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A successful flight test of the Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) system was conducted from Wheeler Island, off the coast of Odisha. Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman, has termed the system a game changer in anti-submarine warfare. The development of the system has been crucial in capacity building of naval platforms to strike beyond the torpedo range.
Features of SMART
- SMART is a missile-assisted release of lightweight anti-submarine torpedo system for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations far beyond torpedo range.
- SMART is a hybrid missile that incorporates technologies of two different weapon systems making it faster and stealthier. With this, India has got an anti-submarine weapon having much higher range. While the long range torpedo available in the world is around 50 km and rocket-assisted torpedoes can strike at a range of 150 km, the SMART will have a range of over 600 km.
- Once fired, the weapon system will fly like a supersonic missile in the air at a low altitude and eject the torpedo into water after it comes closer to the target. The torpedo will then move towards the target and destroy it.
- The system will be a significant addition to India’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities and the test is a key step towards its deployment.
- All the mission objectives, including missile flight up to the range and altitude, separation of the nose cone, release of torpedo and deployment of Velocity Reduction Mechanism (VRM) were met perfectly.
- The tracking mechanisms for test-the radars, electro-optical systems along the coast and the telemetry stations, including down range ships monitored all the events.
- A number of DRDO laboratories, including Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and Research Centre Imarat (RCI), both located in Hyderabad, Ariel Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) Agra and Naval Science and Technology Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam, have developed the technologies required for SMART.
Source: Indian Express
