India to test fire Long Range Surface to Air Missile in 2012

NEW DELHI: India will test-fire early next year the 70-km Long Range Surface to Air Missile (LR-SAM), which will help the Navy protect its warships from incoming enemy cruise missiles and fighter aircraft.

The LR-SAM is an over USD 500 million joint venture with Israel.

"The missile will be test-fired by January or February next year in Israel," a senior DRDO official told reporters here.

The missiles will be inducted by the Indian Navy for protecting its warships from incoming enemy cruise missiles and fighter aircraft.

The DRDO official said the missile will be ready to be offered for induction into the armed forces after the completion of eight scheduled test-firings.

He said after the initial test, two to three launches of the missiles will be done in India also.

The missile to be produced under the project will also be provided to the Indian Army for its Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MR-SAM) requirements.

The range of the missile to be provided to the Army will also be 70 Km.

Meanwhile, during a press conference on the successful test-firing of the Agni-4 missile, DRDO Chief V K Saraswat said the sub-sonic cruise missile Nirbhay will be test-fired in the early part of 2012.

"The missile is being integrated and will be test-fired early next year," he said.

The missile will be second cruise missile in Indian inventory after the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, which has been developed jointly by India and Russia.