DRDO tests new Surface-To-Air Missile

The new Quick Reaction Surface To Air Missiles shot down two test targets

The QRSAM in action (Source)

At the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha, the Defence Research and Development Organisation test-fired a pair of Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missiles.

Source

Here is the official statement-

Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) today successfully flight-tested its state-of-the-art Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missiles (QRSAM) against live aerial targets from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur.

Two missiles, developed by DRDO, were tested against two live targets meeting complete mission objectives of engaging the targets. QRSAM, with many states of the art technologies, engaged the targets at different ranges and altitudes. The systems have been tested in final configuration with RADAR mounted on a vehicle & missiles on the launcher.

The systems are equipped with indigenously-developed Phased array radar, Inertial Navigation System, Data Link & RF seeker. The entire mission was captured by various Electro-Optical Tracking Systems, Radar Systems, and Telemetry Systems.

The system is being developed for the Indian Army with search and track on move capability with very short reaction time. Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has congratulated DRDO and Industries on achieving this significant milestone.

Here’s what we do know about the QRSAM missile system:

1. The range is between 25 and 30 km
2. The missile uses a solid-fuel propellant
3. It has a dual-thrust propulsion stage, much like a two-stage missile
4. The QRSAM can also target and shoot down sea-skimming low-altitude anti-ship missiles (the best ones include the Exocet, the P-700/1000 and the Harpoon missiles, to name a few)
5. They can be operated in all weather conditions
6. The test was conducted using a mobile truck launcher in Complex 3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, Odisha
7. The missiles were canister launched, like the Russian S-400
8. The mobile launch vehicle will have all-terrain capability
9. This system was first tested on July 14, 2018, and was said to have multiple-target capability
10. The first test of the QRSAM was held on June 4, 2017, at the ITR in Chandipur
11. This is the sixth such test since 2017
12. The previous iteration of the missile also included Bharat Dynamics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited as co-developers.
13. The QRSAM is designed to replace the Russian 9k33 OSA (NATO code-SA-8 Gecko) and the 2K12 Kub (NATO Code SA-6 Gainful) missiles which have a range of 2 to 9 km and 6–22 km respectively
14. The missiles will be mounted on a 6-wheeled Tata truck
15. The truck will have multiple axles allowing a maximum load-carrying capacity of 8.5 tons, a maximum range of 500 km, a top speed of 80 kmph and a 36-degree maximum angle of approach.
16. The Vehicle Research and Development Establishment (VRDE) has certified it for use in all combat environments as the truck successfully passed all tests it was subjected to
17. From the video, the drone seems to be the Banshee, a remotely-piloted unmanned aerial vehicle developed by UK-based Meggitt Defence Systems Limited, a company that also supplies UAVs to NATO forces
18. The drone has passive and active radar enhancement, radar chaff
    and infrared decoy dispensing pods, a daylight surveillance package, pyrotechnic visual and infrared enhancements, plus a variety of black-body infrared augmentation devices, depending on the mission requirements

The QRSAM, if successfully deployed, will be used to build an air defense shield alongside the Akash and the Prithvi anti-aircraft missile systems

Jai Hind.

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