India successfully test-fires two MRSAMs off Odisha coast

India on Sunday successfully test-fired two Indian Army-version Medium Range Surface to Air Missiles (MRSAMs) from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Odisha.

The flight tests were carried out as part of live-firing trials against high-speed aerial targets, sources in the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) said, adding that the missiles intercepted the targets and destroyed those completely, registering direct hits at both the ranges.

The first missile hit a medium-altitude long-range target and the second a low-altitude short-range one.

This MRSAM version is a Surface-to-Air Missile developed jointly by DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for use by the Indian Army. The MRSAM Army weapon system comprises multi-function radar, mobile launcher system and other vehicles.

The flight tests were carried out with the weapon system in deliverable configuration. The performance of the weapon system was validated through the flight data captured by range instruments like radars, electro-optical tracking systems and telemetry deployed by ITR, Chandipur.

The flight tests were carried out in the presence of senior officials from DRDO and Indian Army.

"MRSAM-Army missile system flight tested from ITR Balasore at around 1030 Hrs intercepting a high speed aerial target at long range. The target was destroyed by the missile in a direct hit," DRDO tweeted.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO, Indian Army and the defence industry for the successful flight tests of MRSAM-Army. He said that both the successful tests establish the capability of the weapon system in intercepting targets at critical ranges.

DRDO chairman G Satheesh Reddy complimented the teams involved in the flight trial.

As a precautionary measure, the Balasore district administration had temporarily shifted around 7,000 people from three villages close to the ITR to safety.