BHUBANESWAR: India on Wednesday successfully flight-tested vertically launched short range surface-to-air missile (VL-SRSAM) from a defence test facility off Odisha coast.
Indigenously developed by DRDO, the missile was test fired from a land-based vertical launcher positioned at Integrated Test Range (ITR) against a high-speed aerial target at very close range and low altitude.
Defence sources said the canisterised missile neutralised the aerial target at a very low altitude. The missile validated the near-boundary-low altitude capability of the missile system
“The target was completely destroyed by the missile executing the high turn rate required for engaging targets at very close range, and establishing the missile’s agility, reliability and pin-point accuracy,” the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement.
The missile was test fired by DRDO in collaboration with the Indian Navy with all weapon system elements deployed in combat configuration. It was a part of a user associate trial to validate multiple updated elements of the weapon system.
“The elements, including the missile with indigenous radio frequency seeker, multi-function radar and weapon control system, have performed as per expectations. The performance of the system was validated by the flight data captured by various Range Instruments developed by ITR Chandipur,” said a defence official.
With high kill probability, the missile can identify, track and destroy targets at a range up to 80 km. It is capable of neutralising various aerial threats at close ranges including sea skimming targets. The system can provide point and area defence against various aerial targets like jets, fighter aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles.
DRDO chairman and secretary of Department of Defence Research and Development Samir V Kamat said the missile, equipped with modern technologies, will give further technological boost to the armed forces.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the teams from DRDO and the Indian Navy for their achievement.