DRDO conducts successful maiden flight-test of 'Kusha' long-range surface-to-air missile
Bhubaneswar, July 23
The Defence Research & Development Organisation 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.
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.
"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
Reader Comments
Superb news! 🎉 But let's not forget our brave soldiers who are on the ground protecting our borders day and night. While high-tech missiles are impressive, we need to also strengthen our border infrastructure and provide better facilities to our jawans. DRDO is definitely stepping up though!
Finally, some good news! After the Tejas and Agni series, 'Kusha' is another feather in DRDO's cap. But I wonder what the range and altitude envelope actually are? Hope the ministry releases more technical details soon. Also, the test being done at APJ Abdul Kalam Island is a beautiful tribute to our missile man. ❤️
This is great for defence, but one must ask: are we also focusing enough on our economy and healthcare? 🤔 A strong defence is important, but a balanced budget is equally crucial. That said, self-reliance in missile tech is definitely a step towards reducing foreign dependency. Well done DRDO!
Every time DRDO tests something, I feel a surge of pride. 🇮🇳 'Kusha' will definitely help protect our airspace from threats like enemy fighter jets and UAVs. But I hope the government also focuses on making these systems available for our Air Force quickly, not get stuck in bureaucratic delays as often happens.
Excellent! 🚀 But while we celebrate this success, let's also acknowledge the hard work of Indian engineers and scientists who work tirelessly behind the scenes. They deserve more recognition and better salaries. DRDO has come a long way from being import-dependent to becoming a global player. Keep it up!
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