NASM-SR
Indian anti-ship missile system
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
NASM–SR or Naval Anti-Ship Missile–Short Range is the first indigenous air-launched anti-ship missile being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation for the Indian Navy.[9] The missile is manufactured by Adani Defence & Aerospace under DcPP programme.[10][11]
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| NASM-SR | |
|---|---|
Westland Sea King test launching NASM-SR | |
| Type | Naval anti-ship missile |
| Place of origin | India |
| Service history | |
| In service | Under development |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Defence Research and Development Organisation |
| Manufacturer | Adani Defence & Aerospace |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 380 kg (840 lb)[1] |
| Length | 3.6 m (12 ft) |
| Diameter | 300 mm (12 in) |
| Warhead | Multi-EFP,[2] PCB[3] |
| Warhead weight | 100 kg (220 lb) |
Detonation mechanism | Radio proximity fuze |
| Engine | Solid-propellant rocket + ejectable booster and sustainer engine[4] |
| Propellant | Solid fuel |
Operational range | 55 km (34 mi)[5] |
| Flight altitude | 50m to 3km |
| Maximum speed | Mach 0.8[6] |
Guidance system | Mid-course: FOG-INS + radar altimeter and two-way datalink Terminal: IIR[7] |
Launch platform | Westland Sea King,[8] MH-60R, HAL Dhruv |
NASM-SR features lock-on after launch with automatic target selection. The missile can strike in sea skimming and lofted trajectory mode. It supports fire-and-forget operation in all weather conditions, day or night. Re-targeting is available through two-way datalink (human-in-the-loop system).[12]
Development
Since 1980s, the Indian Navy has been using Sea Eagle anti-ship missile on its Westland Sea King Mk.42B multipurpose helicopter. The NASM-SR is intended as a replacement for the Sea Eagle missile which restricted flight range and increased take-off weight. The development of NASM-SR was made public for the first time in 2018 by the then Minister of Defence Nirmala Sitharaman. Fund of ₹436.06 crore (equivalent to ₹583 crore or US$69 million in 2023) for the development was also allocated in the same year.[9]
The missile is being developed by multiple DRDO labs including Research Centre Imarat, Defence Research and Development Laboratory, High Energy Materials Research Laboratory and Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory.[13]
The NASM-SR can be easily adapted to launch from ships and land-based vehicles. DRDO is speculated to be developing a long range version of it for attacking land targets.[9] As the Sea King Helicopters are being phased out, the NASM-SR will be equipped on Indian Navy's newly acquired MH-60R naval helicopters.[14]
Design
The design and specifications of the new missile was revealed at the DefExpo 2020. The specification showed Mach 0.8 capable air launched anti-ship missile with a range of 55 km. The missile has an indigenous Imaging Infra-Red (IIR) seeker immune to jamming and state-of-the-art navigation system.[9]
As reported, the missile is equipped with indigenous fibre-optic gyroscope-based inertial navigation system (INS) and a radar altimeter for mid-course guidance, along with an integrated avionics module, electro-mechanical actuators for aerodynamic and jet vane control, thermal batteries, and a PCB warhead.[13][15]
The missile features human-in-the-loop system. It allows the pilot of the helicopter to launch the missile in bearing-only lock-on after launch mode towards a large target over a "specified zone of search" and later, in the terminal phase, locking onto a "smaller hidden target" (more precise target) improving the accuracy of the missile. The missile is also equipped high-bandwidth two-way datalink to relay live images from its seeker to the pilot for the in-flight retargeting. These features were operationally demonstrated in 2025.[15]
Testing
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- Indian Navy successfully carried out the first test of the missile from a Sea King Mk.42B helicopter on 18 May 2022.[16] On maiden test firing, NASM-SR demonstrated its sea skimming capability and approaches the target at 5m above the sea level.[17] The maiden test was successful, and the missile is said to have reached the designated target with high degree of accuracy. It validated the control, guidance and mission algorithms.[18]
- DRDO conducted successful guided flight trials of NASM-SR on 21 November 2023 in collaboration with Indian Navy.[19]
- The NASM-SR missile was test fired by an Indian Naval SeaKing 42.B from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, Odisha on 26 February 2025. The missile successfully hit a small ship target in sea skimming mode at maximum range. The missile deployed its indigenous IIR seeker for terminal guidance.[13][15]
