IDEF 2023: GIDS reveals details of prototype air-launched missiles

GIDS Taimur air-launched cruise missile prototype at the IDEF 2023 show. (Janes/Raghuraman CS)

Pakistan's state-owned Global Industrial & Defence Solutions (GIDS) unveiled a range of air-launched weapons at the 16th International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) held in Istanbul from 25 to 28 July.

Prototypes of the Taimur air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) and FAAZ air-to-air missiles (AAM) were displayed for the first time.

Optimised as a fast jet-launched missile for air-to-surface missions, the Taimur (also known as Taimoor) is designed as a stand-off anti-ship and land attack cruise missile. The modular missile has an aerodynamic box-shaped fuselage equipped with an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker in the front, mid-body foldable wings on the lower surface, and tail control surfaces and a turbojet engine at the rear. The air inlet for the turbojet motor is located under the missile body between the wings and fins. It also carries a fragmentation, armour-piercing warhead.

According to GIDS the turbojet-powered missile has an operational range of 290 km and weighs less than 1,200 kg. It has terrain-hugging and sea-skimming capabilities; is capable of cruise flight at an altitude of between 152 m (500 ft) and 6,096 m (20,000 ft) at a subsonic speed; and has launch altitude of between 610 m (2,000 ft) and 7,620 m (25,000 ft).

The missile can be carried on external underwing pylons of the JF-17 aircraft and other compatible fast-jet platforms. JF-17 can carry two Taimur missiles (one on each side).

Currently in the development phase, the FAAZ is a beyond-visual-range (BVR) AAM. The FAAZ family has two variants, baseline FAAZ (also referred to as FAAZ-1) and extended-range FAAZ-2.