BHUBANESWAR: India conducted a series of evaluation trials of the Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM) system from a defence facility off Odisha coast this week proving that the weapon is induction ready.
DRDO and Indian Army successfully flight tested six rounds of the indigenously developed weapon system from a canister mounted on a rotatable truck-based launch platform parked at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) against high-speed aerial targets mimicking various types of threats.
Defence sources said the missiles were fired from the specially designed launcher under different scenarios including long-range medium altitude, short-range, high altitude manoeuvring target, low radar signature with receding and crossing target and salvo launch with two missiles fired in quick succession.
"The system performance was also evaluated under day and night operation scenarios and demonstrated its capabilities. All the mission objectives were met establishing pin-point accuracy of the QRSAM weapon system with state-of-the-art guidance and control algorithms including warhead chain," said a defence
official.
These tests were conducted in the final deployment configuration consisting of all indigenously developed sub-systems including the missile with radio frequency seeker, mobile launcher, fully automated command and control system, surveillance and multi-function radars.
The performance of the missile has been confirmed from the data captured by a number of Range instruments like Telemetry, Radar and Electro-Optical Tracking Systems (EOTS) deployed by ITR. Senior officials from DRDO and the Indian Army participated in the launches.
The uniqueness of the QRSAM weapon system is that it can operate on the move with search and track capability and fire on a short halt. This has been proven during the mobility trials conducted earlier.
The missile system comprises of fully automated command and control system, active array battery surveillance radar, active array battery multifunction radar and launcher. Both radars are four-walled having 360-degree coverage with search-on-move and track-on-move capability.
The single-stage solid propelled missile has a mid-course inertial navigation system with a two-way data link and terminal active seeker. Considered to be a unique system in its class, the missile with a strike range of 30 km is expected to supplement the medium-range surface-to-air missile Akash.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has complimented DRDO and the Indian Army on the successful flight trials and said the QRSAM weapon system will be an excellent force multiplier for the Indian armed forces.