Igla-S VSHORAD

Current Context: The Army is all set to begin receiving another set of Russian Igla-S very short-range air defence systems (VSHORAD) by the end of May or early next month which is partly assembled in India.

• A VSHORAD is the soldier’s last line of defence against enemy combat aircraft, helicopters and UAVs in the multilayered air defence network.
• The Igla-S systems were contracted last year under the fourth tranche of Emergency Procurements (EP) and are being assembled by Adani Defence Systems And Technologies Limited (ADSTL) in India under technology transfer from
• Under deal Army contracted 48 Igla-S launchers, 100 missiles, 48-night sights and one missile testing

ABOUT IGLA-S

• It is a man-portable air defence system (MANPADS) developed by Russia that can be operated by an individual or crew.
• It comprises the 9M342 missile, the 9P522 launching mechanism, the 9V866-2 mobile test station, and the 9F719-2 test set.
• Range: 500 metres to 6 kilometres and attack targets up to an altitude of 3.5 kilometres.
• Speed : 400 metres per second and the deployment time is 13 seconds.