Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile Successfully Flight-Tested Off Odisha’s Chandipur

Bhubaneswar: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy on Friday successfully flight-tested Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM).

The missile was launched from a Naval ship off the coast of Chandipur in Odisha. It is a quick reaction surface-to-air-missile indigenously designed and developed by DRDO for the Indian Navy and is meant for neutralising aerial threats at close ranges, including sea-skimming targets.

“Today’s launch of the system was conducted against a high-speed aerial target mimicking aircraft, which was successfully engaged,” ANI quoted DRDO officials as saying.

The officials further informed that the flight path of the vehicle, along with health parameters, were monitored using a number of tracking instruments deployed by ITR, Chandipur. The test launch was monitored by senior officials from DRDO & Indian Navy.

The missile with operational range of 50 to 100 km distance features mid-course inertial guidance through fiber optic gyroscope and active radar homing in terminal phase. The launch was conducted to validate integrated operation of all weapon system components, including the vertical launcher unit with controller, canisterised flight vehicle and weapon control system.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has congratulated DRDO and Indian Navy for the successful launch of the missile. “Congratulations to DRDO, Indian Navy & the industry for the successful flight test of Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile off the coast of Chandipur, Odisha. This success will further enhance the defence capability of Indian Naval Ships against the aerial threats,” he said in a tweet.