CCS Approves New Tactical Missile Testing Range in Andhra Pradesh for DRDO's VSHORADS and Anti-Tank Systems Testing

At a time when the Indian defence researchers are developing a large number of tactical missile systems, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has given approval for setting up a new missiles testing range in Andhra Pradesh.

The proposal was cleared by the CCS headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week as per which the new missile range will come up in the Nagayalanka area of Andhra Pradesh, government sources told ANI.

The new missile testing range will be used for test firing of tactical missile systems like the surface to air missile systems, anti tank missiles and various other projects being developed by the Research and Development Organisation, they said.

The CCS in its meeting last week gave clearance to major proposals of the armed forces including that of buying 31 Predator drones from the US and two nuclear submarines to be built by the Project ATV for developing strategic submarines for the Indian Navy, they said.

The proposals for building roads for the forces along with space based capabilities were also given a go ahead.
The DRDO is at an advanced stage of developing a large number of weapon systems for the defence forces including the Very Short Range Air Defence Systems, man portable anti tank guided missiles, anti tank guided missiles, quick reaction surface to air missile systems, vertical launched short range air defence systems and many other systems in the tactical domain.

The DRDO would also be playing a big role in the construction of the nuclear submarines that have been cleared by CCS.

 

[Observer]

This Nagayalanka near Machilipatnam Missile testing project approval and Bhoomi Pooja etc were done several years ago and since then apparently sitting in dust. This type of delay for National defence security project is very very bad for the country and Andhra Pradesh State.

 

[Sandeep]

It’s good news as we need to have more missile test facilities so we can quickly carry out more missile research and development for the private and government sectors. The private sector will want to have regular access as they will develop missiles much quicker than DRDO. The only issue is that they should have developed one on the west coast as we already have one in the east coast.

For strategic reasons and purposes if one got destroyed on the east coast then the second facility in the same area would also be destroyed if we were under attack but then at least we would have had one on the west coast with some distance away.