DRDO and IAF conduct successful flight-tests of RudraM-II air-to-surface missile
On 2 June 2026, DRDO and the Indian Air Force successfully flight-tested the indigenous RudraM-II air-to-surface missile from an airborne platform under extreme release conditions, with ITR Chandipur confirming all objectives.
Summary
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted successful flight-tests of the indigenous RudraM-II air-to-surface missile from an airborne platform, the Ministry of Defence said on 2 June 2026; DD News reported the tests were held that day. The tests were conducted under extreme release conditions with a critical trajectory, and the missiles hit a predefined target with pin-point accuracy, as confirmed by flight data from range instruments of the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur. RudraM-II was developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, as the nodal DRDO laboratory, with DRDL, HEMRL, ARDE and ITR, and with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited among the contributing agencies. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the tests show the growing maturity of indigenous defence technologies.
Key facts
- Date
- 2 June 2026
- Missile
- RudraM-II air-to-surface missile, launched from an airborne platform
- Conducted by
- DRDO and Indian Air Force
- Range
- Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur
- Nodal lab
- Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad
- Partner labs
- DRDL, HEMRL, ARDE, ITR; HAL among agencies
Practice MCQs 3 questions
Which DRDO laboratory was the nodal laboratory for developing the RudraM-II missile flight-tested in June 2026?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad
RudraM-II was indigenously developed by Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad, as the nodal DRDO laboratory.
Flight data confirming the RudraM-II test objectives in June 2026 was captured by range instruments of the Integrated Test Range located at:
Show answer
Correct answer: B — Chandipur
All test objectives were confirmed by flight data from range instruments deployed by ITR, Chandipur.
Consider the following statements about the RudraM-II tests of June 2026: 1. RudraM-II is an air-to-surface missile and was tested from an airborne platform. 2. The Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) was the nodal DRDO laboratory for its development. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: D — 1 only
Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong: Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, was the nodal laboratory; DRDL was one of the sister labs.