India Successfully Tests Short-Range Anti-Ship Missile With Re-Targeting Feature

The Indian Navy and the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) successfully conducted flight tests of a first-of-its-kind naval anti-ship missile (NASM-SR) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, enhancing India’s maritime force capabilities. After launch mode, the missile was fired with many targets nearby in bearing-only lock-on mode so that one might be chosen.

The pilot chose a smaller concealed target during the terminal phase, which led to the missile being struck with pinpoint accuracy after it had first latched on to a huge target inside a designated zone of search. The Defense Ministry reports that the anti-ship missile tests took place on Tuesday. The tests, which were launched from a naval Seaking helicopter, showed the missile’s capacity to hit ship targets. In sea-skimming mode, the missile hit a small ship target directly at its maximum range, demonstrating the missile’s man-in-loop capability.

The missile employs a domestic imaging infra-red seeker for terminal guidance, according to the Defense Ministry. In order to send the seeker’s live photos back to the pilot for in-flight retargeting, the mission has also shown off the high bandwidth two-way datalink technology. Thermal batteries, a PCB warhead, an integrated avionics module, electro-mechanical actuators for controlling the jet vane and aerodynamics, and an indigenous fiber optic gyroscope-based INS and radio altimeter are all used by the missile for mid-course guidance. It has a long-burning sustainer and an in-line ejectable booster for solid propulsion.

The trials have met all the mission objectives. The missile is developed by different labs of the DRDO including the Research Centre Imarat, the Defence Research and Development Laboratory, the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, and the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory. The missiles are currently being produced by development-cum-production partners with the help of MSMEs, startups, and others. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has congratulated the DRDO, the Indian Navy and the industry partners for the successful flight tests. The tests for man-in-loop features are unique as they give the capability of in-flight retargeting, he added.