Programme Update: The Indo-French Maitri SR-SAM

[brahmastra]

Top sources reveal that the Indo-French joint tri-services Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (SR-SAM), christened Maitri, is likely to receive formal sanction shortly by the Indian government, with both sides finalising workshare agreements on the programme, initially entered into over three years ago. Described variously as the defunct Trishul point defence missile programme imbued with fresh life, joint work has already begun on the missile, that should see a first test-firing by late 2012. While MBDA and DRDL have awaited formal project sanction, the two agencies have been exchanging data on the Mica and Trishul for the last two years, and are ready to begun building the missile. The vertical launch weapon will have a range of 15-km and will be propelled by a smokeless solid rocket motor.

Source: livefist