The Indian Air Force (IAF) is exploring the possibility of integrating Israel’s Long Range Attack (LORA) missile into its frontline fighter aircraft, including the Su-30MKI fleet, in what could significantly reshape India’s aerial strike capabilities. This prospective acquisition comes amid growing regional security challenges and follows the successful operational use of the Israeli Rampage missile during Operation Sindoor, conducted in May 2025.
While India already possesses a formidable BrahMos missile arsenal, the LORA system promises a new layer of strategic depth. Its unique attributes—particularly its quasi-ballistic trajectory, higher speed, and longer reach—offer the IAF more diverse strike options against fortified or high-value targets deep inside adversary territory.
The conversation surrounding LORA comes at a time when the IAF is determined to broaden its precision-strike portfolio, addressing not only tactical requirements but also strategic deterrence.
The LORA Missile: Technical Details and Operational Edge
Developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the LORA missile stands out for its advanced capabilities tailored for modern aerial warfare. Designed as a supersonic quasi-ballistic missile, LORA is engineered to be deployed from aircraft such as the Su-30MKI, thereby aligning with the IAF’s fleet modernization goals.
Among its key technical features:
- Range: Approximately 400-430 kilometers, enabling deep strikes well inside hostile territory without requiring aircraft to cross borders or enter heavily defended airspace.
- Speed: Exceeds Mach 5, reaching roughly 6,174 km/h, substantially reducing the adversary’s reaction window.
- Accuracy: Possesses a Circular Error Probable (CEP) of under 10 meters, ensuring high precision against pinpoint targets.
- Guidance: Employs a “fire-and-forget” system, supplemented by mid-course update capabilities. This blend allows the missile to adjust its flight path if needed, enhancing survivability and mission success.
- Application: Suited for destroying critical assets such as command centers, radar installations, air defense nodes, or high-value strategic infrastructure.
LORA’s combination of speed and quasi-ballistic flight trajectory enables it to follow lofted paths, making interception by conventional air defense systems considerably more difficult.
Operation Sindoor: Catalyst for Change
The IAF’s interest in the LORA missile intensified after the events of Operation Sindoor in May 2025, where Jaguar fighter jets successfully employed Israel’s Rampage missile to strike Pakistan’s Sukkur air base. According to defense sources, the operation involved precise attacks on aircraft shelters, radar systems, and support facilities, demonstrating the potential of stand-off, precision-guided weapons.
The success of Rampage underscored the operational value of long-range, air-launched missiles that allow pilots to stay outside hostile air defense zones. It also highlighted gaps in India’s inventory, particularly in having a diverse set of stand-off weapons to match evolving threats from neighboring adversaries.
Operation Sindoor reinforced the necessity for options beyond the BrahMos missile. LORA’s higher velocity and different flight profile offer the IAF an additional tool for penetrating fortified zones, complicating enemy defense planning.
LORA vs. BrahMos: Understanding the Differences
| Capabilities | LORA | BrahMos |
| Trajectory and Flight Profile | LORA follows a quasi-ballistic path. Once launched from high altitude, it climbs sharply before descending steeply onto its target, minimizing radar tracking time. This lofted trajectory helps bypass some layers of air defense and increases the missile’s range compared to a purely horizontal cruise flight. | BrahMos operates as a supersonic cruise missile, flying at low altitudes (sea-skimming or terrain-hugging) to evade radar detection. Its trajectory remains relatively flat, designed for surprise strikes against enemy ships, ground installations, or fortified bunkers. |
| Speed and Reaction Time | LORA’s speed exceeds Mach 5, offering a shorter reaction window for enemy defenses. | BrahMos is fast (Mach 2.8-3) |
| Weight and Aircraft Compatibility | LORA is lighter and engineered for easier integration with the Su-30MKI and potentially other platforms in the future, broadening the IAF’s operational flexibility. | BrahMos, weighing approximately 2.5 tonnes, requires significant modifications to fighter aircraft. Currently, only the Su-30MKI can carry it effectively, limiting deployment options across the broader fighter fleet. |
| Cost and Exportability | LORA is expected to be more affordable and could be co-produced in India under a transfer-of-technology arrangement. That prospect makes it attractive both for operational use and for future export, aligning with India’s defense manufacturing ambitions. | BrahMos is expensive, with estimates ranging between Rs 20-30 crore per missile. Its joint development framework with Russia places constraints on export potential due to Russia’s veto rights and geopolitical considerations. |
| Strategic Roles | LORA offers a tool for precision attacks on high-value strategic nodes, including command-and-control centers, air defense radars, or infrastructure critical for warfighting capability. Its precision reduces collateral damage while ensuring the mission’s effectiveness. | BrahMos is ideal for heavy strikes on large, fortified targets—such as enemy warships, air bases, and deeply buried bunkers. |
The Strategic Rationale for LORA’s Acquisition
Several factors underpin the IAF’s interest in adding LORA to its arsenal:
Enhanced Standoff Capability
LORA enables deep strikes into enemy territory without requiring aircraft to breach airspace heavily protected by systems like Pakistan’s HQ-9 or China’s HQ-22 air defense systems. Strikes on cities like Karachi, Rawalpindi, or sensitive installations near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) become feasible without significant exposure to enemy air defenses.
Countering Dual Threats
India faces potential two-front scenarios involving Pakistan and China. Both countries continue to modernize air defense networks, deploying newer radars and missile systems capable of engaging targets at increasing ranges.
LORA’s high speed, ballistic flight path, and rapid descent reduce the effectiveness of layered air defense systems. In any high-intensity conflict, LORA could help open corridors for follow-on strikes or suppress key enemy defenses in the conflict’s initial hours.
Operational Lessons from Rampage
The IAF’s experience with Rampage demonstrated the benefits of having long-range, precision-guided munitions. Rampage allowed pilots to remain well outside Pakistani airspace during Operation Sindoor while achieving mission objectives.
LORA offers even greater range and penetration capabilities. As a missile designed from the outset for air launch, it integrates advanced avionics and mission-planning systems suitable for modern warfare.
Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Technology Transfer
India’s defense policy emphasizes Aatmanirbhar Bharat—self-reliance in defense manufacturing. Discussions with IAI include potential cooperation with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for co-production.
Local manufacturing would:
- Create skilled jobs in the defense sector.
- Reduce long-term procurement costs.
- Allow India to emerge as a missile exporter, enhancing geopolitical influence in the Indian Ocean Region and beyond.
Given the global demand for precision-strike systems, exporting LORA variants could open significant markets for India.
Addressing BrahMos Limitations
While BrahMos remains indispensable, it is not a universal solution. Its heavy weight limits how many missiles can be carried per aircraft sortie. For missions requiring surgical strikes on precise targets, LORA offers a lighter, more flexible solution that complements BrahMos without attempting to replace it.
Integrating LORA with the Su-30MKI Fleet
The Su-30MKI has evolved into the backbone of the IAF’s fighter fleet. Its large size, range, and payload capacity make it an ideal candidate for deploying advanced weapons like LORA.
Integrating LORA onto the Su-30MKI would involve:
- Software upgrades for fire-control systems.
- Modification of pylons to accommodate LORA’s launch canister.
- Testing of aerodynamic loads to ensure safe carriage and release.
Defense officials familiar with the discussions suggest that LORA’s lighter weight compared to BrahMos could simplify integration. This would enable faster deployment timelines and lower costs.
Should integration proceed smoothly, the IAF could field a squadron-sized inventory of LORA missiles—about 18 units—by 2026-27. This timeline aligns with India’s modernization targets and growing security requirements.
A Dual-Missile Strategy for the IAF
Rather than choosing between BrahMos and LORA, the IAF plans to use both systems in a complementary manner. Each missile fulfills specific operational needs:
- BrahMos: Suited for striking large or hardened targets requiring massive kinetic energy, such as runways, hardened aircraft shelters, or naval ships.
- LORA: Ideal for precise attacks on command-and-control infrastructure, radar sites, and other strategic nodes, especially when speed and stealth are crucial.
A hypothetical mission profile might see BrahMos neutralizing enemy air defense batteries or critical infrastructure first. Subsequently, LORA could follow to strike remaining high-value targets, exploiting gaps in enemy coverage created by the initial salvo.
This approach improves the IAF’s ability to execute complex, multi-phase operations, ensuring the adversary’s defenses remain off-balance.
Regional Implications and Strategic Balance
LORA’s addition would influence the strategic calculus in South Asia. Pakistan and China have steadily invested in longer-range surface-to-air missiles and modern early warning systems.
While BrahMos has deterred hostile naval and ground movements, LORA offers a new layer of threat, particularly for strategic installations deeper inland. The prospect of being struck without warning, and with great precision, could deter adversarial planning or limit escalatory responses.
Moreover, LORA’s acquisition would send a message that the IAF intends to maintain technological parity—or even an edge—over regional rivals.
Despite the promise, several challenges remain:
- Financial Constraints: Advanced missiles come at significant cost, and defense budgets must balance modernization across multiple domains.
- Technology Transfer: While IAI has cooperated with India on other programs, sensitive technologies related to missile guidance and propulsion could be subject to export restrictions.
- Operational Doctrine: Integrating a new missile system involves changes to mission planning, pilot training, and logistics, all of which demand time and resources.
Nonetheless, the IAF appears committed to diversifying its strike options in response to evolving threats.
The IAF’s pursuit of the LORA missile signifies a critical step in reshaping India’s aerial warfare capabilities. Rather than replacing the BrahMos missile, LORA promises to complement it, offering precision, speed, and extended range for deep strikes on strategic targets. The potential for local manufacturing under Aatmanirbhar Bharat further elevates its strategic appeal.
In a region marked by shifting power dynamics and rapid military modernization, acquiring LORA could give the Indian Air Force a decisive advantage. If talks with Israel’s IAI and domestic partners proceed as planned, LORA’s induction by 2026-27 would mark another stride in India’s efforts to secure its airspace and project power when needed.
India’s skies may soon hold a sharper edge, as the IAF readies itself for the demands of modern aerial combat.
