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DRDO Conducted Trials of Indigenous LRGB ‘Gaurav’ Using Su-30 MKI Aircraft.

Science and Technology | Dated: 15 Apr 2025

In April 2025, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), headquartered in New Delhi (Delhi), successfully conducted release trials of the indigenous Long-Range Glide Bomb (LRGB) named ‘Gaurav’. These trials were carried out between April 8 and 10, 2025, using the Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft.

🎯 Key Highlights:

- The weapon system was developed indigenously by DRDO through collaboration among multiple key laboratories. These include the Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in Hyderabad, Telangana, the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) in Pune, Maharashtra, and the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha.
- The project was developed in partnership with Indian defence industry leaders. Key contributors included Adani Defence Systems & Technologies Limited in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Bharat Forge Limited (BFL) in Pune, Maharashtra, along with several other Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), reflecting a strong public-private collaboration in India’s defence innovation ecosystem.
- These successful trials of LRGB ‘Gaurav’ mark a significant milestone in India's efforts towards self-reliance in advanced precision-guided munitions under the “Make in India” initiative.

💡 Other Important Facts:

(i) During the trials, the indigenous Long-Range Glide Bomb (LRGB) ‘Gaurav’ was tested by mounting it on various positions of the Su-30 MKI aircraft with different types of warheads. The weapon was launched towards a land-based target located on an island and successfully struck it with precision from a standoff distance of around 100 kilometres (km).
(ii) The quality assurance and certification process for ‘Gaurav’ was supported by two key organisations — the Centre for Military Airworthiness & Certification (CEMILAC), located in Bengaluru, Karnataka, and the Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA), a regulatory body functioning under the Department of Defence Production (DDP), Ministry of Defence (MoD) in New Delhi.
(iii) ‘Gaurav’ is a new-generation smart precision-guided weapon in the 1,000 kilogram (kg) class, featuring a wingspan of 3.4 meters. It has a strike range between 30 km and 150 km, and employs advanced guidance systems such as GPS (Global Positioning System), inertial navigation, and optionally laser or infrared sensors to accurately engage both stationary and mobile/hardened targets. The bomb can be equipped with fragmentation warheads for soft targets or penetration-blast warheads for fortified structures like bunkers.

📚 Test Your Knowledge:

Which organization recently conducted successful release trials of the Long-Range Glide Bomb (LRGB) 'Gaurav' from the Su-30 MKI aircraft?

Correct Answer: DRDO

🚀 Quick Recap:

About Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)

Chairman : Sameer Venkatapathy Kamat
Headquarter : New Delhi