Key points:
- India is creating a new air-launched missile capable of putting out enemy tanks from a stand-off gap of more than 10 kilometres.
- The existing Shturm missile of Russian origin on the Mi-35 will strike tanks at a distance of 5 km.
- Will be launched in December for the first time from a Mi-35 helicopter gunship.
- For the Mi-35, an increased stand-off capacity — from 5 km to 10 km — for target tanks would be a successful capacity increase.
- The latest DRDO-developed anti-tank missiles, the Nag and Helina, have an effective range of less than 5 km.
- Only the Russia, United States, and China have established fast-manoeuvring hypersonic Missile.
India is creating a new air-launched missile capable of putting out enemy tanks from a stand-off gap of more than 10 kilometres, and a critical arms test will be performed in two months at a time when the nation is locked in border conflicts with China just at the Ladakh scene, top officials familiar with the developments said that on Wednesday.
The New Missile:
The indigenous Missile called the stand-off anti-tank missile (Sant) is supposed to be mated to the Russian-origin Mi-35 assault helicopters of the Indian Air Force to equip them with the ability to penetrate enemy armour from an enhanced stand-off range, said one of the officials mentioned above, asking not to be identified.
The existing Shturm missile of Russian origin on the Mi-35 will strike tanks at a distance of 5 km. Rockets of varying calibres, 500 kg rockets, 12.7 mm cannons, and a 23 mm cannon are the other firearms on the gunship.
It will be launched on:
Sant, which is being developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), will be launched in December for the first time from a Mi-35 helicopter gunship, in what is considered as a technological achievement.
The Other functions of Missile:
There are plans being made for the maiden test-firing of the Mi-35 Missile. Next year, following which the Missile will be eligible for induction, a series of air-launched tests will follow, said a second official on condition of anonymity, noting that the Missile will also have lock-on after launch and lock-on before launch capabilities.
A lock-on means the target has been identified and it will be struck by the Missile regardless of the change in the location of the target.
The intention is to test the new Missile eight to 10 times from an attack helicopter until it is deemed operational by the end of 2021, the second official stated.
According to IAF Chief Marshal Fali H Major:
For the Mi-35, an increased stand-off capacity — from 5 km to 10 km — for target tanks would be a successful capacity increase.
The former IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Fali H Major (retd) said that if the helicopter is able to engage enemy armour from a distance of 10 km, it is impossible to take a strike from ground fire.
The Other two missiles Nag and Helina:
The latest DRDO-developed anti-tank missiles, the Nag and Helina, have an effective range of less than 5 km.
While the Helina or helicopter-based Nag missile is fired from a modified infantry fighting vehicle (called the Nag missile carrier or Namica) and has a range of 4 km, the Helina, or helicopter-based Nag is mounted on the advanced light helicopter Dhruv and can impact targets up to 5 km away.
The Sant missile was successfully launched from a ground launcher off the coast of Odisha on Monday — the 13th Indian missile test-fired in less than two months in the middle of China’s border stand-off and deadlocked talks to alleviate tensions along the disputed Line of Actual Control (LAC).
On the October 19 evaluation, neither the defence ministry nor DRDO made any public statement.
The Super Sonic missile (SMART):
Main experiments recently performed by India include the supersonic missile-assisted torpedo launch (SMART) to attack long-range submarines, the latest variant of the 750 km nuclear-capable Shaurya hypersonic missile, and the anti-radiation missile launch to knock down enemy radars and surveillance systems.
India is now creating a new class of ultra-modern weapons that can fly and penetrate any missile protection six times faster than the speed of sound (Mach 6).
At the beginning of September, DRDO performed a successful Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) flight test for the very first time from a launch site off the coast of Odisha.
The Countries with such Missiles:
Only the Russia, United States, and China have established fast-manoeuvring hypersonic missile launch technologies that operate at lower altitudes and are highly difficult to detect and intercept.
In around four years, India could build hypersonic cruise missiles propelled by air-breathing scramjet motors. The speed of Mach 6 corresponds to 7,408 kmph.
