BALASORE, October 16 — The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Friday successfully conducted the developmental flight test of the next-generation anti-submarine missile system 'Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo' (SMART) from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.
Designed to overcome the intrinsic range limitations of conventional shipborne and airborne torpedoes, the SMART architecture employs a solid-propellant supersonic missile booster carrying a lightweight advanced torpedo (such as the indigenous Shyena) as its payload. Upon reaching the projected hostile submarine coordinates at stand-off ranges up to 600 kilometers, the system deploys a parachute velocity-reduction mechanism, releasing the acoustic-homing torpedo into the ocean to seek and destroy subsurface threats.
Naval defense analysts highlighted that operationalizing SMART establishes long-range, anti-submarine denial envelopes across critical chokepoints in the Northern and Eastern Indian Ocean Region (IOR), dramatically countering foreign nuclear attack submarines (SSNs) and conventional diesel-electric boats.
The operational doctrine of Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW platforms, P-8I Neptune maritime patrol aircraft, dipping sonars, sonobuoys), the development lineage of indigenous torpedoes (TAL Shyena and heavyweight Varunastra by NSTL Visakhapatnam), and naval deterrence are critical knowledge components across UPSC Civil Services (GS-III: Defence Technology & Maritime Security) and Armed Forces examinations.