Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile

Sept. 16, 2024

Recently, India successfully test-fired the Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VLSRSAM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur on the Odisha coast.

About Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile:

  • It is a ship-borne weapon system designed to neutralise various aerial threats at close ranges, including sea-skimming targets.
  • During the mid-course flight, the missile uses a fibre-optic gyroscope-based inertial guidance mechanism while the terminal phase uses active radar homing.
  • It is developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
  • The test was jointly carried out by the Indian Navy and the DRDO from a land-based vertical launcher against a high-speed, low-flying aerial target.
  • Features
  • It is designed for neutralising various airborne threats at close ranges, including aircraft, helicopters, drones, and incoming missiles. 
  • It is equipped with advanced guidance systems and cutting-edge technologies that provide enhanced agility and precision in targeting. 
  • It weighs around 170 kg and uses solid propellant. With a maximum speed of Mach 4.5, the weapon system can reach an altitude of 16 km.
  • The successful demonstration of this system further strengthens India’s air defence capabilities in maritime operations.