Kolkata, July 23 :The maiden flight‑test of ‘Kusha’ Long‑Range Surface‑to‑Air Missile (LR‑SAM) was successfully conducted by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha on Thursday.
According to the DRDO, the test was conducted against an electronic target simulating a high‑speed and high‑altitude aerial threat, which the missile system successfully intercepted.
“The ‘Kusha’ missile system is capable of neutralising a wide variety of aerial threats including fighter jets, missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and large enemy aircraft within a wide range and altitude envelope. All weapon system elements, including the missiles, radars, command and control centre, have been developed by various DRDO laboratories and industry partners,” the DRDO said in a statement.
This test was part of “Project Kusha” that entails the development of an Extended Range Air Defence System (ERADS) for the Indian Air Force and Navy. It was earlier known as the Extreme Range Surface‑to‑Air Missile or XRSAM.
Expected to be part of Mission Sudarshan Chakra, it will bridge the gap between the 80-km-range MR‑SAM and the S‑400, which can hit targets 400 km away.
It will supplement the Barak‑8, S‑400 and Akash systems that are already part of India’s air defence network. Three variants of the “Kusha” are expected to be inducted into the services between 2028 and 2030.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the successful test‑flight of “Kusha” marks an important milestone in Indian defence R&D, highlighting the capability in developing long‑range surface‑to‑air missile systems, possessed only by a handful of nations. He added that this will eliminate import dependency for such systems and signifies a giant leap in India’s air defence capability.
Rajesh Kumar Singh, Defence Secretary and Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO, monitored all activities during the launch and congratulated all team members involved in the successful flight‑test.
--IANS
