About SAMAR Air Defence Missile System:
- Surface to Air Missile for Assured Retaliation (SAMAR) is a short-range air-defence system.
- It has been developed by a unit under the IAF’s Maintenance Command.
- The system is credited with a maximum range of 10–12 km and is used against low-flying aerial targets.
- It can engage aerial threats with missiles operating at a speed range of 2 to 2.5 Mach.
- The SAMAR-1 system uses the IAF's existing inventory of shelf-life-expired Russian Vympel R-73E infrared‐guided air-to-air missiles (AAMs) for the surface-to-air role.
- The system features a twin-turret launch platform capable of launching two missiles in single and salvo modes, depending on the threat scenario.
- Each missile launcher had an electro-optic system visible.
- It is expected to supplement the IAF’s Akash and SPYDER systems, replacing the ageing improved Pechora and OSA-AK systems.
Key Facts about Akash Missile (SAM) Defence System:
- It is a Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (SRSAM) Defence System to protect vulnerable areas and points from air attacks.
- It was indigenously designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
- Features:
- It can simultaneously engage multiple targets and destroy manoeuvring targets, including unmanned aerial vehicles, fighter aircraft, cruise missiles, and missiles launched from helicopters.
- It has built-in Electronic Counter-Counter Measures (ECCM) features.
- The entire weapon system has been configured to be launched from static or mobile platforms such as battle tanks and wheeled trucks, providing flexible deployment.
- It is road and rail transportable, with quick mobilisation and deployment capabilities.
- It can engage aerial targets up to a range of approximately 25 km.
