New Delhi/Bengaluru: In a big boost to the indigenous Hawk-i program, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Thursday successfully test-fired a Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) from the Hawk-i aircraft off the coast of Odisha. The indigenous stand-off weapon developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI), DRDO is the first smart weapon fired from an Indian Hawk-Mk132. "HAL has been focusing on the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign. The Company owned Hawk-i platform is being extensively used for certification of systems and weapons developed indigenously by DRDO and CSIR labs" said HAL's Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) R Madhavan.
The aircraft flown by HAL test pilots Wg Cdr (Retd) P Awasthi and Wg Cdr (Retd) M Patel executed the weapon release in a textbook manner and all mission objectives were met. The telemetry and tracking systems captured all the mission events confirming the success of the trials
HAL's Director (Engineering and R&D) Arup Chatterjee is indigenously enhancing the training and combat capability of Hawk-i. HAL is in discussions with the Indian Armed Forces for the integration of various weapons on the Hawk platform.
The Hawk-i is HAL's internally funded program offering the Indian Armed Forces an upgrade and combat capability for the Hawk, transforming it into an Advanced Jet Trainer providing training on sensors and weapons in peacetime into a potent combat platform during the conflict.
The SAAW is an aircraft launched, advanced, precision strike weapon of 125 Kg category used to attack and destroy enemy airfield assets such as radars, bunkers, taxi tracks, runways within a range of 100 kms. SAAW has been earlier successfully test-fired from Jaguar aircraft.
(PSU Watch– India's Business News centre that places the spotlight on PSUs, Bureaucracy, Defence and Public Policy is now on Telegram. Join PSU Watch Channel in your Telegram and stay updated)