DRDO, IAF conduct maiden flight-trial of India's first indigenous glide weapon system TARA

NEW DELHI: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Thursday successfully conducted the maiden flight-trial of Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA) weapon off the coast of Odisha, the defence ministry said on Friday.

TARA, the modular range extension kit, is India's first indigenous glide weapon system to convert unguided warheads into precision-guided (smart) weapons. It has been designed to enhance the lethality and accuracy of a low-cost weapon to neutralise ground-based targets. It is the first glide weapon to utilise state-of-the-art low-cost systems, the ministry said.





Once released from an aircraft, the Tara system uses aerodynamic lift and guidance mechanisms to travel significantly farther than a conventional free-fall bomb while improving strike accuracy.

Similar to India’s TARA glide weapon, Several countries use such a technology to convert unguided bombs into precision-guided, long-range munitions, Key players and systems include the US (JDAM), Russia (UMPK), Israel (Spice), Turkey (HGK), France (AASM Hammer), South Korea (KGGB), and South Africa (Umbani).These systems typically employ kits equipped with GPS/INS guidance, fins, and folding wings to turn conventional bombs into standoff precision weapons.

TARA is important for India as it has been indigenously designed and developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, along with other DRDO laboratories. The development of the kit has been undertaken with development cum production partners and other Indian industries, which have already started the production activity.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh has congratulated DRDO, IAF, development cum production partners, and the industry for the maiden flight-trial, describing it as a “significant development in advancing India’s indigenous defence capabilities”. DRDO chairman Samir V Kamat also congratulated the teams associated with the successful flight-trial.