Overview
- DRDO and the Indian Air Force flight-tested the TARA glide kit off the Odisha coast on Thursday, with the government confirming the maiden trial as successful.
- TARA is a bolt-on system that fits 250 kg, 450 kg, and 500 kg bombs, using deployable wings, a tail unit, and onboard navigation to turn unguided munitions into precision weapons.
- Defence reporting cites a stand-off reach of roughly 150 to 180 km from about 5 km release altitude, with guidance via inertial sensors, GPS assist, and electro‑optical or imaging infrared seekers targeting metre-level accuracy.
- Research Centre Imarat led development with other DRDO labs, and production has begun with Development‑cum‑Production Partners as integration proceeds on Jaguar, Mirage‑2000, Su‑30MKI, and Tejas aircraft pending further trials.
- Officials and analysts say the indigenous kit offers a cheaper alternative to imports like SPICE, extends strike range to keep pilots outside hostile air defences, and taps existing bomb stocks for faster fielding.