Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy carried out successful flight trials of the first-of-its-kind Naval Anti-Ship missile (NASM-SR) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha. The trials demonstrated the missile’s capability against ship targets while launched from an Indian Naval Seaking Helicopter. Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh has congratulated DRDO, the Indian Navy and the industries for the successful flight tests. He said that the tests for Man-in-Loop features is unique as it gives the capability of in-flight retargeting.
The Ministry of Defence in its statement said that the trials have proven the missile’s Man-in-Loop feature and scored a direct hit on a small ship target in sea-skimming mode at its maximum range. The missile uses an Indigenous Imaging Infra-Red Seeker for terminal guidance. The Ministry added that the mission also has demonstrated the high bandwidth two-way datalink system, which is used to transmit the seeker’s live images back to the pilot for in-flight retargeting.
The Ministry further added that the missile was launched in Bearing-only Lock-on after launch mode with several targets in close vicinity for selecting one among them. The missile uses an indigenous Fiber Optic Gyroscope-based INS and Radio Altimeter for its Mid-course guidance, an Integrated avionics module, Electro-Mechanical actuators for Aerodynamic and Jet vane control, thermal batteries and PCB warhead.