India successfully conducted twin tests of Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) from a defence facility off Odisha coast on 27 March 2022 demonstrating the system’s high killing efficiency.
Both the rounds of the army variant of the missile were test-fired from the launching complex – III of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur as part of the live firing trials against high-speed aerial targets.
The network-centric and most advanced sleek missile has been developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in collaboration with public and private sector enterprises.
Defence sources said the MRSAM-Army system intercepted unmanned aerial vehicles and destroyed them completely achieving direct hits at both long and short ranges. The missile intercepted the target in medium altitude at long range during the first trial and destroyed another target in low altitude at short range during second trial.
The flight tests were carried out by DRDO in the presence of senior officials of Indian Army. The performance of the weapon system was validated through the flight data captured by range instruments like radars, electro-optical tracking systems and telemetry deployed by the ITR.
“All mission parameters were successfully met and Indian missile components validated. The tests are major milestones in achieving the idea of Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” said DRDO Chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy.
With a strike range of nearly 100 km, the 4.5-meter long supersonic quick reaction missile weighs around 2.7 tonne and can carry a payload of 60 kg. Travelling at a speed of Mach 2, it can achieve high degrees of manoeuvrability at the terminal phase.
Each MRSAM unit comprises one command and control system, multi functional surveillance tracking radar, threat alert radar, mobile launcher, combat management system, mobile power and radar power systems apart from the missile.
The next generation weapon system has been developed with cutting-edge technology to neutralise airborne threats like jets, subsonic and supersonic cruise missiles, anti tank systems and rockets.
One of the variants of MRSAM system has already been handed over to Indian Air Force (IAF). The missile is designed to provide point and area air defence for ground assets against a wide range of threats.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, Indian Army and the Industry for the successful flight tests of MRSAM-Army. He said both the tests established the capability of the weapon system in intercepting targets at critical ranges.
