Indian Navy successfully test-fires naval anti-ship missile from helicopter

Tribune News Service

Ajay Banerjee

New Delhi, May 18

The Indian Navy in association with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Wednesday successfully carried out maiden test-firing of the first indigenously developed naval anti-ship missile.

The Ministry of Defence said the missile was launched from a Naval helicopter from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha, on Wednesday. The mission met all its objectives, it said. It is the first indigenous air-launched anti-ship missile system for the Indian Navy.

“The missile followed the desired sea skimming trajectory and reached the designated target with high degree of accuracy, validating the control, guidance and mission algorithms,” The Ministry said, adding that all the sub-systems performed satisfactorily and the sensors deployed across the test range and near impact point tracked the missile trajectory.

The missile employed many new technologies, including an indigenously developed launcher for the helicopter. The missile guidance system includes the state-of-the-art navigation system and integrated avionics. The flight test was witnessed by senior officers of the DRDO and the Indian Navy.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has congratulated the DRDO, Indian Navy and associated teams for the maiden developmental flight test.

Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy appreciated the efforts of the project team for successfully proving mission objectives.

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