Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile being flight tested by Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha.
Highlights
- New Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile was tested in Chandipur.
- The flight path of the missile was monitored using a number of tracking instruments.
- The test launch was monitored by senior DRDO and Indian Navy officials.
India Tuesday successfully flight tested the indigenously developed new Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VLSRSAM) from the coast here, Defence Research and Defence Organisation (DRDO) official said. The quick reaction surface-to-air-missile missile developed by DRDO was test-launched from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur near here at about 3.08 pm from a vertical launcher against an electronic target at a very low altitude.
The flight path of the missile along with its health parameters was monitored using a number of tracking instruments deployed by ITR, Chandipur.
All the sub-systems performed as per expectation and the test launch was monitored by senior DRDO and Indian Navy officials, the DRDO said.
The missile has an operational range of 50 to 60 km and features mid-course inertial guidance through fibre optic gyroscope and active radar homing in the terminal phase, it said.
The launch was conducted to validate the integrated operation of all weapon system components including the vertical launcher unit with controller, canisters flight vehicle, weapon control system and others required for future launches of the missile from Indian Naval ships.
The test launch was monitored by senior officials from the DRDO and Indian Navy, it said. The first trial was conducted on February 22, 2021, and Tuesday's flight test was a confirmatory trial to prove the consistent performance of the configuration and integrated operation, it said.
“RM Shri @rajnathsigh has congratulated @DRDO_India, @indianavy and industry for the successful flight test of Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile. He said that this system would further enhance defence capability of Indian naval Ships against aerial threats,” RMO (defence ministry) India said in its official Twitter post.
Secretary to the department of defence research and development and DRDO chairman G Satheesh Reddy complimented the teams involved in the successful flight test and said that this has paved the way for the integration of the weapon system onboard Indian Naval Ships.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik tweeted “Congratulate @DRDO_India and @indiannavy on successful flight testing of Vertical Launch Shrort Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) from Chandipur, off the coast of #Odisha.”
On Tuesday morning ahead of the test firing of the tactical missile, the Balasore district administration as a safety measure temporarily shifted more than 4,500 people residing within a 2.5 km radius of the launch pad No 3 of the ITR from where the weapon with a dummy payload was positioned and launched.
A district revenue official said ”On the request of ITR authority these people residing in six hamlets in close proximity to the ITR launch site had to be temporarily shifted to nearby shelter centres with compensation. They will return to their homes after DRDO gives the green signal for it.”
