India Friday tested an indigenously developed 1,000-kg glide bomb, with a top official saying the country can now launch heavy bombs for delivery up to 100 km away with high precision.
The bomb designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was dropped by an Indian Air force aircraft in the Bay of Bengal off Odisha, an official statement said.
Guided by an on board navigation system, the bomb glided for nearly 100 km before hitting the target with great precision, a statement from the defence ministry said.
The flight of the glide bomb was monitored by radars and electro-optic systems stationed at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur in Odisha's Balasore district, about 230 km from Bhubaneswar.
"The nation today has the capability to design, develop and launch heavy bombs for delivery up to 100 km away with high precision," said DRDO chief Avinash Chander.
He congratulated all the team members who contributed to the success.
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Added G. Satheesh Reddy, a distinguish scientist and director of the Research Centre Imarat (RCI): "The country has now become self-reliant in the area of guided precision bombs."
Multiple DRDO laboratories contributed towards developing the glide bomb, the statement said.
The complete avionics package and navigation system was designed and developed by RCI.