New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence has signed a ₹810.79-crore contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for the procurement of 160 Satellite Smart Anti-Airfield Weapons (SAT-SAAW) along with associated equipment for the Indian Air Force (IAF), in a move aimed at strengthening the force’s indigenous precision-strike capability.
The contract was signed in New Delhi on Wednesday in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. According to the Ministry of Defence, the procurement has been placed under the Buy (Indian–Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) category.
DRDO-developed precision weapon
The SAT-SAAW is an air-to-ground precision-guided glide bomb designed and developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The weapon is designed to engage enemy airfield infrastructure from a long stand-off range.
The system can be launched from multiple aircraft platforms, including the Jaguar, Hawk and Su-30 MKI, according to the Defence Ministry.
An earlier DRDO test release described the SAAW as a 125-kg-class smart weapon capable of engaging targets such as radars, bunkers, taxi tracks and runways, with a reported range of up to 100 km. DRDO had successfully conducted a flight test from an Indian Hawk-Mk132 in January 2021, following earlier trials from the Jaguar.
Ministry of Defence has inked a contract with @bharat_dynamics for the procurement of 160 Satellite Smart Anti Airfield Weapons (SAT-SAAW) along with associated equipment for Indian Air Force (IAF) with a total cost of Rs 810.79 crore under Buy (Indian – Indigenously Designed,… pic.twitter.com/qqnJ7ipcJh
— Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) September 23, 2026
60% indigenous content
The latest contract also carries a significant indigenisation component. The SAT-SAAW will have 60% indigenous content, while key subsystems—including the Initial Measurement Unit (IMU), Long Impact Delay Fuse and Twin Store Carrier—are also being indigenised.
The Defence Ministry said the move is intended to deepen domestic capabilities in advanced weapon-system manufacturing and further the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat objective in defence production.
Deliveries from 2027-28
The 160 weapons and associated equipment are scheduled to be delivered during 2027-28 and 2028-29. Their induction is expected to add another indigenous precision-strike option to the IAF’s operational inventory.
The procurement also highlights the expanding role of Indian defence manufacturers in translating DRDO-developed technologies into production systems for the armed forces. BDL, a Defence Ministry public-sector undertaking headquartered in Hyderabad, has long been involved in manufacturing guided missiles and allied defence equipment in collaboration with DRDO and other technology partners.
Boost to stand-off strike capability
The SAT-SAAW’s significance lies in its ability to allow compatible fighter aircraft to attack selected ground targets without necessarily approaching the target area as closely as would be required for conventional close-range attack. Its intended target set includes critical elements of airfield infrastructure.
With the latest order, India is moving from development and testing of the indigenous weapon towards larger-scale production and operational induction. The ₹810.79-crore contract therefore represents both an acquisition for the IAF and another step in the country’s effort to build a domestic ecosystem for precision-guided air-launched weapons.
