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High Speed Low Drag Bomb
Precision-guided general-purpose bomb From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The High Speed Low Drag (HSLD) bomb is a family of new generation short-range air-dropped general-purpose bomb that developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Air Force (IAF). It can can be used against the destruction of strategic high value enemy infrastructure from stand-off distances. The HSLD is comparable to the Mark 80 series bombs used by the United States Air Force (USAF) and its allies.
Multiple guidance kits, like PGHSLD and TARA REK, are also under development to convert these unguided bombs into precision-guided munitions. The guidance kit will use semi-active laser or electro-optical/imaging infrared seekers to assist in precision strikes.
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Description
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The Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune[3] is the primary agency that started developing HSLD with the help from other DRDO laboratories to upgrade the conventional free fall unguided ordnance used by the Indian Air force (IAF) fighter pilots while Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) is the lead production agency.[4] The development started with the aim to replace the older generation imported general purpose bombs that impose huge drag loss on fighter aircraft used by the IAF. The HSLD bomb is specially designed to productively use the higher speed of up to Mach 1.1 and wider flight envelope of newer generation NATO and Russian origin as well as Indian made aircraft.[2]
High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) developed the conventional type warhead for the HSLD and GP bombs that features blast, fragmentation and shaped charge for bunker buster role.[5] By feeding the target coordinates, the warhead can be used to effectively destroy runway, railway track, bridge, industrial facility, dock and bunker while able to work in the absence of GNSS input due to satellite jamming.[2][6]
HSLD can be launched from variety of aircraft that are under IAF inventory like Dassault Mirage 2000, SEPECAT Jaguar, Sukhoi Su-30MKI[7][8] and HAL Tejas.[2]
250 kg and 450 kg HSLD
Each HSLD bomb variant has two types of tail unit — retarder tail unit (RTU) (for low-level bombing missions) and ballistic tail unit (BTU) (for strategic high level bombing).[2] The 250 kg and 450 kg HSLD bomb uses Dentex as their primary explosive.[5][1]
On 29 July 2023, Ordnance Factory Muradnagar of Yantra India flagged off the first batch of 780 bomb casings of HSLD-450.[9][10][11]
PGHSLD-500
The Precision Guidance Kit for 450 kg HSLD Bomb, designated PGHSLD-500, has a mass of 520 ± 10 kg (1,146 ± 22 lb) and a length of 3.1 metre. The 450 kg HSLD has a high-explosive fragmented warhead with AVU-ETM fuse. The PGK consists of two sub-units — Nose Extension Unit (NEXU) and Smart Tail Unit (STU). The NEXU includes fixed canards as flight control surfaces, semi-active laser (SAL) seeker, anti-jamming GPS antenna, two-axis gimballed laser with a range of 4 km and 20° field of view. The STU includes actuation system with four individually controlled fins, fibre-optic gyro-based INS module, GPS antenna, electrically initiated thermal battery, a flight control unit (FCU) and a telemetry module. When paired with the guidance kit, the bomb can achieve an accuracy of 30 m CEP with INS/GPS mid-course guidance and that of 3 m CEP with SAL seeker as terminal guidance. The bomb is compatible with Su-30MKI and HAL Tejas.[12][2][13]
500 kg General Purpose (GP) Bomb
The 500 kg GP Bomb carries 10,300 preformed fragmented steel shells of 15 mm diameter. Each shell can target an area of up to 50 m from place of detonation with fragment density of >1 hit/sq m. The bomb is compatible with Russian and SEPECAT Jaguar fighter aircraft.[14][15] The bomb has both impact and impact delay modes of explosion and utilises Torpex-4B mixed with RDX that act as explosive booster.[5][1]
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) gave the green light to start mass production of 500 kg GP Bomb by Munitions India Limited at Ordnance Factory Khamaria (OFK). On 10 January 2022, under the guidance of a team from HEMRL and ARDE, the first two 500-kg GP bomb were carefully filled with primary and secondary warhead fillings in the F-6 section of the factory.[14] The first batch of 48 such bombs was delivered to the Indian Air Force on 3 April 2022.[16][17]
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Further development
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HSLD Mk 2
The HSLD Mk 2 is reportedly an improved variant of the earlier versions with a range of 180 km (110 mi) when launched from an altitude of 16,000 ft (4.9 km).[18]
On 7 August 2024, IAF issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) was floated by the Ministry of Defence for the upgrade of 24 MiG-29s, to integrate HSLD Mk 2 bombs with a range of 180 km. These upgrade will include addition of additional hardware (bomb racks on external hardpoints) as well as necessary software on to the aircraft. The project shall be overseen by No. 11 Base Repair Depot (BRD) of the IAF. Subsequently, the entire fleet will be equipped with this in phases. HSLD Mk 2 is integrated and deployed on Su-30MKI and SEPECAT Jaguar fleet. The IAF has sought MoD for manufacturing HSLD Mk 2 in India.[19][20]
In May 2025, it was reported that IAF plans to modify 112 Jaguar aircraft in order to equip them with HSLD Mk 2 bombs. This will follow the modifications of one fighter and trainer each of the DARIN II and III upgrades by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and IAF's Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE).[18]
Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA)
The Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA) Range Extension Kit (REK) is guidance kit that converts the HSLD and GP series unguided bombs into precision-guided munition. The TARA is under development with DRDO as of 2024. The REK kit uses a wing and tail unit to glide for a longer distance before hitting its target. The TARA REK will incorporate electro-optical and imaging infrared guidance for enhanced precision. The expected range of the bomb is 150-180 km when launched at 5 km altitude and a speed of Mach 0.8. The CEP of the kit should be <5 m This plan is included in Innovation for Defence excellence Programme (iDEX) of the Ministry of Defence. There will be 3 variants of REK kit — 250 kg (HSLD-250), 450 kg (HSLD-450) and 500 kg (500 kg GP Bomb).[21][22][23]
In March 2024, the first REK-equipped HSLD 250 was showcased in March 2024.[24] The HAL Tejas can be equipped with the guided bombs.[25]
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Trials
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Two successful developmental trials were conducted in 2013 to prove the capability of the munition with all development related works to be completed by 2014.[26]
During the same time, the Precision Guidance Kit for 450 Kg HSLD Bomb, designated PGHSLD-500, underwent carriage as well as carriage and release trials (CRTs) in the Pokhran Test Range. Two weapons were employed — one equipped with sensors, telemetry, and a data logger for carriage trials, and the other fitted with GPS and telemetry for Captive Release Trials (CRT). Two captive sorties with the weapon were conducted for carriage trials. The PGHSLD-500, mounted on station 05/06, was cleared for the full flight envelope. The weapon was released from an altitude of 5 km (16,000 ft) and at an airspeed of 900 km/h (Mach 0.73). The trials were completed successfully. The trials were carried out by a Su-30MKI aircraft from No. 31 Squadron, 32 Wing, Jodhpur Air Force Station (AFS).[27][2][28]
In May–June 2017, the ARDE conducted successful trials of the 500 kg GP Bomb from Jodhpur AFS. The tests covered ground adaptation, carriage and handling, limited separation, and release from a Su-30MKI aircraft. Carriage trials reached the upper limit of Mach 0.85 Mach at 150 m altitude, with 6.5 g and full-roll manoeuvres. The bomb maintained structural integrity and was safely released from station 7. Upon impact, the live bomb functioned effectively, validating the complete explosive train and proving operational readiness. The trials were conducted with the help of Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Office of the Regional Director Aeronautical Quality Assurance (ORDAQA) among others.[29][30][28]
As of April 2025, TARA is undergoing trials with SEPECAT Jaguar aircraft of the Indian Air Force.[7][8]
Variants
Operators
See also
References
External links
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