Very Short-Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) missile system

About Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS):

• VSHORADS is a Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPAD) developed for neutralising low-altitude aerial threats at short ranges.
• It has been indigenously designed and developed by DRDO's Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad, in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and industry partners.
• The design of the missile, including launcher, has been highly optimized to ensure easy portability, and it doesn't require a lot of personnel to operate.
• The VSHORADS missile incorporates many novel technologies, such as the miniaturised Reaction Control System (RCS) and integrated avionics.
• It is propelled by a dual-thrust solid motor.
• It has a range of up to 6 km.
• The missile system, being man-portable and specifically optimised for lightweight compared to other missile systems, can be deployed quickly in the mountains close to the Line of Actual Control, with China in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.

Q1: What is the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)?

It is the R&D wing of the Ministry of Defence, Govt. of India, with a vision to empower India with cutting-edge defense technologies and a mission to achieve self-reliance in critical defence technologies and systems. It is India's largest research organisation. It has a network of laboratories engaged in developing defence technologies covering various fields, like aeronautics, armaments, electronics, land combat engineering, life sciences, materials, missiles, and naval systems.

Source: DRDO announces completion of development trials of man-portable air defence system