SMART (Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo) is a canister-based, long-range anti-submarine missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the

Indian Navy The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As a blue-water navy, it operates sig ...

Description

SMART is a canisterised hybrid system, made up of long-range missile carrier that can travel at supersonic speed and a lightweight torpedo as payload for

anti-submarine warfare Anti-submarine warfare (ASW, or in older form A/S) is a branch of underwater warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, submarines, or other platforms, to find, track, and deter, damage, or destroy enemy submarines. Such operations are t ...

(ASW) role. The objective behind the project is to develop a quick reaction system that can launch torpedo from standoff distance. The missile has a range of 643 km (400 mi) carrying a light weight torpedo of range 20 km (12.5 mi) with 50 kg

high explosive An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An exp ...

warhead. SMART uses two-way data link connected to airborne or ship based submarine detection and identification systems. SMART can be launched from a surface ship or a truck-based coastal battery. The missile delivery system was developed jointly by Defence Research Development Laboratory (DRDL) and Research Centre Imarat (RCI). Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) developed the autonomous lightweight torpedo and associated technologies such as detonation mechanism, underwater guidance and underwater thruster. Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) developed the velocity reduction mechanism that act before releasing an autonomous lightweight torpedo towards the designated target. SMART is part of fusion project to combine technologies of institutions dealing with land and naval based armaments. High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) developed the insensitive explosive formulations for naval warhead.

Ministry of Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...

(MoD) in 2018–19 annual report mentioned that DRDO started the development and demonstration of missile assisted release of light weight torpedo for ASW role. The ejection trial was done using

Advanced Light Torpedo Shyena The Advanced Light Torpedo (TAL) Shyena (Sanskrit: श्येन, "Falcon or Hawk") is the first indigenous advanced lightweight anti-submarine torpedo of India, developed by the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) of the Defence ...

. SMART provides Indian Navy the capability to target enemy submarines at extremely long standoff ranges. The missile is powered by dual stage

solid-propellant rocket A solid-propellant rocket or solid rocket is a rocket with a rocket engine that uses Rocket propellant#Solid chemical propellants, solid propellants (fuel/oxidizer). The earliest rockets were solid-fuel rockets powered by gunpowder; they were u ...

and electro-mechanical

actuator An actuator is a component of a machine that is responsible for moving and controlling a mechanism or system, for example by opening a valve. In simple terms, it is a "mover". An actuator requires a control device (controlled by control signal) a ...

s for higher degree of automation. The in-flight guidance uses

inertial navigation system An inertial navigation system (INS) is a navigation device that uses motion sensors (accelerometers), rotation sensors ( gyroscopes) and a computer to continuously calculate by dead reckoning the position, the orientation, and the velocity (dire ...

(INS) with

real-time Real-time or real time describes various operations in computing or other processes that must guarantee response times within a specified time (deadline), usually a relatively short time. A real-time process is generally one that happens in defined ...

course correction and target update mechanism while the missile fly at low altitude to decrease detection rate. SMART is similar in concept to the now cancelled UUM-125 Sea Lance from

Boeing The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...

. The system is under-development due to increasing deployment of submarines by People's Liberation Army Navy Submarine Force (PLANSF) in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), rapid modernization of naval assets by

People's Liberation Army Navy The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN; ), also known as the People's Navy, Chinese Navy, or PLA Navy, is the maritime service branch of the People's Liberation Army. The PLAN traces its lineage to naval units fighting during the Chinese ...

(PLAN) and building of Chinese overseas military bases in Africa.

Trials

First trial

The first successful test of SMART was done on 5 October 2020 from Abdul Kalam Island. This was part of demonstration test to check missile flight for maximum range and altitude, separation of the nose cone, release of torpedo and deployment of velocity reduction mechanism.

Second trial

On 13 December 2021, the second test of SMART was conducted successfully from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Odisha. The entire trajectory was monitored by the electro-optic telemetry system, various range

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...

s including the downrange instrumentation and downrange ships. The missile carried a torpedo, parachute delivery system and release mechanisms.

References

{{Defence Research and Development Organisation Anti-submarine missiles

Description

Trials

First trial

Second trial

See also

References