The Indian Air Force (IAF) celebrated a milestone during Exercise AstraShakti-2023 with the successful deployment of the SAMAR air defence missile system. SAMAR is intended to replace the IAF’s Pechora systems, which have been in service since the 1970s. This indigenous innovation, stemming from repurposed Russian air-to-air missiles, displayed its impressive capabilities by engaging aerial threats at speeds ranging from 2 to 2.5 Mach. Featuring a twin-turret launch platform, this system demonstrated its versatility, able to fire two missiles in diverse threat scenarios. The commendable performance of the missile system garnered attention from high-ranking officials. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal AP Singh witnessed its capabilities firsthand. Additionally, IAF Maintenance Command chief Air Marshal Vbhas Pande visited the Suryalanka air base, acknowledging the dedicated efforts of the personnel involved in developing this indigenous system.
The Surface to Air Missile for Assured Retaliation, or SAMAR is a short range, quick reaction surface-to-air missile system. The Indian Air Force (IAF) Maintenance Command’s 7 Base Repair Depot Tughlakabad (BRD) and 11 Base Repair Depot Ojhar, in collaboration with Simran Flowtech Industries and Yamazuki Denki, two Indian private sector companies, created the SAMAR system. Using reconditioned infrared homing Vympel R-73E, semi-active radar homing Vympel R-27 R1/ER-1, and infrared homing Vympel R-27 ET-1 variant of air-to-air missiles (AAMs) that have been further reprogrammed to be utilized as a short range, surface to air defense platform, Indian Air Force Base Repair Depot created the SAMAR system. The 8-axle Tatra T815 vehicle is used as the chassis that houses a launcher for two missiles, fire control equipment and a generator. The APU-470M is used as a guide. The SAMAR-1 system has 12-kilometer range which allows it to take on low-flying aerial targets like fighter planes, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
SAMAR employs the IAF’s shelf-life-expired Russian Vympel air-to-air missiles (AAMs). The Vympel R-27 (NATO reporting name AA-10 Alamo) is a family of air-to-air missile developedby Vympel NPO that entered service in 1983. The R-27 is manufactured in infrared-homing (R-27T, R-27ET), semi-active-radar-homing (R-27R, R-27ER), and active-radar-homing (R-27EA) versions. The Vympel R-73 (NATO reporting name AA-11 Archer) is a short-range air-to-air missile developed by Vympel NPO that entered service in 1984. These missiles have been used as a surface to air missile. In 1999 R-73s were adapted by Serb forces for surface to air missiles. The R-73 is an infrared homing (heat-seeking) missile with a sensitive, cryogenic cooled seeker with a substantial “off-boresight” capability: the seeker can detect targets up to 40° off the missile’s centerline. The Houthi movement’s Missile Research and Development Centre and the Missile Force have tried to fire R-27/R-60/R-73/R-77, from Yemeni Air Force stocks, against Saudi aircraft.
The SAMAR system will be used to eliminate a bigger stockpile of older, Soviet era air-to-air missiles in the Indian Air Force inventory in addition to taking down low-altitude targets. the IAF has purchased about 4,700 R-73 missiles and several hundred R-27 missiles since 1987, which will apparently now be used as ammunition for the SAMAR systems. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is preparing for serial production and deployment of the SAMAR anti-aircraft missile complex, designed for the R-73E missiles with infrared guidance. The first batch of five such surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems is already ready to be delivered to one of the combat units of the Indian Air Force, while the IAF expects further orders for the SAMAR-1. Plans to put SAMAR-2 into service with the Indian Air Force are still unknown.
