Indian Missiles News & Discussions - 30 June 2022

[uddu]

Story of Missile Woman: Dr Tessy Thomas

Dr. Tessy Thomas recalls a powerful lesson from Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam - a thought that stayed with her throughout her journey and shaped the way she approached both science and leadership. From that moment, her story takes off. In this episode, the conversation unfolds into her inspiring journey…from a young girl in Keralam, curious about the sky, to becoming a key force behind India’s missile programs at DRDO. She shares her decision-making journey, the opportunities that came her way, early struggles, the challenges of working in a demanding field, and the dedication it took to build something so critical for the nation. At the same time, she reflects on what continues to motivate her even today, after so many achievements, including the Dr. Paulos Mar Gregorios Award 2025. This episode is simply honest and deeply inspiring- a reminder of how the right guidance, hard work, and belief can shape an extraordinary journey.

[uddu]

Same category as Spike LR with range of 200m to 4000m. While being smaller in diameter 120mm compared to 130mm of Spike LR. Probably can carry more of these kind of missiles on Attack helicopters along with Helina.
Indian Army Approves Procurement of Indigenous MPATGM to Supplement Imported Anti Tank Missile and Enhance Infantry Capabilities
https://defence.in/threads/indian-army- ... ies.17476/
Date: 15 April 2025

The Indian Army has approved the procurement of the Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM). Developed by DRDO,

While initially noted for an effective range of around 2 kilometers, recent testing data indicates the system can accurately engage targets anywhere between 200 meters and up to 4,000 meters away.

[SSridhar]

^ This is AMOGHA-III and great news, especially if range is 4Kms. This is Top-attack, day & night & with dual seeker (IIR+EO). It had been making steady progress since 2018. By April 2024, DRDO had concluded the trials and was confident. The user evaluation trials followed that. Looks like that the IA wanted a demonstration of top attack on a moving tank which was successfully demonstrated early this year.

[Prem Kumar]

Rather than as a Spike/Javelin replacement, it might be better to think of DRDO's MANPATGM 1.0 as a replacement for our massive holdings of Konkur, Milan and Kornets. Otherwise, it will get into unnecessary arguments about weight

Our total holdings of Konkurs, Milans and Kornets is upwards of 80,000!! Imagine the numbers involved. This missile, by itself, can be a massive success. And once mass-manufacturing-magic kicks in, it will become cheaper & better

The next gen - MANPATGM 2.0, I am sure, will be weight-compatible with the man-portable Javelin & Spike

Version 3.0 can be a Spike-LR replacement - we are also hitting it from another angle - Helina/Dhruvastra/SANT

There is a whole family of missiles awaiting orders!

[uddu]

^ This is AMOGHA-III and great news, especially if range is 4Kms. This is Top-attack, day & night & with dual seeker (IIR+EO). It had been making steady progress since 2018. By April 2024, DRDO had concluded the trials and was confident. The user evaluation trials followed that. Looks like that the IA wanted a demonstration of top attack on a moving tank which was successfully demonstrated early this year.

These seems two different projects. Amogha is more a BDL effort and with 2.5km range, while MPATGM is a DRDO project and in the category of Spike-LR with a range of 4km.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amogha_missile
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPATGM
https://www.janes.com/osint-insights/de ... a-iii-atgm
https://www.janes.com/osint-insights/de ... ed-missile

[uddu]

Rather than as a Spike/Javelin replacement, it might be better to think of DRDO's MANPATGM 1.0 as a replacement for our massive holdings of Konkur, Milan and Kornets. Otherwise, it will get into unnecessary arguments about weight

Our total holdings of Konkurs, Milans and Kornets is upwards of 80,000!! Imagine the numbers involved. This missile, by itself, can be a massive success. And once mass-manufacturing-magic kicks in, it will become cheaper & better

It terms of range comes in the category of Spike and Javelin and is said to replace the current ATGM's in service with the Indian Army. Surely will be mass produced.

Regarding weight AI tells this. So it's lighter than Spike LR. Also the MPATGM Ver 2.0 can come with increased range. With this there is no need to import anything ATGM.
Weight/Portability: The MPATGM system is designed for high portability and infantry use. The total MPATGM system (missile + launcher) weighs approximately 29 kg, whereas the Spike LR system is sometimes cited as having a higher total system weight.

[uddu]

DRDO to showcase cutting edge tech & Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives during mega exhibition at Motihari, Bihar
https://orissadiary.com/drdo-to-showcas ... ari-bihar/

A wide range of models and products featuring advanced defence systems will be demonstrated. These include Airborne Early Warning And Control (AEW&C) System, Akash Surface-to Air Missile, Akash-NG (New Generation) Missile launcher, BrahMos Missile, Prithvi Missile, Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) Missile, NAG Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Pralay Missile, Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM), Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems (ATAGS), Pinaka Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun-Mk-I&II, Indian Light Tank (ILT), Modular Bridging System, Drone Detection Radar, Uttam AESA Radar, Holographic Sight, Automatic Chemical Agent Detection and Alarm (ACADA) systems, Chemical Agent Monitor (CAM), Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN), Water Purification System (CBRN-WPS), Back Pack-5kg, NBC Suit Mk- V, Multi-functional, Mounted Gun System (MGS), Composite Armor for Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP), Rapid prototype Model of Kaveri Engine, Spatial Reality Display of Kaveri Engine, Blast Protection Suit, Ballistic Helmet, Naval steel and other materials technologies.

[uddu]

DRDO Moves Closer to ET-LDHCM Mach 8 Hypersonic Missile Under Project Vishnu with Booster Integration Progress
https://defence.in/threads/drdo-moves-c ... ess.17483/
16-April-20226

Missile projected speed is Mach 8, ET-LDHCM among the most elite and rapid cruise missiles currently under development worldwide.

Baseline version will be capable of striking targets 1,500 kilometres away, with payload ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 kilograms, allowing it to be armed with either conventional or nuclear warheads.

Future upgrades could push its maximum range to 2,500 kilometres.

[uddu]

New Astra 2 clears Prelim Trials

[Manish_Sharma]

https://x.com/alpha_defense/status/2047 ... 57224?s=20

Major push in India’s LRSOW

Program moves from design → hardware realisation phase. Will be tested from ground based launcher (as first step)
• 400kg-class payload capability
• Built with hardened EN24 + IS 2062 steel

After GSE fabrication → next stop: ground integration followed by captive trials on Su-30MKI.

Image for representation: Rudram

https://x.com/Tsukuyomi2170/status/2047 ... 15133?s=20

According to reports India is working on Rudram 4 also known as Long Range Stand off Weapon and it might be a Low Observable Subsonic Cruise missiles similar to Storm Shadow

However it seems its launcher itself might weight 400kg, the weight of a Brahmos launcher is 350 kg so we can imagine that the weight of the missile is around the same as Brahmos.

From the looks it might appear that this might be an Indian LRSO

[Ashokk]

https://x.com/ANI/status/2049474299971658228

#WATCH | Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) & Indian Navy successfully conducted the maiden Salvo launch of Naval Anti-ship Missile-Short Range (NASM-SR) from Indian Navy’s helicopter platform, off the coast of Bay of Bengal in Odisha. During the trial, two missiles were launched in quick succession from the same helicopter, making it the first salvo launch of an advanced air-launched anti-ship missile system.

(Source: DRDO)

[uddu]

DRDO's VL-SRSAM Nears Final Induction Phase as Indian Navy Bolsters Its Modern Shipborne Air Defence Grid
https://defence.in/threads/drdos-vl-srs ... post-82868
Date:28-04-2026

[VinodTK]

India's $1.2b Russian missile deal is built to blind China and neutralise Pakistan's air force

According to reports, India has just acquired a missile so powerful, it doesn't need to shoot down enemy fighter jets. Instead, it hunts the aircraft that make those jets deadly. The radar planes, the tankers, the flying command centres.

China and Pakistan should be worried about it.

Russia has cleared the export of approximately 300 R-37M ultra-long-range air-to-air missiles to India, in a deal worth 1.2 billion US dollars.

This isn't an upgrade. It's a game-changer. The R-37M, nicknamed Axehead, can lock onto a target and destroy it from over 350 kilometres away.

During Operation Sindoor in May 2025, Indian military planners walked away with a stark conclusion. According to reports, Pakistan's J-10C and JF-17 fighters, armed with Chinese PL-15 missiles, could engage Indian jets before India could even fire back. The R-37M doesn't just close that gap. It flips the entire equation.

Because here's what Pakistan and China depend on. A web of airborne radar planes, tankers, and flying command centres that see everything and coordinate every missile strike.

According to reports, along India's Himalayan frontier, the People's Liberation Army Air Force has been flying J-20 stealth fighters backed by Chinese airborne warning and control aircraft that give Beijing a commanding picture of the battlefield.

If India can force those platforms far from the frontline or destroy them outright, China's entire missile engagement doctrine starts to fall apart. Deliveries could begin within twelve to eighteen months. That's a compressed timeline. India isn't waiting for its own Astra Mk-2 or Mk-3 missiles to mature.

It needs this capability now. And Russia, facing fierce competition from Western arms suppliers, was reportedly ready to say yes.

The next war in South Asia may not be decided by who has more fighter jets or better pilots. It may be decided by who can first blind the other side.

And India just bought the weapon to do exactly that. The aerial balance across one of the world's most dangerous regions will never look the same again.

From: India Today

[SSridhar]

DRDO ready for Agni 6, awaits Centre's nod - ANI

On the development of the Agni-VI ballistic missile, DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat on Thursday said the programme depends on a government decision, adding that the agency is fully prepared to proceed when approval is granted.

Speaking at the National Security Summit 2.0, Kamat said, "It is the government's decision. We are ready whenever the government gives us the go-ahead."

The Agni-VI is expected to be an advanced intercontinental ballistic missile with longer range and improved capabilities compared to existing systems in India's Agni series.

During the summit, DRDO Chairman had also noted that India's LR-AShM hypersonic glide missile programme has reached an advanced stage, with initial trials expected soon.

Speaking at the ANI National Security Summit, Kamat said India is working on both hypersonic glide and hypersonic cruise missile systems, with the glide variant currently ahead in terms of development.

"With respect to the hypersonic, we are working on two programs, the Hypersonic Glide Missile and the Hypersonic Cruise Missile," he said.

He explained the difference between the two systems, saying. "The hypersonic cruise missile... has a scramjet engine and it is powered during its flight. The hypersonic glide missile...uses a booster to give it initial velocity and then it just glides without any powering."Kamat indicated that the glide missile could be tested soon.

"The glide missile will come out first... we should be doing the first trials fairly soon and that is at a more advanced stage than the cruise missile," he added.

[uddu]

https://x.com/i/status/2050123000968778221
@alpha_defense
Local reporter confirms : India successfully test fires long range anti-ship hypersonic missile from a defence facility off Odisha coast.

[uddu]

MAY 01, 2026 / 23:08 IST

India’s hypersonic anti-ship missile test gets ‘perfect score’, hits target at 1,500 km: Report
https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india ... 05730.html

India on Friday successfully conducted a flight test of a long-range anti-ship missile off the coast of Odisha, top defence sources told CNN-News18. The hypersonic missile accurately struck a designated target at a range of 1,500 km, marking a major milestone in extending the country’s defensive reach at sea.

[V_Raman]

it sounds bogus that india did not know about pl-15 capabilities and now r-37M will neutralize it. if india did not really know about pl-15 capabilities - then it is a unmitigated disastrous failure!!

[uddu]

R-37M is another emergency procurment. Our missiles need to be sleek slim rice eating while giving much more range than others while the Russian one can be Mota Bhai. No problem.

[Manish_P]

it sounds bogus that india did not know about pl-15 capabilities and now r-37M will neutralize it. if india did not really know about pl-15 capabilities - then it is a unmitigated disastrous failure!!

Was the PL-15 used anywhere operationally and recovered for analysis before we got hold of it? Did we have a deep undercover espionage program which got it's data before it was used against us/anyone ?

[Lisa]

^ The author appears to have only ONE article to her name.

[SSridhar]

India successfully tests long-range hypersonic anti-ship missile off Odisha - ToI

India has successfully test-fired a long-range hypersonic anti-ship missile (LR-AShM) off the Odisha coast. The missile, developed by DRDO, accurately struck a designated target at a range of 1,500 km, marking a major milestone in extending the country’s defensive reach at sea.

The missile is designed to hit targets at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (it can reach speed of Mach 10).

The test validated the precision of its advanced terminal guidance systems, completing all mission objectives from launch to final impact, including mid-course manoeuvres and sustained high-velocity flight.

Though DRDO is yet to release an official statement, BJP has posted a video of test on X with the text: "India's hypersonic edge just got sharper. DRDO’s LR-AShM Phase-II test off the Odisha coast signals a new era. Reflecting the vision of PM Modi for a self-reliant, future-ready India, it marks a powerful leap in indigenous defence innovation."

The LR-AShM is an indigenous Indian, two-stage solid-propelled hypersonic glide weapon , developed for the Indian Navy. It is a potent, first-of-its-kind weapon that enhances India’s anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region.

The missile operates in the hypersonic regime, reaching speeds starting at Mach 10 and maintaining an average speed of around Mach 5.0 during its trajectory. It is a hypersonic glide missile that follows a low-altitude, quasi-ballistic trajectory with multiple skips, allowing it to evade radar detection for most of its flight. It can engage both static and moving targets (such as aircraft carriers) using indigenously developed sensors for high precision in the terminal phase.

The missile is a major achievement toward self-reliance in advanced defence technologies, developed by DRDO’s Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL) and various industry partners.

[uddu]

Motabhai of NASM-SR
https://x.com/i/status/2050828200654020767
@Kunal_Biswas707
Indian Navy MIG-29K featured with #DRDO NASM-MR, it is expected to test fire in few months and meant to target larger warships, it features AESA seeker with range of 290 kms to 350 kms, while BrahMos-NG has similar range, but both have distinct specs and roles.

[V_Raman]

it sounds bogus that india did not know about pl-15 capabilities and now r-37M will neutralize it. if india did not really know about pl-15 capabilities - then it is a unmitigated disastrous failure!!

Was the PL-15 used anywhere operationally and recovered for analysis before we got hold of it? Did we have a deep undercover espionage program which got it's data before it was used against us/anyone ?

Tactically - if India did not know about dark launch by fighters from deep inside and then missile getting guidance from awacs subsequently for lock very close to NEZ - then it is a failure. that seems to be publicly documented capability of PL-15

[uddu]

Article by Shri Hemant Kumar Rout on NASM-SR
https://x.com/i/status/2050870389728067735
Hemant Kumar Rout
@TheHemantRout
NASM-SR will act as a significant deterrent and provide a robust offensive mechanism with carrier-killer capabilities, allowing for precision strikes against adversary naval assets. It will enhance India's maritime presence in the Indian Ocean region.
@bsindia

[S_Madhukar]

Was the PL-15 used anywhere operationally and recovered for analysis before we got hold of it? Did we have a deep undercover espionage program which got it's data before it was used against us/anyone ?

Tactically - if India did not know about dark launch by fighters from deep inside and then missile getting guidance from awacs subsequently for lock very close to NEZ - then it is a failure. that seems to be publicly documented capability of PL-15

Should we have Growlers ? In Gulf War 1 F-111 EW jets were ahead of F15s on day 1. Or is it not possible unless you have PL15 data

[ritesh]

Tactically - if India did not know about dark launch by fighters from deep inside and then missile getting guidance from awacs subsequently for lock very close to NEZ - then it is a failure. that seems to be publicly documented capability of PL-15

Should we have Growlers ? In Gulf War 1 F-111 EW jets were ahead of F15s on day 1. Or is it not possible unless you have PL15 data

Are the armed forces exploring the asymmetric warfare wrt Chyna?