NEW DELHI: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy on Wednesday successfully conducted maiden flight-test of indigenously-developed Naval Anti-Ship Missile launched from a Naval Helicopter from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha.
The Ministry of Defence said in a statement said the mission met all its objectives. “The missile followed the desired sea skimming trajectory and reached the designated target with high degree of accuracy, validating the control, guidance and mission algorithms. All the sub-systems performed satisfactorily,” it said, adding that the sensors deployed across the test range and near impact point tracked the missile trajectory and captured all the events.
It is the first indigenous air launched anti-ship missile system for the Indian Navy. The missile employed many new technologies, including an indigenously developed launcher for the helicopter. The system includes state-of-the-art navigation system and integrated avionics.Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and DRDO chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy said the system will strengthen the Navy’s offensive capability.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday, during his visit to Mumbai, undertook a sortie on the Indian Navy P8I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Anti-Submarine Warfare aircraft. “During the mission, long range surveillance, electronic warfare, imagery intelligence, ASW missions and Search & Rescue capabilities employing the state-of-the-art mission suite and sensors were demonstrated,” the Navy said.The induction of P8I aircraft in 2013 has enhanced Navy’s surveillance operations in the Indian Ocean Region.