Tel Aviv: India is actively considering the acquisition of the Air LORA air-launched ballistic missile from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The plan is to integrate the missile with Indian Air Force platforms such as the Su-30MKI and Rafale, with a single Su-30MKI potentially carrying up to four Air LORA missiles.
The Air LORA is a next-generation weapon system with a range of 400 km and a supersonic speed. According to IAI, the missile has a CEP of 10 metres.
The air launched version of Air LORA is capable of striking high-value, well-protected targets such as command centres, airbases, missile sites, and critical infrastructure deep inside adversary territory—well beyond the reach of most enemy air defence systems.
The missile is armed with a blast fragmentation warhead or deep penetration one, making it effective against both hardened bunkers and soft targets.
The Air LORA is navigated by an advanced INS/GPS navigation with robust GNSS anti-jamming, ensuring high accuracy and survivability in contested environments. Once launched, the missile requires no further guidance, reducing risk to pilots and aircraft.
The Indian decision is a result from the tension and recent clashes with Pakistan. The Israeli missiles’ stand-off capability will allow Indian pilots to launch strikes from within Indian airspace or neutral corridors, minimising exposure to enemy interceptors and surface-to-air missile grids.
This capability is seen as a response to China’s deployment of long-range ballistic missiles in the Himalayas and Pakistan’s Chinese-supplied air defence systems.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
