• Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy conducted the successful flight-test of indigenously-developed Vertically-Launched Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VLSRSAM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha on March 26. 

• The flight-test was carried out from a land-based vertical launcher against a high-speed aerial target at very close range and low altitude. It has established the Near-Boundary-Low Altitude capability of the missile system.

• During the test, the target was completely destroyed by the missile executing the high turn rate required for engaging targets at very close range, and establishing the missile's agility, reliability & pin-point accuracy, adding that the test was conducted with all weapon system elements deployed in combat configuration. 

• These elements, including missile with indigenous Radio Frequency seeker, Multi-Function Radar and Weapon Control System, have performed as per expectations.

• The performance of the system was validated by the flight data captured by various Range Instruments developed by ITR Chandipur.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)