19-Feb-2021: Successful user trials of DRDO-developed Anti-Tank Guided Missile Systems ‘Helina’ and ‘Dhruvastra’
Joint User Trials for Helina (Army Version) and Dhruvastra (Air Force Version) Missile Systems have been carried out from Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) platform in desert ranges. The missile systems have been designed and developed indigenously by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Five missions were carried out for evaluating the missile capabilities in minimum and maximum range. The missiles were fired in hover and max forward flight against realistic static and moving targets. Some missions were carried out with warheads against derelict tanks. A mission was carried out against a moving target from a forward flying helicopter.
The Helina and Dhruvastra are third generation, Lock on Before Launch (LOBL) fire and forget Anti-Tank Guided Missiles that can engage targets both in direct hit mode as well as top attack mode. The system has all-weather day and night capability and can defeat battle tanks with conventional armour as well as with explosive reactive armour. It is one of the most-advanced anti-tank weapons in the world. Now, the missile systems are ready for induction.
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, the Army and Air Force for the achievements. Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy appreciated the efforts of teams involved in the successful trials.
14-Feb-2021: Flag off ceremony of final production batch of LRSAM Missiles
Final production batch of Long Range Surface to Air Missiles (LRSAM), designed and developed by DRDO in collaboration with various industry partners and integrated by BDL, was flagged off on 14 Feb 2021 at DRDL,APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, Hyderabad in the presence of Dr. G Satheesh Reddy, Secretary, DDR&D and Chairman DRDO and Rear Admiral V Rajasekhar, VSM Director, Defence Machine Design Establishment ( DMDE).
LRSAM is jointly developed by DRDO and IAI Israel to equip latest ships of Indian Navy. This LRSAM Missile system can provide point and area defence against various aerial targets including fighter aircraft, subsonic & supersonic cruise missiles. The Missile is powered by indigenously developed dual-pulse rocket motor and dual control system to impart required manoeuvrability at the terminal phase. This state of art weapon system is designed with active Radio Frequency (RF) seeker to identify, track, engage and destroy the target with high kill probability.
LRSAM system end to end performance has been successfully demonstrated through number of user flight trials from Indian Naval ships. This weapon system has been successfully produced and has been delivered to Indian Navy.
Secretary, DDR&D highlighted the importance of indigenous production efforts and complemented the industries that have established the manufacturing facilities and successfully executed the production orders in achieving the goal towards 'Make in India'. He also commended the efforts of Missile System Quality Assurance Agency (MSQAA), DG (NAI) in streamlining the production activities at various industries across India, leading to delivery of missiles with aerospace quality standards.
Rear Admiral V Rajasekhar, VSM of Indian Navy appreciated the efforts of DRDO for successfully completing the production order and strengthening air defence capability of Indian Navy. He also urged DRDO to design and develop similar advanced weapon systems meeting futuristic warfare.
22-Jan-2021: Successful Flight Test of Smart Anti Airfield Weapon
In yet another milestone, DRDO successfully conducted captive and release trial of indigenously developed Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) from Hawk-I of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) off the Odisha coast on 21 January 2021.
The smart weapon was successfully test fired from Indian Hawk-Mk132 of HAL. This was the 9th successful mission of SAAW conducted by DRDO till now. It was a text book launch, which met all mission objectives. The telemetry and tracking systems installed at Interim Test Range (ITR), Balasore captured all the mission events.
SAAW is indigenously designed and developed by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat (RCI) Hyderabad. This is 125 Kg class smart weapon, capable of engaging ground enemy airfield assets such as radars, bunkers, taxi tracks, and runways etc. up to a range of 100 kms. The high precision guided bomb is light weight as compared to weapon system of the same class. The weapon was earlier successfully test fired from Jaguar aircraft.
19-Aug-2018: Successful Flight Tests of Smart Anti Airfield Weapon
Indigenously designed and developed guided bombs Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW) were successfully flight tested from IAF aircraft at Chandan range. The weapon system was integrated with live warhead and has destroyed the targets with high precision. The telemetry and tracking systems captured all the mission events. This weapon is capable of destroying variety of ground targets using precision navigation. A total of three tests with different release conditions were conducted during 16 to 18 August 2018 and all the mission objectives have been achieved.
The weapon has undergone eight developmental trials till date and performance of system for different ranges under multiple launch conditions has been demonstrated. Senior officials from DRDO, HAL and Indian Air Force participated and witnessed the flight tests.
Raksha Mantri Smt Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated the DRDO, IAF and HAL on the successful flight tests for further boosting the defence capabilities of the country.