DRDO and IAF successfully flight-test RudraM-II anti-radiation missile from Su-30MKI
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully conducted flight tests of the indigenously developed RudraM-II air-to-surface missile from a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet off the coast of Odisha on 2 June 2026. The Defence Ministry said the missile struck its designated target with pin-point accuracy and met all trial objectives, with performance validated through electro-optical sensors, radar and telemetry stations of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur. RudraM-II is an air-launched anti-radiation missile designed to neutralise enemy radar systems and air-defence and communication assets before they can threaten attacking aircraft, a capability known as Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD). Developed by DRDO's Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in Hyderabad with other DRDO labs and industry partners, the missile was tested under extreme release conditions across a range of altitudes.
Key Facts & Details
8 points- 1DRDO and the IAF flight-tested the RudraM-II air-to-surface missile from a Su-30MKI off Odisha on 2 June 2026.
- 2The missile hit its target with pin-point accuracy and met all trial objectives.
- 3Performance was tracked by electro-optical sensors, radar and telemetry of the ITR, Chandipur.
- 4RudraM-II is an anti-radiation missile that neutralises enemy radars and air-defence assets.
- 5It was developed by DRDO's Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, with other labs and industry.
Deep Dive
- +The RudraM series provides India a Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) capability.
- +The test was conducted under extreme release conditions across altitudes from about 3 km to 15 km.
- +Indigenous missiles like RudraM advance India's defence self-reliance under Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Exam Focus
RudraM-II, tested by DRDO and the IAF, is what type of missile and from which aircraft was it launched?
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Exam Relevance & Angle
Indigenous missile tests are among the most frequently asked defence current-affairs items, and specific details such as the missile's name, its anti-radiation role, the launch platform (Su-30MKI) and the developing agency (DRDO) are exactly what examiners convert into direct questions.
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Background & Context
The RudraM series is India's first family of indigenously developed air-launched anti-radiation missiles, built by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) primarily through its Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in Hyderabad. Anti-radiation missiles home in on the radio-frequency emissions of enemy radars and air-defence systems, allowing an air force to perform Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD), destroying or blinding the adversary's surveillance and missile-guidance radars so that follow-on strike aircraft can operate safely. RudraM-II is a more capable successor to RudraM-I, with a longer reach and the ability to engage a wider set of targets, and it is integrated with the Su-30MKI, the IAF's frontline heavy fighter. Such tests are typically carried out at the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha, and form part of India's push for self-reliance in defence production under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
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Must KnowTest Yourself
1 / 2RudraM-II, tested by DRDO and the IAF in June 2026, is primarily designed to:
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