DRDO successfully tests Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo; Defence Min lauds

Defence Minister Rajanth Singh on Monday congratulated the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the successful flight testing of the Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART). SMART is a missile assisted release of lightweight Anti-Submarine Torpedo System for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations for far beyond torpedo range. 

The Ministry of Defence in press release apprised about the successful flight testing and stated that all the mission objectives including missile flight have been met perfectly.

"Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) has been successfully flight-tested at 11:45 am on Monday. All the mission objectives including missile flight upto the range and altitude, separation of the nose cone, release of Torpedo and deployment of Velocity Reduction Mechanism (VRM) have been met perfectly," the relase stated.

Taking to Twitter, the Defence Minister stated this to be a major technology breakthrough for stand-off capability in anti-submarine warfare.

A number of DRDO laboratories, including DRDL, RCI Hyderabad, ADRDE Agra, NSTL Visakhapatnam have developed the technologies required for SMART. Chairman DRDO, Dr G Satheesh Reddy said that SMART is a 'game-changer technology demonstration in the ASW'.

According to sources, the events were monitored by the tracking stations (Radars, Electro-Optical Systems) along the coast and the telemetry stations including down range ships.

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Meanwhile, India successfully conducted its second test-fire of the extended range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile last week. The test-fire of the missile, which can hit targets at more than 400-km range, was carried out under PJ-10 project of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The missile's airframe and booster have been developed indigenously. 

Last year, India had successfully test-fired BrahMos from a base in Odisha's Chandipur on December 17. It was a land-attack version launched from a mobile autonomous launcher at Launch Complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) and it reportedly met all parameters. Because of the successful mission, the government’s flagship ‘Make in India’ programme has received a big boost. 

READ: PM Modi congratulates DRDO for successful BrahMos missile launch; says 'another milestone'

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(with inputs from agencies)