Anti-Ship Missile – Naval Missile Advancements in India

GS Paper III Science and Technology

Context:

Recently, the Indian Navy successfully undertook Guided Flight Trials of the first indigenously developed Naval Anti-Ship Missile (ASM).

Testing: Indian Navy in association with Defence Research and Development Organisation successfully tested the missile from a Sea king 42B helicopter.
Achieving Self Reliance: This is a step towards achieving self-reliance in niche missile technology, including seeker and guidance technologies.
- The missile employs several new technologies, including an indigenously developed launcher for the helicopter.
Missile Guidance System: It includes a state-of-the-art navigation system and integrated avionics.

Anti-ship missiles are guided missiles that are designed for use against ships and large boats.
Launch Platform: Many anti-ship missiles can be launched from a variety of weapons systems including surface warships, submarines, bombers, fighter planes, patrol planes, helicopters, etc.

Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM):

In March 2023, Indian Navy successfully conducted MRSAM firing from INS Visakhapatnam validating the capability to engage Anti Ship Missiles.
Abhra: The MRSAM weapon system is also called the ‘Abhra’ Weapon System is a state-of-the-art medium-range air defence weapon system.
Developed by: It was jointly developod by Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) at Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).
Range: MRSAM can hit multiple targets at a range of 70 kilometres.

Threat Posed by ASM: ASMs are a significant threat to surface ships, which have large radar, radio, and thermal signatures that are difficult to suppress.
- Once acquired, a ship cannot outrun or out-turn a missile.
Countering ASM: The modern surface combatant has to either avoid being detected, destroy the missile launch platform before it fires its missiles, or decoy and/or destroy all of the incoming missiles.

Short-Range ASM: In May 2022, India tested its first indigenously built ASM falling in the short-range category weighing around 380 kilograms with a range of 55 kilometres.
Named as ‘Naval Anti-ship Missile-short range’ (NASM-SR), they can be launched from attack helicopters.
Long-Range ASM (LRASM): DRDO is set to test the LRASM which would enhance the Navy’s capabilities in the realm of ship-based missile systems with extended range.