The torpedo has been incorporated in the front sections of a missile and it carried the torpedo to the designated point and then opened it up. The range of torpedo is enhanced through many mechanisms. One of the mechanisms is a supersonic missile assisted release of the torpedo, that is how it is called SMART. The missile flies to a designated point over water, before releasing its torpedo.

When launched from a warship or a truck-based coastal battery, SMART reportedly takes off like a regular supersonic missile, covering most of its flight in the air at lower altitudes with two-way data link from the warship or an airborne submarine target detection system. Notably, it provides the exact location of the hostile submarine to correct its flight path midway. When it approaches close enough to the submerged submarine, the missile will eject the torpedo system into the water and the autonomous torpedo will start moving towards its target to take out the submarine.

ALSO READ: SMART weapon system can engage distant enemy submarines: DRDO chief

“All these operations have very successfully functioned in the very first attempt itself. So, this enhances the capability of the Indian Navy once the system gets fully proven and inducted into the armed forces. The Navy’s capability to engage submarines at far of distances is also feasible,” Dr G Satheeesh Reddy, Chairman DRDO said.

DRDO’s SMART missile could be trump card against China’s submarines. SMART has been a seemingly ‘mysterious’ project for the DRDO with few details available on what the system was, unlike the programme to build ballistic missiles or a stealth fighter.

One of the first details of what SMART is came from the ministry of defence’s annual report for 2018 to 2019. In the report, the ministry of defence noted, “DRDO has taken up a project to develop and demonstrate a missile-assisted release of light weight anti-submarine torpedo system for ASW operations far beyond torpedo range (50-650 km).” The ministry of defence also noted that ejection trials had been conducted with a Torpedo Advanced Light (TAL), an indigenously developed torpedo, which is also called the Shyena.

Anti-submarine warfare

Surface warships, particularly in western navies, have typically carried light-weight torpedoes as their primary weapon for anti-submarine warfare as heavy-weight torpedoes are significantly larger in diameter, meaning fewer can be carried.

However, light-weight torpedoes also have shorter range. For example, the Shyena is estimated to have a range of around 20km. The short range of light-weight torpedoes makes them, effectively, defensive weapons against enemy submarines.

This would pose a significant disadvantage particularly if an enemy has a large number of submarines, in particular, nuclear-powered vessels that have much higher submerged speed than conventional diesel-electric submarines.

Rocket-assisted torpedoes are not new, per se; both the US Navy and the Soviet Union developed rocket-assisted torpedoes. For example, the US Navy still operates the ASROC (Anti-Submarine Rocket), a rocket-propelled torpedo system that was first designed in the 1950s.

Current versions of the ASROC in service with the US Navy are estimated to have a range of over 25km and travel at subsonic speed before releasing the torpedo. China has also been developing and deploying rocket-assisted torpedo systems for decades.

SMART, on paper, would be a quantum leap for the Indian Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities, given the very-long range that DRDO has specified and its supersonic speed. The Indian Navy would need to modernise and expand its range of ship-borne and airborne anti-submarine surveillance and detection capabilities to take full advantage of the SMART missile.

The development of the SMART missile comes as China continues its near-relentless development of both nuclear-powered and conventional submarines. SMART could turn out to be a major factor in how India will counter China’s submarine menace.

A number of DRDO laboratories including Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and Research Centre Imarat (RCI), both in Hyderabad; Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) in Agra; and Naval Science and Technology Laboratory (NSTL) Visakhapatnam have developed the technologies required for SMART.

Anti-submarine warfare assets consist of deployment of submarines, specialised anti-submarine ships, air assets and state-of-the-art reconnaissance and detection mechanisms. The Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capability got a boost in June after the conclusion of a contract for Advanced Torpedo Decoy System Maareech, capable of being fired from all frontline warships. India has been indigenously developing and building several anti-submarine systems and vessels in the recent past.

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The SMART weapon system was successfully test fired for the first time on October 5 where a supersonic missile was used to launch a torpedo against a simulated submarine as a target and the test was fully successful.

“A torpedo has a limited range capability. The range of torpedo is enhanced through many mechanisms. One of the mechanisms is a supersonic missile assisted release of the torpedo, that is how it is called SMART,” Reddy told in an exclusive interview while explaining the capabilities of different missiles tested successfully by India in the last few weeks.

He said a torpedo has been incorporated in the front sections of a missile and it carried the torpedo to the designated point and then opened it up.

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“All these operations have very successfully functioned in the very first attempt itself. So, this enhances the capability of the Indian Navy once the system gets fully proven and inducted into the armed forces. The Navy’s capability to engage submarines at far of distances is also feasible,” Reddy added.

The test was carried out on October 5 from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Balasore off the coast of Odisha.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief G Satheesh Reddy, on 14 October, expressed hope that within the next 4-5 years, the agency can help the Indian armed forces by developing a complete missile system.

Reddy said, “It will take probably about 4-5 years for us to work on all these things and realise a complete missile system, working for some good amount of range.”

10 Tests in Two Months

India has tested 10 missiles in the last two months with indigenously developed Rudram-1 being the latest. Rudram-1 is an anti-radiation missile that can detect enemy radars and specifically target them which helps in breaking down the first wave of resistance and creating space for more damage.

Along with Rudram, the DRDO has also tested extended-range BrahMos missile, supersonic missile-assisted release of torpedo anti-submarine warfare, hypersonic nuclear-capable Shaurya and hypersonic technology demonstrator vehicle (HSTDV).

These missile tests come at a time when India is engaged in a bitter row with China at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The DRDO chief said that the organisation can now accommodate the needs of the armed forces. He said, “We are now able to develop any type of missile system that the armed forces want.”

The assurance made by the DRDO chief also reflects that the defence sector is also focussing on developing indigenous weapons systems giving the Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) drive a push.

Reddy also pointed out that the missiles are a part of DRDO’s effort to develop modern weapons for the armed forces when they are engaged in a conflict with China. He said, “DRDO has been working on many weapon systems. Even during the Covid-19 period, scientists have been continuously working on that. All have matured and hence whenever a system is ready, we are going further developmental trials.”

He further added, “The maturity level of many technologies is such that we had very successful flights.”

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