The indigenously developed shipborne weapon system, Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM), was successfully flight tested by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy off the coast of Chandipur in Odisha on June 24.
Strike airborne target at an altitude of 15km
The VL-SRSAM system has been designed to strike at the high-speed airborne targets at the range of 40km to 50km and at an altitude of around 15km.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO and the Indian Navy on the success of the mission. And said this success will further enhance the defence capability of Indian Naval Ships against the aerial threats.
Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar and DRDO Chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy complimented the teams involved in the successful flight test.
Key features of VL-SRSAM
DRDO officials have said its design is based on Astra missile which is a Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air missile. Two key features of the VL-SRSAM are cruciform wings and thrust vectoring.
Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Research Centre Imarat (RCI), both in Hyderabad, and Research & Development Establishment (Engineers), located in Pune, are the main DRDO facilities that have made significant contributions to the development of the system.
VL-SRSAM is a canisterized system, which means it is kept in and used from compartments that have been particularly created. The controlled interior atmosphere of the canister makes transportation and
storage simpler and extends the shelf life of weapons.
