SOURCE: RAJESH AHUJA / FOR MY TAKE / IDRW.ORG
In 2021, the Indian Air Force (IAF) cleared the procurement of ” RAMPAGE” a Long-Range Precise Supersonic Missile from Israel. RAMPAGE is a new long-range air-to-ground precision strike missile that can travel at supersonic speeds, and can be used to target Communication infrastructures, Air force bases, control towers, squadron buildings, Munitions storage, bunkers, Air defense sites, and Logistic centers.
Rampage is just an air-launched weapon of the EXTRA, a long-range artillery rocket that has been adopted to be launched from the air from a fighter jet like the Israeli F-16, Indian Su-30MKI, and Mirage-2000 without much modifications.
EXTRA is a guided rocket that has a range of 150km and will have a range of 200+km in its air-launched variant called Rampage. Other than GPS/INS guidance navigation with anti-jamming capabilities including the ability of video transmission, Rampage is a cost-effective weapon system but not a Game changer weapon system that couldn’t have been developed locally in the country.
DRDO already has tested the Guided Pinaka rocket system if IAF wanted it could have been developed into an Air Launched Guided rocket system that could have provided the same cost-effective, long-range, air-to-ground, seeker less, precision strike weapon system at fraction of the cost.
The guided Pinaka rocket which has a range of 90km could have come as a local alternative to the Rampage and easily could have a range of 150+km. What Rampage missile brings to the table in addition to the existing capacity of the IAF when it already has missile systems like Hammer, SCALP, or Storm Shadow cruise missile and Popeye air-to-surface missiles, other low cost option is still a mystery.
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