The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has reportedly conducted the maiden flight test of the Naval Anti-Ship Missile–Medium Range (NASM-MR), according to a report by the Hindustan Times. The trial is said to have validated the missile’s ability to engage maritime targets at medium ranges, marking a significant step forward in India’s indigenous precision-strike missile development efforts. Unlike its intended operational configuration, the test was carried out from a ground-based launcher using a solid rocket booster rather than an air-launch platform.
NASM-MR is an indigenous, all-weather, over-the-horizon cruise missile designed to enhance the anti-ship capabilities of the Indian Navy and potentially the Indian Air Force. The weapon is intended to engage small and medium-sized surface combatants, including frigates and destroyers, while offering a more economical option compared to larger long-range anti-ship missile systems.
According to reported specifications, the missile has a strike range exceeding 350 kilometers, enabling launch platforms to target hostile vessels well beyond visual range. Flying at high subsonic speeds of around Mach 0.9, NASM-MR employs a sea-skimming flight profile that minimizes radar detection and reduces the response time available to enemy air-defense systems.
The missile carries a warhead weighing over 200 kilograms, providing significant lethality against a variety of maritime targets. Its guidance package reportedly combines an active radar seeker with an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker, creating a dual-mode targeting system that enhances accuracy, target discrimination, and resistance to jamming and other electronic warfare countermeasures.
Power for the missile is provided by an indigenously developed small gas-turbine jet engine, highlighting India’s ongoing efforts to strengthen domestic propulsion capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign technologies.
If confirmed, the successful maiden test would represent an important milestone for the NASM-MR program and further expand India’s growing inventory of indigenous cruise missiles. The system is expected to play a key role in strengthening maritime deterrence and providing the armed forces with a capable precision-strike option against hostile naval assets.
