India News | DRDO Conducts Successful Maiden Flight-test of 'Kusha' Long-range Surface-to-air Missile

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 23 (ANI): The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the maiden flight-test of 'Kusha' Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha on Thursday.

According to the Ministry of Defence, this maiden test was conducted against an electronic target simulating a high-speed and high-altitude aerial threat, which was successfully intercepted by the missile system.

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The 'Kusha' missile system is capable of neutralising a wide variety of aerial threats, including fighter jets, missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and large enemy aircraft within a wide range & altitude envelope. All weapon system elements, including the missiles, radars, command and control centre, have been developed by various DRDO laboratories and Industry partners.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that the successful test-flight of 'Kusha' marks an important milestone in Indian defence R&D, highlighting the capability in developing a long-range surface-to-air missile system, possessed only by a handful of nations. This, he added, will also eliminate the import dependency for such systems and signify a giant leap in the air defence capability of the nation.

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"The @DRDO_India has successfully conducted the maiden flight test of Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile Kusha today from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha. Kusha missile system is capable of neutralising a wide variety of aerial threats including fighter jets, missiles, UAVs and large enemy aircraft within a wide range and altitude envelope," Singh posted on X.

Extending congratulations to the DRDO, Rajnath Singh said, "Today's successful test flight of Kusha marks an important milestone in Indian defence R&D. The capability in developing long range surface-to-air missile system is possessed only by a handful of nations. This will also eliminate the import dependency for such systems and signifies a giant leap in air defence capability of the nation. I congratulate DRDO and other stakeholders for this achievement."

Defence Secretary and Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO Rajesh Kumar Singh monitored all activities during the launch and congratulated all the team members involved in the successful flight-test, the Ministry said. (ANI)

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