India successfully test fires RudraM-II missile. Here’s why it matters

India has a new weapon.

On Wednesday, the Indian Air Force successfully test-fired the RudraM-II air-to-surface missile off the coast of Odisha.

RudraM-II is an indigenously-developed solid-propelled air-launched missile system meant for Air-to-Surface role to neutralise many types of enemy assets

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The missile was test fired from the Indian Air Force’s Sukhoi Su-30 MK-I.

The test-flight occurred around 11.30 am.

The flight test met all the trial objectives, validating the propulsion system and control & guidance algorithm,  defence officials said.

But what is the RudraM-II? And why does it matter?

Let’s take a closer look:

RudraM-II is an indigenously developed solid-propelled air-launched missile system.

As per Financial Express, Rudram means ‘remover of sorrows.’

It is an air-to-surface missile that is meant to neutralise various types of enemy assets.

The RudraM missiles are India’s first indigenous anti-radiation missiles.

They have been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The performance of the missile has been validated from the flight data captured by range tracking instruments like electro-optical systems, radar and telemetry stations deployed by Integrated Test Range, Chandipur at various locations, including the on-board ship, officials said.

As per NDTV, the missile can be launched from a whole host of altitudes.

It can pick up enemy radio frequencies and signals from radars from over 100 kilometres.

It can also operate in Lock-On-Before/After-Launch systems.

The RudraM-II’s internal guidance system lets it guide itself to the target after it has been fired.

According to Business Today, the missile has a range of 300 kilometres.

It can hit a speed of Mach 5.5 and can reportedly carry a 200 kilogramme payload.

Several state-of-the-art indigenous technologies developed by various DRDO laboratories have been incorporated into the missile system.

India currently uses the Russia’s Kh-31 missile in its Sukhoi fighter jets.

The RudraM-II missile will replace the Kh-31s.

This is the latest version of the missile.

RudraM-I

The Rudram-1 was a new generation anti-radiation missile (ARMs) developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

ARMs are designed to seek and destroy the enemy defence systems including radar, communication assets and other radio frequency sources.

The RudraM-I was test-fired four years ago by the Indian Air Force at the integrated test range in Odisha’s Balasore.

The defence ministry at the time said the RudraM-I hit the radiation target with “pin-point accuracy.”

The flight testing of the missile came amid India’s bitter border row with China in eastern Ladakh.

The RudraM-I version has two seekers – a passive-homing head seeker and a one Millimetre Wave (MMW) seeker.

The former helps find targets over a range of radio frequencies, while the latter allows the missile to function in a variety of weather conditions.

The RudraM-I has a 100 to 150 kilometre range.

It can hit speeds of up to Mach 2 – twice the speed of sound.

It has a launch altitude range of 1 to 15 kilometres.

In May 2019, the Indian Air successfully test-fired the aerial version of the BrahMos missile from a Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft.

The BrahMos missile provides the IAF with a much-desired capability to strike from large stand-off ranges on any target at sea or land with pin-point accuracy by day or night

‘Force multiplier’

According to The Print, the successful flight-test of RudraM-II is a major achievement for the Indian Air Force.

It has demonstrated the indigenousness of the missile system and the advanced propulsion and control technologies that have been incorporated into it.

The missile system is expected to play a vital role in strengthening India’s air security and defence preparedness.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated all DRDO and IAF on the successful test flight of RudraM-II.

Singh said the successful test has consolidated the role of the RudraM-II system as a force multiplier to the Armed Forces.

According to Business Today, the DRDO is already working on the RudraM-III.

The DRO is aiming at increasing the missile’s range to over 500 kilometres.

With inputs from agencies