Off the coast of Odisha, the Indian Navy and the DRDO achieved a significant milestone on Thursday with the successful flight test of a vertical launched short-range surface-to-air missile (VL-SRSAM). The test, conducted from a land-based vertical launcher, targeted a high-speed aerial target flying at a low altitude. The Defence Ministry confirmed that the missile system effectively tracked and engaged the target, marking a crucial advancement in India’s defence capabilities.
“The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy successfully conducted the flight test of the Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha,” it said.
The Ministry said the test aimed to validate multiple updated elements of the weapon system, including the proximity fuse and seeker.
“The performance of the system was meticulously tracked and confirmed by various instruments such as the radar electro-optical tracking system and telemetry deployed at ITR Chandipur,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
.@DRDO_India & @indiannavy today conducted successful flight test of Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile from Integrated Test Range off Odisha coast. The Missile system tracked & engaged high-speed aerial target, thereby validating various elements, inter-alia,… pic.twitter.com/wP6obRUD0S
— Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) September 12, 2024
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commended the teams from the DRDO and the Indian Navy for their achievement, stating that this test reaffirms the reliability and effectiveness of the VL-SRSAM weapon system.
Samir V. Kamat, the chairman of the DRDO, also congratulated the teams involved, emphasizing that the system, as a force multiplier, will significantly enhance the Indian Navy’s operational capabilities, a key milestone in the Navy’s advancement.
Team BharatShakti
