VL-SRSAM

In News

• Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) was successfully flight-tested by Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO).

What is VL-SRSAM?

• About: 
  • It has been designed and developed jointly by three facilities of the Defence Research and Development Organisation for the deployment of Indian Naval warships. 
  • It is a canisters system, which means it is stored and operated from specially designed compartments.
  • In the canister, the inside environment is controlled, thus making its transport and storage easier and improving the shelf life of weapons
• Capability: 
  • It has been designed to strike high-speed airborne targets at the range of 40 to 50 km and at an altitude of around 15 km. 
  • Its design is based on the Astra missile which is a Beyond Visual Range Air to Air missile.
  • The missile has the capability of neutralising various aerial threats at close ranges including sea-skimming targets.
  • The tactic of sea-skimming is used by various anti-ship missiles and some fighter jets to avoid being detected by the radars onboard warships. 
  • For this, these assets fly as close as possible to the sea surface and thus are difficult to detect and neutralise.
• Features: 
  • Cruciform wings: The cruciform wings are four small wings arranged like a cross on four sides and give the projective a stable aerodynamic posture.
  • Thrust vectoring: The thrust vectoring is the ability to change the direction of the thrust from its engine to control the angular velocity and the attitude of the missile.
• Significance: 
  • This success will further enhance the defence capability of Indian Naval Ships against aerial threats.

Source:PIB