Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS)

Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS)

Category: Defence Technology & Indigenous Manufacturing | GS Paper III

SEO Title: VSHORADS Missile System: DRDO Development, Features and Latest Flight Trials

UPSC Notes

VSHORADS is an indigenous man-portable air defence system designed to engage aerial threats at low altitudes and short ranges.

• Full form: Very Short-Range Air Defence System.

• Developer: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), led by the Research Centre Imarat in Hyderabad, in collaboration with other laboratories and Indian industry.

• System type: Man-Portable Air Defence System (MANPADS).

• Target threats: Aircraft, helicopters and drones operating at low altitude.

• Guidance: Uses an infrared seeker.

• Design: Compact, lightweight missile fired from a shoulder-borne launcher.

• Indigenous significance: Supports Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence technology.

• Flight tests: The source records two consecutive successful tests in March 2023 and three successive flight trials on 27 February 2026 at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, Odisha.

• Strategic importance: Provides a short-range layer of air defence against selected aerial threats.

• Comparison: VSHORADS should not be confused with longer-range or different-class systems such as MRSAM, Akash and QRSAM.

Key Pointers for Prelims

• DRDO's Research Centre Imarat is the lead development centre identified in the source.

• Guidance: Infrared seeker.

• Target environment: Low-altitude aerial threats.

• Test location: Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, Odisha.

• Indigenous defence production is the broader policy connection.

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