Through getting in various modernization and development programs in the defense sector, India yet again demonstrated its prowess in weapons designing. This time, India’s premier defense lab Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful trial of its new Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile, commonly called QR-SAM on Friday.
The test was successfully carried out on Friday at 3:30 p.m. IST at Integrated Testing Range, Chandipur, off the coast of the eastern state of Orissa. The launch was demonstrated with targets involving Banshee pilotless target aircraft at medium range and altitude. A DRDO official mentioned that during the trial, ground radars tracked the pilotless target from the peak tracking range and an interceptor missile was launched when the target was within kill zone of missile seekers after finally achieving a direct hit. The data during the tests were recorded and declared that the missile achieved full parameters from boost phase to terminal phase.
The entire test included participant outcomes from India’s various DRDO owned lab and public sector firms like Electronic and Radar Development Establishment (ERDE) Bangalore, Instrument Research and Development Establishment (IRDE), Defense Research and Development Laboratory and Research Centre (DRDL-RC) Imarat in Hyderabad, Research and Development Establishment (Engineers)(RDEE), Pune with Integrated Test Range, Chandipur and the further involvement of manufacturers like Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL), and private player L&T and TATA SED.
DRDO called the test a major milestone in SAM development, plus the missile was installed with fully indigenous instruments like active radio frequency seekers and electro-mechanical actuation systems sourced from various industries present in the Indian defense sector.
QR-SAM is designed in line with modern missile technology with a full canister based system. Improved and better launching capabilities with full mobile configured, the system is capable of hitting the target at 3 km to 30 km operating range with altitude operation of 30m to 6km. QR-SAM, like its name suggests, was built to introduce quick responsive air defense system around strategic installations and civilian grounds. The entire system is composed of two four-walled radars, both of which encompass a 360-degree coverage at the active phased proposition, involving the Active Array Battery Surveillance Radar and the Active Array Battery Multifunction Radar. Apart from the launcher of missile allowing them to search and track on movability, the main component of the system is a missile which is single stated compact element with a rocket motor powered by a solid propellant installed with Inertial Navigation System. The terminal phase seeker developed by DRDO. Launchers of the system are quick, reactive and mobile thanks to the truck-mounted configuration which gives it launch-while-moving capability.
