First Medium Range Surface to Air Missile Raised by Indian Army's Eastern Command
Image for representational purposes only.The Indian Army's Eastern Command has taken a significant step forward in enhancing the country's defence capabilities by setting up its first-ever regiment of medium-range surface-to-air missiles (MRSAM).
According to Army officials, the MRSAM regiment is designed to provide aerial defence against potential airborne threats, including fighter planes, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), helicopters, guided and unguided munitions, subsonic and supersonic cruise missiles, and others.
The regiment is equipped with the MRSAM weapon system, which was developed domestically by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and is also known as the 'Abhra' weapon system. The DRDO worked with the Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Indian defence industry partners, including MSMEs, to create the weapon system.
The MRSAM weapon system can engage multiple targets from up to 70 km away, and it uses an indigenously developed rocket motor and control system to achieve high manoeuvrability during the terminal phase. The system includes a variety of components, including missiles, a combat management system (CMS), mobile launcher systems (MLS), an advanced long-range radar, a mobile power system (MPS), a radar power system (RPS), a reloader vehicle (RV), and a field service vehicle (FSV).
During his visit to the MRSAM regiment, Lieutenant General of Eastern Army Commander R.P. Kalita stated that India's progress towards indigenisation in the defence sector is a significant step towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing, consistent with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'.