Indian Air Force Seeks Paveway Laser-Guided Bombs

18/07/2011 by Armed Forces International's Defence Correspondent

The Indian Air Force is reportedly looking to press imported laser-guided bombs into service and, so, has issued a global request for proposal (RFP).

According to Indian news agencies, the Air Force wants over 100 new LGBS with the capability to strike targets deep within hardened shelters, or other locations that would normally be out of reach.

As a result of the RFP, which went out earlier in 2011, several firms have now responded with bids and these include US defence firms Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, plus one unidentified company from Israel.

Both Raytheon and Lockheed Martin are said to be proposing to sell their own, upgraded Paveway bombs.

Indian Air Force Laser-Guided Bombs

Indian Air Force laser-guided bomb experience has already has been obtained: examples were deployed during the 1999 Kargil War against Pakistani strongholds.

Unlike gravity bombs, laser-guided bombs draw on beamed laser radiation to accurately strike their targets. The earliest LGBs appeared in the US approximately 50 years ago, while the first Paveways made their operational debut in Vietnam.

The Indian Air Force is presently in the process of selecting its next generation multirole combat aircraft and the competition is generally thought to have been reduced to two aircraft - the Dassault Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Paveway LGBs

Either of these could be paired up with Paveway LGBs in years to come.

In mid-2010, India flight-trialled its own, indigenous laser-guided bomb design, conceived and assembled by Bangalore's ADE (Aeronautical Development Establishment) organisation. These laser-guided weapon trials, said an official at the time, "...demonstrated the accuracy, reliability and performance of the precision air launched bombs.

The same source added: "IAF is expected to upgrade a large number of unguided bombs to this standard based on the excellent results seen". On that basis, it seems that India may intend to operate both home-grown and imported laser-guided bombs.

The RAF recently took delivery of GBU-24 Paveway III bombs and these saw operational use in Libya when, in April, they were launched from RAF Typhoon multirole combat jets. Earlier in 2011, a new deal was signed between the US and Saudi Arabia for the supply of Paveway bomb kits.