DRDO and Navy conduct maiden salvo launch of Naval Anti-ship Missile–Short Range from a helicopter
DRDO and the Indian Navy on 29 April 2026 conducted the maiden salvo launch of the Naval Anti-ship Missile–Short Range (NASM-SR), firing two missiles in quick succession from the same Navy helicopter off the Odisha coast.
Summary
The Naval Anti-ship Missile–Short Range (NASM-SR) was salvo-launched for the first time by DRDO and the Indian Navy on 29 April 2026, when two missiles were fired in quick succession from the same Navy helicopter off the coast of Odisha in the Bay of Bengal. The test met all objectives as tracked by the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, and the missiles demonstrated waterline-hit capability. NASM-SR uses a solid propulsion booster and a long-burn sustainer with a fibre-optic gyroscope-based inertial navigation system and an indigenous seeker. The missile was developed by the Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad, with DRDL Hyderabad, HEMRL Pune, TBRL Chandigarh and ITR Chandipur.
Key facts
- Test
- Maiden salvo launch of NASM-SR, 29 April 2026
- Platform
- Indian Navy helicopter; two missiles in quick succession
- Location
- Off Odisha coast, Bay of Bengal; tracked by ITR Chandipur
- Propulsion
- Solid booster + long-burn sustainer
- Lead lab
- Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad
- Demonstrated
- Salvo launch and waterline hit
Practice MCQs 3 questions
From which platform was the maiden salvo launch of the Naval Anti-ship Missile–Short Range (NASM-SR) carried out on 29 April 2026?
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Correct answer: C — A Navy helicopter
Two NASM-SR missiles were launched in quick succession from the same Navy helicopter off the Odisha coast.
Which DRDO laboratory led the development of the NASM-SR missile system?
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Correct answer: D — Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad
NASM-SR was developed by Hyderabad-based Research Centre Imarat in collaboration with DRDL, HEMRL, TBRL and ITR Chandipur.
Consider the following statements about the NASM-SR missile: 1. It uses a liquid-fuelled ramjet engine for its cruise phase. 2. Its trial on 29 April 2026 demonstrated waterline-hit capability. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B — 2 only
Statement 1 is wrong: NASM-SR uses a solid propulsion booster and a long-burn sustainer. Statement 2 is correct.