..:: India Strategic ::. Navy: LRSAM trials begin; induction in sight, says Admiral Dhowan

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Editorial

LRSAM trials begin; induction in sight, says Admiral Dhowan

By Vishal Thapar

Published: August 2015

New Delhi. Trials of the Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LRSAM) have commenced, Indian Navy Chief Admiral RK Dhowan disclosed in New Delhi August 24 hinting that the anti-missile system is close to induction in the Indian Navy.

"The trials are underway. We are looking for trials to be completed successfully so that we can have the missiles available to both the Indian and Israeli Navies," Admiral Dhowan said on the sidelines of a Guard of Honour for the visiting Israeli Navy Commander-in-Chief Vice-Admiral Ram Rutberg.

Test-firings have begun off Israel on an Israeli Navy warship, and there are signals that this key weapon system - being jointly developed by Israel's IAI and India's DRDO - is finally on track after a delay of about four years. LRSAM is intended to be the premier anti-missile system for Indian Navy surface ships, with an interception range of 70 km to thwart enemy missile attacks.

After the completion of trials in Israel, the LRSAM is scheduled to be validated and test-fired from the Indian Navy destroyer INS Kolkata off Indian waters. Timelines are very tight. The Indian Navy is aiming to commission the new destroyer INS Kochi with an operational LRSAM by the end of September. Missile Launchers and the MF-Star radars have already been installed on INS Kolkata and its follow-on ship Kochi.

Delay in the delivery of the LRSAM has led to top-of-the-line Indian warships like INS Vikramaditya and INS Kolkata being commissioned without reliable air defences, leaving these vital combat assets vulnerable to enemy missile attacks. The main reason for the delay, reportedly, was a deficient propulsion system due to which the missile could not fly to its full interception range of 70 km. DRDO is responsible for delivering the propulsion system.

The success of the LRSAM promises to scale up the profile of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel later this year. "The Prime Minister's visit (to Israel) will open up further avenues of cooperation between the two great countries," Admiral Dhowan said. Preparatory talks are on for new projects which could be announced during the Prime Minister's visit. This is being done through the India-Israel defence cooperation mechanism and staff talks between the armed forces of the two countries.

Israeli Navy Chief Vice-Admiral Rutberg leaned on "common values and (shared) strategic interests" to pitch for greater military cooperation with India. "Together, we can achieve much more than anybody can do alone. Doing it together is the best and the only way," he said. Responding to a question on the forthcoming Modi visit to Israel, the Israeli Admiral quipped: "Any Indian visiting Israel is treated like a Prime Minister. We welcome him and salute him!"