Giving a boost to self-reliance in niche missile technology, the Indian Navy in association with the Defence Research and Development (DRDO), on 18 May, successfully conducted the maiden test of an indigenous Naval Anti-Ship Missile (Short Range) or NASM-SR. It was fired from a Seaking helicopter.

The indigenously developed air launched naval anti-ship missile test took place at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.  The mission met all its objectives. The missile followed the desired sea skimming trajectory and reached the designated target with high degree of accuracy, validating the control, guidance and mission algorithms, officials later said. All sub-systems performed satisfactorily and the sensors deployed across the test range and near impact point tracked the missile trajectory and captured all events.

The missile employed many new technologies, including an indigenously developed launcher for the helicopter. The missile guidance system includes state-of-the-art navigation system and integrated avionics. 

The test-firing of the new missile came over a month after an anti-ship version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired jointly by the Indian Navy and the Andaman and Nicobar Command.

What is the NASM-SR?

The NASM-SR has been developed by the DRDO. The first time its development was revealed to the general public was in 2018 when then Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made a reference to it in Parliament. Later, it was also part of the display at the 2020 Defence Exposition held in Lucknow.

The NASM-SR has a range of 55 km and weighs 385 kg. This missile will replace the Sea Eagle missiles which are currently in use with the Navy.

While the specifications list only the Sea King helicopter as the launch platform for the new missile, it may also be integrated with the MH-60R helicopters that will join the Indian Navy over the next few years.

The Indian Navy is not new to helicopter-launched anti-ship missiles. It had equipped its Sea King helicopters with the British-built Sea Eagle missiles in the 1980s. The Sea Eagle had a range of around 100km and weight of around 600kg and used a radar seeker. The heavier weight of the missile would increase the take-off weight of the Sea King helicopter, reducing its range in flight. In comparison, the NASM-SR imposes a lower weight penalty on the Sea King and similar helicopters.

Technical Aspects

The lighter warhead of the NASM-SR is capable of doing significant damage. The NASM-SR carries a warhead of 100 kg and has sub-sonic capabilities, which means that it flies below the speed of sound at 0.8 Mach. The sub-sonic flight speed makes it difficult for the naval vessels on target to detect it.

The use of an IIR seeker means the NASM-SR is impervious to radar jamming by enemy warships and also less likely to be detected on approach as it is not using a radar to track its target.

It has a launch altitude of maximum of 3 km and can skim 5 metres above sea level when on final approach to the target. The NASM-SR can also be fired from the shore to target vessels in the sea.

This kind of land-based missile launch capability was shown by the Ukrainian military recently when they used a anti-ship cruise missile to sink the Russian ship Moskva.

The Moskva sinking  in the Black Sea and the loss of British warships in the Falklands War of 1982 show that modern navy ships have enough flammable material on board (fuel, wiring, weapons, electronics etc.) that can exacerbate the damage done by even small anti-ship missiles.

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The indigenously developed air launched naval anti-ship missile test took place at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. The mission met all its objectives. The missile followed the desired sea skimming trajectory and reached the designated target with high degree of accuracy, validating the control, guidance and mission algorithms, officials later said. All sub-systems performed satisfactorily and the sensors deployed across the test range and near impact point tracked the missile trajectory and captured all events.

The missile employed many new technologies, including an indigenously developed launcher for the helicopter. The missile guidance system includes state-of-the-art navigation system and integrated avionics. The flight test was witnessed by senior officers of the DRDO and the Indian Navy.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO, Navy and associated teams for the maiden developmental flight test. He said India has attained a high level of capability in indigenous design and development of missile systems.

Chief of DRDO Satheesh Reddy said the system will strengthen offensive capability of Indian Navy. The Navy has been steadily enhancing its overall combat capability to effectively protect India’s maritime security interests, particularly in the Indian Ocean region.

The test-firing of the new missile came over a month after an anti-ship version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired jointly by the Indian Navy and the Andaman and Nicobar Command.

The Navy is strengthening its operational capabilities and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday launched two frontline warships of the Indian Navy.

The ships — INS Surat and INS Udaygiri — were launched at the Mazagon Docks Limited (MDL) in Mumbai. INS Surat is the fourth guided-missile destroyer of the P15B class, while INS Udaygiri is the second stealth frigate of the P17A class.

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BrahMos Aerospace has been asked to carry out performance security which is similar to the security deposit that means a financial guarantee that the company needs to furnish as the successful tenderer for the due performance of the contract that already has been carried out.

This is a landmark win for India’s Defence Industrial complex in a global competition. The Indian offer is supported by Russia, which has developed the 290-km missile with India and continues to supply key played parts, notably the engine which powers Brahmos to Mach 3, or three times the speed of sound. 

This will be amongst the most significant Indian exports of offensive military equipment to an ASEAN country and marks a big moment in India’s Act East Policy. This marks the success of Indian outreach efforts to countries similarly threatened by Chinese expansionism. 

Negotiated with the Government of India, it includes the delivery of three batteries, training for operators and maintainers as well as the necessary Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) package. Conceptualized as early as 2017, the Office of the President approved its inclusion in the Horizon 2 Priority Projects in 2020,” the Secretary stated.

“The Coastal Defense Regiment of the Philippine Marines will be the primary employer of this modern strategic defense capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Secretary Lorenzana added. There’s often been tension in the waters around Philippines because of aggressive Chinese naval presence and its territorial claims over the Spratly Islands.

BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russian joint venture, produces the supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or from land platforms. BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.

Brahmos missile regiments are deployed by India close to the borders where it faces threat of external aggression. It is the world’s fastest cruise missile, which with its manoeuvre capability is virtually impossible to intercept. It’s high level of accuracy is also proven.

Protracted Negotiations

The contract is for the shore-based variant of the anti-ship missile system and it will bolster Philippines’ defence capability amid increasing Chinese aggression.

In November, Chinese coast guard ships blocked and used water cannons on two Philippines supply boats heading to a disputed shoal occupied by Filipino marines in the South China Sea. This led to a warning from the Philippines government that its vessels are covered under a mutual defence treaty with the United States.

Negotiations for BrahMos between India and the Philippines had been going on for the last few years, but hit a roadblock in December 2020, with Manila citing budgetary limitations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In March 2021, India signed a key enabling pact with the Philippines that had paved the way for government-to-government deals on defence equipment, including BrahMos.

Apart from the Philippines, Vietnam could be the next BrahMos export customer as talks between the two countries have progressed. India has offered BrahMos to countries that have been facing increasing Chinese maritime adventurism in areas of the South China Sea and Indian Ocean Region. Dr. Sudhir Kumar Mishra, former Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the BrahMos Aerospace Limited recently while speaking to the media had said that as per NATO’s studies only Two BrahMos hits can sink any big class of warships and smaller warships can be taken down by one BrahMos hit.

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“I recently signed the Notice of Award for the Philippine Navy shore-based anti-ship missile acquisition project. Negotiated with the Government of India, it includes the delivery of three batteries, training for operators and maintainers as well as the necessary Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) package,” Delfin Lorenzana, Secretary of National Defence of Philippines, said in a Facebook post.

The Philippines government’s Department of National Defense also posted a copy of the contract award notice on its website.

“This is to inform you that the proposal of BrahMos Aerospace Private Ltd. For the shore based anti-ship missile system acquisition project for the Philippine Navy, with a corresponding price proposal in the amount of $374,962,800 is hereby accepted,” the notice stated.

BrahMos Aerospace has been asked to carry out performance security which is similar to the security deposit that means a financial guarantee that the company needs to furnish as the successful tenderer for the due performance of the contract that already has been carried out.

This is a landmark win for India’s Defence Industrial complex in a global competition. The Indian offer is supported by Russia, which has developed the 290-km missile with India and continues to supply key played parts, notably the engine which powers Brahmos to Mach 3, or three times the speed of sound.  

This will be amongst the most significant Indian exports of offensive military equipment to an ASEAN country and marks a big moment in India’s Act East Policy. This marks the success of Indian outreach efforts to countries similarly threatened by Chinese expansionism.  

Negotiated with the Government of India, it includes the delivery of three batteries, training for operators and maintainers as well as the necessary Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) package. Conceptualized as early as 2017, the Office of the President approved its inclusion in the Horizon 2 Priority Projects in 2020,” the Secretary stated. 

“The Coastal Defense Regiment of the Philippine Marines will be the primary employer of this modern strategic defense capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Secretary Lorenzana added. There’s often been tension in the waters around Philippines because of aggressive Chinese naval presence and its territorial claims over the Spratly Islands. 

BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russian joint venture, produces the supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or from land platforms. BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.

Brahmos missile regiments are deployed by India close to the borders where it faces threat of external aggression. It is the world’s fastest cruise missile, which with its manoeuvre capability is virtually impossible to intercept. It’s high level of accuracy is also proven. 

An Indian delegation was slated to visit Manila to sign the contract, which is for the shore-based variant of the anti-ship missile system and it will bolster Philippines’ defence capability amid increasing Chinese aggression.

In November, Chinese coast guard ships blocked and used water cannons on two Philippines supply boats heading to a disputed shoal occupied by Filipino marines in the South China Sea. This led to a warning from the Philippines government that its vessels are covered under a mutual defence treaty with the United States.

In December, Philippines’ budget department issued two special allotment release orders (SARO) — worth Peso 1.3 billion (Rs 190 crore) and Peso 1.535 billion (Rs 224 crore). The SARO allows the country’s Department of National Defence to finalise contracts for military hardware.

Negotiations for BrahMos between India and the Philippines had been going on for the last few years, but hit a roadblock in December 2020, with Manila citing budgetary limitations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In March 2021, India signed a key enabling pact with the Philippines that had paved the way for government-to-government deals on defence equipment, including BrahMos.

Apart from the Philippines, Vietnam could be the next BrahMos export customer as talks between the two countries have progressed. India has offered BrahMos to countries that have been facing increasing Chinese maritime adventurism in areas of the South China Sea and Indian Ocean Region.

Dr. Sudhir Kumar Mishra, former Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the BrahMos Aerospace Limited recently while speaking to the media had said that as per NATO’s studies only Two BrahMos hits can sink any big class of warships and smaller warships can be taken down by one BrahMos hit.

Advanced variant tested

On 11 January, India successfully test-fired a naval variant of the advanced supersonic BrahMos cruise missile from a stealth guided-missile destroyer of the Indian Navy. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said the missile hit the designated target “precisely”. “Advanced sea to sea variant of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise missile was tested from INS Visakhapatnam today. Missile hit the designated target ship precisely,” the DRDO tweeted.

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