India successfully test-fires surface-to-air missile

By Shuriah Niazi

NEW DELHI (AA) – India on Tuesday successfully test-fired a short-range surface-to-air missile, said an official statement.

India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Indian navy successfully flight-tested Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) Chandipur off the coast of eastern Indian state Odisha on Tuesday, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

“The flight test was carried out from an Indian Naval Ship against a high-speed unmanned aerial target for demonstration of vertical launch capability. The missiles, equipped with indigenous Radio Frequency (RF) seeker, intercepted the target with high accuracy. The VL-SRSAM system has been indigenously designed and developed by DRDO,” according to the statement.

The launch was monitored by senior scientists from various DRDO labs involved in the design and development of the system.

Complimenting DRDO, Indian navy and associated teams on the successful flight trial, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh stated that the missile will prove to be a force multiplier for the Indian navy.