India successfully test-fired SANT (Stand-off Anti-tank) missile off the coast of Odisha. The missile is being developed by Imarat (DRDO’s research centre) in collaboration with the IAF. The missile is reported to be the upgraded version of India’s Helina (Helicopter Launched Nag) missile.
India today successfully testfired the Stand-off Anti-tank (SANT) Missile off the coast of Odisha. The Missile is being developed by the DRDO for the Indian Air Force & will have both Lock-on After Launch and Lock-on Before Launch capability: Sources
Key Highlights:
1- The earlier version of the missile had a range of around 8 km but the upgraded variant can cover at least double the distance.
2- SANT missile has a range between 15 to 20 km.
3- It is equipped with a nose-mounted active radar seeker. Thus, the launch platform can be located at a safe distance from the target area.
4- As per the sources, the missile will have both Lock-on After Launch and Lock-on Before Launch capabilities.
5- SANT missile will be launched from a Mi-35 helicopter (Russian helicopter) gunship in the month of December.
6- The missile hit the target precisely and performed extremely complex manoeuvres.
7- Unlike other missiles of this class, the SANT missile can destroy the targets from a long-range.
8- As per the officials associated with the missile, SANT is one of the best airborne anti-armour guided missiles in the world.
9- On the other hand, the BrahMos missile was test-fired from an indigenously-developed stealth destroyer (INS Chennai) and hit the target in the Arabian Sea.
BRAHMOS, the supersonic cruise missile was successfully test fired today on 18th October 2020 from Indian Navy’s indigenously-built stealth destroyer
INS Chennai, hitting a target in the Arabian Sea. The missile hit the target successfully with pin-point accuracy.
It is interesting to note that India has test-fired 10 missiles within 35 days to combat Chinese aggression along the LAC and SANT is the 11 missile which has been test fired.
List of all 10 Missiles tested by India
DRDO’s Nag range
The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has developed many anti-tank missiles in its ‘Nag’ class, having a range between 500m to 20 km (range depends on launch type).
Currently, Nag has 5 variants which are under development. These are as follows:
1- A land version for a mast-mounted system
2- HeliNa or the Helicopter Launched Nag
3- MPATGM or Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile
4- An air-launched version
5- NAMICA or the Nag Missile Carrier
Lock-on before launch feature
1- In this, the operators of the missile identify the enemy tanks first with the help of thermal imaging and then the image is captured and uploaded on the Nag’s seeker system.
2- Thereafter, the missile is launched towards the target which continues capturing target images and cross-checks them continuously with the reference image.
3- The missile operators can deviate the missile from its original path as and when required.
Lock-on after launch feature
1- This feature allows the missile operators to lock-on the target after launching the missile in a general direction.
2- In this, the missile scans the area before acquiring the target, lock-on itself and changes its path accordingly.
3- This helps the helicopters from which they are launched to effectively shoot and scoot.
About Helina
Helina or the Helicopter Launched Nag is a third-generation fire and forget class Anti-tank Guided Missile (ATGM) system mounted on the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH).
Do you know?
The American Javelin and the Israeli Spike are the only two other ‘fire and forget missiles’ which can be compared with the DRDO’s Nag.
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