I *really* love the Rampage missile of its clarity and simplicity! It allows strike attacks from standoff ranges (250 kms) at unprecedented price point ($0.5 million per missile).
It's a very simple missile, just a guided rocket modified for aerial carriage and simplified for slower speeds. An artillery rocket of this range needs to fly at 5.5-6.5 Mach. Rampage doesn't need to do that, It is already launched from 0.7M and 10 km high.
It flies at roughly 1.6 . At 3 times lower speed it drag becomes roughly 9 times less! This allows the weight of the missile with 150 kg warhead to merely 580 kgs! Even light fighters can carry 4 missiles and make salvo attacks. 1.6 Mach is more than enough!
India should develop its own. It is needed in the 100s, if not 1000s. And it has all the parts. Either increase the warhead of NGARM/Rudram1 by replacing the homing head, OR make an air launched version of LRGR. Both missiles are designed by DRDO and manufactured at Solar!
Against static targets like buildings, the Rampage/Rudra MII class missile is much more cost effective than Brahmos A (6 million, 12x more costly) and SCALP (2.5 million, 5x more costly). Every aircraft can carry multiple of these missiles, so much more deployable too!
Ramjet beats the purpose. Brahmos NG is a custom designed liquid fueled ramjet. So is upcoming STAR. The IITM developed solid motor ramjet cannot match their efficiency. Solid motor rockets are cheap wooden rounds. That's their USP.
