The Indian Air Force (IAF) is preparing to place a significant order for Israel’s Rampage air-to-ground missiles, following their reported successful deployment against Pakistani air bases and terrorist headquarters, reported ANI.
KaDefence officials, cited in an ANI report on Friday, confirmed that the acquisition is being pursued under fast-track procedures, with contracts expected to be finalised soon.
According to them, the missiles demonstrated “remarkable precision” in strikes on terrorist strongholds in Muridke and Bahawalpur in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
It should be noted here that the IAF had first procured Rampage missiles in 2020–21, around the time of the Galwan clashes with China.
The system gained further prominence during Operation Sindoor, where it was extensively fired from Su-30 MKIs against Pakistani positions deep inside their territory. Based on its performance, the IAF now plans to induct the missile across all aircraft platforms where it is already integrated and is exploring possibilities of fitting it to other fleets as well.
The integration of Rampage missiles has significantly enhanced the firepower of the IAF’s Russian-origin Su-30 MKIs. The aircraft can now carry multiple long-range air-to-ground weapons, including the BrahMos supersonic missile with a strike range of over 400 km.
The officials cited in the report also said that the IAF is considering manufacturing Rampage under the Make in India programme, potentially paving the way for large-scale domestic production.
In parallel, the IAF last year tested another Israeli system, the ROCKS (Crystal Maze-2) missile, in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as part of its efforts to diversify and modernise its precision-strike capabilities.
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