New Delhi: India is moving closer to strengthening its warship air-defence capabilities with the indigenous Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM), developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
According to the DRDO’s latest annual report, developmental trials of the system’s Multi-Function Radar have been completed, paving the way for User Evaluation Trials (UET). The progress marks an important step towards equipping Indian Navy warships with an advanced, domestically developed system to counter aerial threats at short ranges.
The VL-SRSAM is designed to engage hostile aircraft, drones and incoming missiles, particularly sea-skimming threats that fly close to the ocean surface to evade radar detection. The system is reported to have a maximum speed of around Mach 4, an operational range of up to 80 kilometres and an engagement altitude of approximately 16 kilometres.
Its vertical-launch mechanism allows the missile to be fired upwards before turning towards its target, enabling engagement from different directions without requiring the warship to reposition itself.
The missile works in conjunction with a Multi-Function Radar featuring active electronically scanned array technology. The radar detects and tracks potential threats and provides targeting information to the weapon control system. An indigenous radio-frequency seeker guides the missile during the terminal phase of interception.
The programme is part of India’s broader push to reduce dependence on imported defence equipment and strengthen domestic missile-development capabilities. The VL-SRSAM is intended to replace the older Israeli-origin Barak-1 point-defence systems deployed on Indian Navy warships.
Further evaluation and successful completion of trials will be crucial before the system can move towards induction, strengthening the Navy’s ability to defend its vessels against increasingly sophisticated low-altitude aerial threats.
