India successfully test-fires VL-SRSAM

ODISHA: India on Tuesday successfully test-fired Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the Odisha coast here, officials said.

The VL-SRSAM was flight-tested by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy.

The flight test was carried out from an Indian naval ship against a high-speed unmanned aerial target for demonstration of vertical launch capability, DRDO sources said.

The missiles, equipped with indigenous radio frequency (RF) seeker, intercepted the target with high accuracy. The VL-SRSAM system has been indigenously designed and developed by DRDO.

"During the test launch, flight path and vehicle performance parameters were monitored using flight data, captured by various range instruments such as radar, electro-optical tracking system (EOTS) and telemetry systems deployed by ITR, Chandipur," they said.

An official statement said that the launch was monitored by senior scientists from various DRDO laboratories involved in the design and development of the system such as Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad and R&D Engineers, Pune.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has complimented DRDO, Indian Navy and associated teams on the successful flight trial of VL-SRSAM and stated that the missile will prove to be a force multiplier for the Indian Navy.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO, G Satheesh Reddy, congratulated the teams involved in the successful flight test and said that the trial has proved the effectiveness of the weapon system.

"It will further strengthen the Indian Navy for neutralising various aerial threats at close ranges including sea-skimming targets," Reddy added.