SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
In a significant move to enhance its maritime strike capabilities, the Indian Navy has received an offer from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace to equip its fleet of MH-60R Seahawk Maritime Helicopters with the advanced Naval Strike Missile (NSM). Currently, the Indian Navy operates 9 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, with an additional 15 units scheduled for delivery by the end of 2025. The integration of the Naval Strike Missile with these helicopters will significantly upgrade the Indian Navy’s ability to engage surface and coastal targets at extended ranges.
The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) is a long-range, precision-guided cruise missile designed for use against both sea and land-based targets. With a range of over 185 km (100 nautical miles), the NSM provides a fire-and-forget solution, meaning it can engage targets autonomously once launched, without requiring continuous guidance from the launching platform. This stand-off capability allows the missile to be launched from a distance beyond the reach of most known naval air defence systems, ensuring the safety of the launch platform.
The NSM-AL, the air-launched variant of the missile, is particularly well-suited for integration with MH-60R Seahawk helicopters. The missile’s low Radar Cross Section (RCS) and advanced sea-skimming capabilities allow it to fly just above the water surface, making it highly effective against high-value, well-defended targets, such as large warships or enemy coastal infrastructure.
While the Naval Strike Missile is a proven system with immediate operational potential, India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is also working on its medium-range anti-ship missile, known as the NASM-MR (Medium Range Anti-Ship Missile) or MRAShM. This missile is intended to be in the same league as the NSM, but it is still in the development phase.
Flight trials for the NASM-MR are scheduled to begin in 2025, and it may take another 4-5 years before the missile is cleared for full-scale production. While NASM-MR will likely provide India with a domestically developed alternative, the NSM remains a strong contender for rapid deployment, given its proven effectiveness in modern naval warfare.
Key Features of the NSM:
Speed: High Subsonic
Weight: 407 kg (897 lbs)
Length: 3.96 m (156 inches)
Range: >185 km (100 nautical miles)
Guidance System: The missile uses inertial guidance with GPS assistance (if available), complemented by a high-resolution, dual-band, intelligent imaging infrared (I3R) seeker. This seeker enables the missile to autonomously locate, recognize, classify, and home in on its target. The missile is also insensitive to countermeasures, further enhancing its effectiveness against modern defence systems.
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