemy targets, while staying well beyond the range of their air defense systems (ADs). The Israeli missile is capable of reaching supersonic speeds of up to Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound), making it difficult for enemy ADs to intercept. Air LORA measures 5.2 meters in length, weighs 1600 kg, and can carry warheads weighing up to 570 kg. The AIR LORA is a stand-off weapon, means it can deployed without entering enemy airspace. This capability is essential for Indian fighter aircraft to strike deep inside enemy territory without entering contested airspace, especially considering India's volatile border challenges. One Su-30 MKI can carry up to four AIR LORA missiles, enabling a single fighter jet to carry out precision strikes against multiple enemy targets. What's the current status of deal to acquire LORA missiles? According to media reports, the IAF expressed interest in the LORA missile following the successful deployment of the Rampage missile during Operation Sindoor in May 2025. In 2023, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and IAI had signed an MoU for the joint manufacturing and technology transfer of LORA and other defense systems. The deal is still under discussion, and will drastically reducing the manufacturing cost of the LORA missiles, if it goes through. At present, a single unit of Air LORA costs between $1 million to $5 million, depending on the configuration and payload, making it comparatively 'cheaper' than similar long-range missile systems.
India.com
02-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
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….
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.
