The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Army successfully carried out four flight tests of the Army variant of the Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast on April 3 and 4. The Defence Ministry said these tests validate the operational readiness of two Army commands and mark a significant step towards the deployment of the weapon system in two regiments.
The trials were designed to assess the missile’s capability against diverse threats, including long-range, short-range, high-altitude, and low-altitude targets. According to an official statement, all four tests resulted in direct hits, demonstrating the system’s precision and reliability.
The flight tests were conducted by Army personnel from the Eastern and Southern Commands under DRDO’s guidance. The missiles successfully intercepted high-speed aerial targets, proving their effectiveness in real-world operational scenarios. The system’s performance was rigorously evaluated using range instruments such as radars and electro-optical tracking systems deployed by the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur.
Developed jointly by DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries, the MRSAM Army weapon system comprises a multi-function radar, command post, mobile launcher, and other support vehicles.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lauded the success, stating, “These four successful tests reaffirm the weapon system’s capability in intercepting targets at critical ranges.”
Samir V. Kamat, Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO, hailed the achievement as a major milestone in enhancing the Indian Army’s operational capability.
Team BharatShakti
