ANTI- RADIATION MISSILE

Subject: Defence technology

Context: A New Generation Anti Radiation Missile (NGARM), Rudra M-I, was successfully flight-tested by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Concept:

• RudraM-I is an anti-radiation missile can locate and target any radiation-emitting source like enemy radars, communication sites and other Radio Frequency (RF) emitting targets.
• This is the first indigenous anti-radiation missile of the country. It has a range of up to 200 km depending upon the launch conditions.
• It can be launched from altitudes of 500 m to 15 km and speeds of 0.6 to 2.

How does it work?

• Anti-radiation missiles are designed to detect, track and neutralize the adversary’s radar, communication assets and other radio frequency sources, which are generally part of their air defence systems.
• Such a missile’s navigation mechanism comprises an inertial navigation system — a computerised mechanism that uses changes in the object’s own position — coupled with GPS, which is satellite-based.
• For guidance, it has a “passive homing head” — a system that can detect, classify and engage targets (radio frequency sources in this case) over a wide band of frequencies as programmed.
• Once the RudraM missile locks on the target, it is capable of striking accurately even if the radiation source switches off in between.