Following Operation Sindoor, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is resolutely enhancing its inventory of Israeli Rampage air-to-ground missiles in an effort to further boost its precision attack capabilities.
The Rampage, also referred to as the High Speed Low Drag-Mark 2 missile in the IAF, has proven to be a deadly weapon in battle.
These missiles have demonstrated their operational worth in high-pressure situations after being launched with amazing accuracy against Pakistani targets, including terrorist headquarters and airbases in Punjab province’s Muridke and Bahawalpur.
The IAF has accelerated procurement under fast-track procedures as a result of this success, and defence officials have confirmed that significant orders are probably going to be placed soon.
Israel created the Rampage missile, a long-range precision attack weapon intended to destroy valuable enemy assets with little collateral damage. With its seamless integration with several platforms, including the Su-30MKI, Jaguar, and MiG-29 fighter fleets, the missile gives the IAF more flexibility in how it plans and executes its missions.
The Rampage was widely launched from Su-30MKIs at Pakistani sites located deep in their hinterland during Operation Sindoor, sending a powerful message about India’s improved strike capability.
As a result of its outstanding performance, the IAF is already looking to purchase the missile in much larger quantities to guarantee strong readiness for any threats from China and Pakistan.
The Rampage was first added to the IAF’s armament in 2020–2021, during the height of border tensions after the clashes with China in Galwan. This first purchase was a component of India’s larger plan to expand its arsenal of weapons beyond Russian and domestic systems and quickly upgrade its airstrike capabilities.
The integration of the missile has been especially advantageous for India’s frontline multi-role fighter, the Su-30MKI. The Su-30MKI’s attack capabilities has been greatly increased by its capacity to carry and fire several precision long-range weapons. It can now launch the Indo-Russian BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, which has a strike range of more than 400 kilometres, as well as the Israeli Rampage. India’s choices for deep-strike operations across a variety of terrains and battle theatres are significantly increased by this combination.
In the future, the IAF plans to produce these missiles under the “Make in India” initiative in addition to purchasing more of them. The Rampage’s domestic production would have a number of benefits, including lower costs, quicker cycles for resupply, advantages for technology transfer, and increased operational independence during protracted hostilities.
The Rampage might join other cutting-edge weapons like BrahMos and Astra as a mainstay in the IAF’s attack inventory if localised production is authorised. The viability of equipping fleets other than the Su-30MKI, Jaguar, and MiG-29 is also being investigated by military strategists; this is probably going to include future fighters like the Rafale as well as even domestic platforms that are currently being developed.
The IAF tested the ROCKS (Crystal Maze-2) missile, another Israeli precision-guided weapon system, within the Andaman and Nicobar command last year in tandem with the Rampage.
This shows a distinct trend of India and Israel strengthening their defence cooperation in the field of high-tech missiles. These purchases show a move towards cutting-edge stand-off weaponry that minimise risk while boosting strike effectiveness by enabling Indian pilots to attack heavily fortified or hardened enemy locations without entering hostile airspace.
To sum up, New Delhi’s determination to preserve air superiority and credible deterrence against enemies is demonstrated by the expedited introduction of Rampage missiles.
Following Operation Sindoor, the IAF pursued large-scale procurement of the missile because of its proven accuracy and penetration capabilities, which confirmed its usefulness in actual combat situations. This action, when coupled with further efforts to diversify the strike fleet’s weapon load-out and indigenise production, enhances India’s readiness for counterterrorism and conventional warfare operations and guarantees a versatile, potent, and future-ready air warfare doctrine.
