Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have achieved a major milestone with the maiden launch of a Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM), Army Version from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, off the Coast of Odisha. The missile completely destroyed a high speed unmanned aerial target which was mimicking an aircraft with a direct hit.
The Army version of MRSAM is a Surface to Air Missile developed jointly by DRDO, India and IAI, Israel for use of the Indian Army. The MRSAM Army weapon system comprises of Command post, Multi-Function Radar and Mobile Launcher system. The complete Fire Unit was used during the launch in the deliverable configuration.
A number of range instruments such as Radar, Telemetry and Electro-Optical Tracking System were deployed, capturing the complete mission data and validating the weapon system performance, including the destruction of the target.
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh lauded the efforts of DRDO and associated team members involved in the mission and said that India has attained a high level of capability in the indigenous design and development of advanced weapon systems.
Secretary Dept. of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO, Dr G Satheesh Reddy congratulated the DRDO community for successfully demonstrating the performance of the MRSAM Army weapon system, registering direct target hit in its maiden launch. He also lauded the efforts of the entire team in realizing the system within record time and meeting the committed schedule.
