Indian Navy test-fires missile developed with Israel

The Indian Navy on Tuesday test-fired the Barak 8 long range surface to air missile (LRSAM) for the first time from an Indian warship, after its successful test from an Israeli naval platform last month.

Tests of the LRSAM system, jointly developed by the DRDO and IAI Israel, started on Tuesday from INS Kolkata, and will continue on Wednesday, the Indian Navy said.

"IN (Indian Navy) gears up for maiden firing of Long Range Surface2Air msl 4m INS Kolkata... (sic)," navy spokesperson Captain D.K. Sharma tweeted.

The LRSAM system has been jointly developed by the DRDO and IAI Israel.

The system is to be deployed as the major missile system on the largest indigenously-built warship, INS Kolkata, which was inducted into the navy last year.

In November, the missile was successfully test-fired for the first time from an Israeli naval platform.

The LRSAM programme consists of missiles, weapon control system, MFSTAR (radar), vertical launcher unit and two-way data link.

It will also be deployed on other naval ships including the recently commissioned INS Kamrota. - IANS