Why in news?
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully tested a long-range Supersonic Missile Assisted Torpedo (SMART). It is aimed at boosting the Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
What’s in today’s article?
- Supersonic Missile Assisted Torpedo (SMART)
Supersonic Missile Assisted Torpedoes (SMART)
- Background: Torpedo
- Torpedoes, self-propelled weapons that travel underwater to hit a target, are limited by their range.
- In the mid-2010s, DRDO undertook a project to build capacity to launch torpedoes assisted by missiles.
- About SMART
- SMART system comprises a mechanism by which the torpedo is launched from a supersonic missile system with modifications.
- These modifications would take the torpedo to a far longer range than its own.
- For example, a torpedo with a range of a few kilometres can be sent a distance to the tune of 1000 km by the missile system from where the torpedo is launched.
- Institutions involved
- A number of DRDO laboratories have developed the technologies required for SMART. These include:
- Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and Research Centre Imarat (RCI), both in Hyderabad;
- Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) in Agra; and
- Naval Science and Technology Laboratory (NSTL) Visakhapatnam.
- Features
- The system can be launched from both coasts and warships.
- The canister-based missile system comprises several advanced subsystems including two-stage solid propulsion and precision inertial navigation.
- Canister enables smooth and safe launch of article. Also, canister serves the purpose of transportation, storage and launching of missiles.
- These Canisters are filled with inert gases to provide protection from outside environment during Storage and transportation.
- It carries an advanced lightweight torpedo missile as a payload along with a parachute-based release mechanism.
- Significance
- This missile-based mechanism to launch lightweight torpedoes can target submarines hundreds of kilometres away — far beyond the conventional range of lightweight torpedoes.
- It will be particularly employed in the absence of other assets for immediate action when an enemy submarine is detected.
