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The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to procure the Very Short Range Air Defence System or VSHORAD (IR Homing) missile system.
VSHORAD missile system
- It is designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), among other weapon systems for the Army and Navy at a total cost of Rs 4,276 crore.
- India has been in talks with Russia since 2018 to procure the Igla-S air defence missiles at a cost of $1.5 billion under the VSHORAD programme in a bid to replace the Russian Igla-M systems which have been in use with the Army.
- Specifications: Meant to kill low-altitude aerial threats at short ranges,
- It is a man-portable Air Defence System (MANPAD) .
- VSHORADS missile incorporates many novel technologies including a miniaturized Reaction Control System (RCS) and integrated avionics, which have been successfully proven during the tests.
- The missile, meant for neutralizing low-altitude aerial threats at short ranges is propelled by a dual-thrust solid motor.
- The design of the missile including the launcher has been highly optimized to ensure easy portability.
- Relevance for India: being man-portable and lightweight compared to the other missile systems in the Army’s armoury, it can be deployed in the mountains close to the LAC at a short notice.
- When inducted, they will be a critical air defence missile for the forces, even for an all-equipped infantry unit, and will be the best option for mountain warfare.
- the procurement of VSHORAD, as a robust and quickly deployable system, will strengthen India’s air defence capabilities
- Expected to be inducted: The AoN is the first step in the long capital procurement process in defence.
- defence officials estimate the missile systems can be delivered to the forces in another three to four years with industry support if the orders are placed on time.
Source:IE
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