Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) was successfully flight-tested by Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy from an Indian Naval Ship at Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha today. The VL-SRSAM, a ship borne weapon system, is meant for neutralising various aerial threats at close ranges including sea-skimming targets.

The Ministry of Defense released a press release stating that the flight path of the vehicle along with health parameters were monitored using a number of tracking instruments deployed by ITR, Chandipur. The test launch was monitored by senior officials from DRDO & the Indian Navy.

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Defence Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh has congratulated DRDO, Indian Navy and the industry for the successful flight-test and stated that the system has added an armour that will further enhance defence capability of Indian Naval ships against aerial threats.

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar appreciated the Indian Navy  and DRDO for the successful flight test of the VL-SRSAM and said that the development of this indigenous missile system will further strengthen the defensive capabilities of the Indian Navy.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D & Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy complimented the teams involved in the successful flight test. He said the test has proved the integration of indigenous weapon systems onboard Indian Naval Ships. He added that it will prove to be a force multiplier for the Indian Navy and is another milestone towards Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.

VL-SRSAM was designed and developed collaboratively by three Defence Research and Development Organization facilities for deployment of Indian Naval warships. The missile is capable of destroying a variety of aerial threats at close ranges, including sea-skimming targets. Various anti-ship missiles and fighter jets employ the sea skimming manoeuvre to avoid detection by radars on board warships. As a result, these assets fly as close to the sea surface as possible, making them difficult to detect and neutralise.

The missile is designed to strike high-speed airborne targets at range of 40 to 50 kilometres and altitudes of around 15 kilometres. According to DRDO officials, its design is based on the Astra missile, which is a Beyond Visual Range Air to Air missile.