Short range naval anti-ship missile clears critical salvo trial

• The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy have successfully conducted the maiden salvo launch of Naval Anti-ship Missile-Short Range (NASM-SR) from the Navy’s helicopter platform off the coast of Bay of Bengal in Odisha. 

• During the trial, two missiles were launched in quick succession from the same helicopter, making it the first salvo launch of an advanced air-launched anti-ship missile system.

• All test objectives were fully met as per the data captured using various range tracking instruments like radar, electro-optical system and telemetry deployed by the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur. 

• Along with proving the salvo launch capability, the missiles demonstrated the waterline hit capability.

• The NASM-SR missile uses a solid propulsion booster and long-burn sustainer. 

• All critical sub-systems like the seeker, integrated avionics module, advanced navigation and guidance using fibre-optic gyroscope-based inertial navigation system and radio-altimeter along with advanced control and  guidance algorithm, high-bandwidth two-way data link and Jet-vane control developed indigenously by different laboratories of DRDO and Indian Industries.

• The missile system has been developed by Hyderabad-based Research Center Imarat in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories namely Defence Research & Development Laboratory, Hyderabad; High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Pune; Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, Chandigarh & ITR Chandipur. 

• The missiles are currently being produced by Development-cum-Production Partner (DcPP) model with help from other Indian industries and startups.

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