DRDO Conducts Two Successful Launches Of ‘Made In India’ Surface To Air Missiles, A Force Multiplier For Indian Navy

Boosting India’s self-reliance in the defence sector, Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted two successful launches of Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM).

In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said that the launches were carried out on Monday (22 February) from a static vertical launcher from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.

Indigenously designed and developed by DRDO for Indian Navy, VL-SRSAM is meant for neutralizing various aerial threats at close ranges including sea-skimming targets. The current launches were carried out for demonstration of vertical launch capability.

DRDO stated that on both occasions, the missiles intercepted the simulated targets with pinpoint accuracy. VL-SRSAM with Weapon Control System (WCS) were deployed during the trials.

The launches were monitored by senior scientists from various DRDO labs involved in the design and development of the system such as DRDL and RCI, Hyderabad.

During the test launches, flight path and vehicle performance parameters were monitored using flight data, captured by various Range instruments such as Radar, EOTS and Telemetry systems deployed by ITR, Chandipur.

The present trials have proved the effectiveness of the weapon system and few more trials will be conducted shortly before deployment on Indian Naval ships. Once deployed, the VL-SRSAM system will prove to be a force multiplier for the Indian Navy.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO on the successful trials. Dr G Satheesh Reddy, Chairman of DRDO congratulated the teams involved in the successful flight test of VL-SRSAM Missile System.