Bhubaneswar: In another feat, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted three successive flight-trials of Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) from Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. 

These tests were carried out against high-speed targets flying at very low altitude. The missiles intercepted and completely destroyed the targets having reduced thermal signature mimicking low flying drones at different flying conditions. 

Official sources said the flight-tests were carried out in final deployment configuration where in two field operators carried out weapon readiness, target acquisition and missile firing.

VSHORADS is a Man Portable Air Defence system designed and developed indigenously by the Research Center Imarat in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and the Development-cum-Production Partners. The missile system has the capability to meet the needs of all the three branches of the Armed Forces, viz. Indian Army, Navy and Air Force.

The flight data captured by various range instruments like Telemetry, Electro-Optical Tracking System and Radar deployed by the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, confirmed the pin-point accuracy and established the unique capability of VSHORADS missile system in neutralizing drones along with other classes of aerial threats. 

The flight-tests were witnessed by senior officials of the DRDO, Armed Forces and development and production partners.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO, Armed Forces and the industries for the successful flight tests, terming it as a great success.