The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has successfully conducted three flight tests of the 4th Generation, miniaturized Very Short Range Air Defense System (VSHORADS) at the Pokhran Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan on October 3-4.
Tests were performed against a high speed target, showing the most important parameters of high range and high altitude intercept. These development tests demonstrated the repeatability of the strike-to-kill capability of the weapon system in a variety of target engagement scenarios including forward, backward and cross-country modes.
The development of VSHORADS missiles has been completed, and the two production agencies are participating in the Development cum Production Partner (DcPP) mode. In these tests, the missiles launched by DcPPs were successfully deployed, thus paving the way for early user testing and Production in the short term in line with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
VSHORADS is a Man Portable Air Defense System designed and developed naturally by Research Center Imarat (RCI) in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and DcPPs. These three services were associated with the project from the beginning and participated during the development test.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO, the military and the industry involved in the successful research development. This new missile equipped with modern technology will provide the military with technological capabilities against aerial threats, he said.
Secretary, Ministry of Defense R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat also congratulated the DRDO team, industry partners and users for the successful flight test.