According to the Ministry of Defense of India, the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) successfully tested a new version of the missile known as Rudram from a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet yesterday.
The first version of the Rudram-I anti-radiation missile made its debut in 2020 when the Indian Air Force also tested it from a Su-30MKI, yielding positive results that paved the way for the development of the second version. It is worth noting that this first version was also India’s first locally developed missile of this kind to achieve a speed twice the speed of sound, Mach 2.
In that sense, the Rudram-II was launched from an Indian Air Force Su-30MKI aircraft off the eastern coast of the country, precisely in Odisha. According to the results of the launch, “The flight test met all the trial objectives, validating the propulsion system and the guidance algorithm,” declared the Ministry of Defense.
Data obtained during the test was collected using various tools such as electro-optic systems, radar, and telemetry stations based at the DRDO’s Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha.
The Indian defense portfolio defines the Rudram-II as a solid-propelled, indigenously developed missile system with an air-to-surface function to neutralize a wide range of threats. Furthermore, they also mentioned that indigenous technologies were developed by various DRDO subsidiaries.
*Images used for illustrative purposes.
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