DRDO And Army Test The Quick Reaction Surface To Air Missile System In Six Flights

As part of its evaluation trials, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Army have finished six flight tests of the Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM) system from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha. This was announced on Thursday by the Union Ministry of Defence (MoD).

QRSAM is a Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system with a short range. It was designed and built by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) to protect the Army’s moving armoured columns from attacks from the air.

An MoD press release said that the six flight tests were done against high-speed aerial targets that acted like different types of threats. The tests were done against long-range medium-altitude, short-range, high-altitude-manoeuvring, low radar signature with receding and crossing target, and salvo launch with two missiles fired quickly after each other. The performance of the system was also tested during the day and at night, the statement said.

“During these tests, all mission goals were met, proving the pinpoint accuracy of the weapon system’s guidance and control algorithms, including the warhead chain,” said the statement.

Several range instruments, such as Telemetry, Radar, and Electro Optical Tracking Systems (EOTS), used by ITR, have been used to confirm that the system works. Senior members of the DRDO and the Indian Army, according to officials, took part in the launches.

These tests were done in the final configuration for deployment. This included a missile with an RF (radio frequency) seeker made in India, a mobile launcher, a fully automated command and control system, and surveillance and multi-function Radars. The QRSAM weapon system is different because it can search and track while it is moving and fire after a short stop. This was shown by the mobility tests that were done earlier.

The Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) in Pune, the Research and Development Establishment (Engineers) in Pune, the Electronic and Radar Development Establishment in Bengaluru, the Instruments Research and Development Establishment in Dehradun, and the Missile Complex Laboratories in Hyderabad and Balasore all worked together to make the system.