SAMHO explained

SAMHO
Origin:India
Type:Anti-tank guided missile
Is Missile:yes
Used By:Indian Army
Designer:Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE)
Design Date:2014–2023
Diameter:120mm
Filling:Tandem HEAT
Vehicle Range:NaNm (-2,147,483,648feet)
Guidance:Semi-active laser homing
Launch Platform:Arjun MBT (tested)
T-90 (planned)

The SAMHO (or Semi-Active Mission Homing) is an Indian gun-launched anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) developed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) of DRDO for the Arjun tanks of the Indian Army under the Cannon Launched Missile Development Programme (CLMDP). The SAMHO has a high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) tandem-charge warhead designed to defeat explosive reactive armour (ERA) protection of modern armoured vehicles and tanks. The SAMHO is a multi-purpose anti-armour guided missile effective against tanks and low flying attack helicopters.[1] Originally intended to be fired from the 120 mm rifled gun of Arjun, the DRDO plans to make it compatible with the T-90 tanks of the Indian Army, which have a 125 mm smoothbore gun.[2]

Development

The development of SAMHO gun-launched anti-tank guided missile was announced in 2014.[3] The SAMHO missile was developed under the Cannon Launched Missile Development Programme (CLMDP) by the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) under Armament and Combat Engineering (ACE) cluster along with Instruments Research and Development Establishment (IRDE) of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).[1] [4] The missile is intended to enhance the firepower of the indigenous Arjun tanks in service with the Indian Army.[4] [5]

The missile has 2 modes of attack: the Top Attack Lifted Trajectory and the Direct (Flat) Trajectory. In the Top Attack mode the missile will have a range of NaNkm (-2,147,483,648miles) enabling the missile to target the most vulnerable part of the target and avoiding most of its countermeasure systems. The Direct or Flat mode, with a range of NaNkm (-2,147,483,648miles), shall be used for rapid or immediate engagements at short notice in close proximity.[6]

On 2 February 2024, news reports suggested that DRDO has completed all trials for the missile and it is now ready for production.

Testing

  1. The first trial occurred successfully on 22 September 2020, from an Arjun tank with an inert warhead at KK Range, Armoured Corps Centre and School (ACC&S), Ahmednagar. The missile engaged a target kept at a distance of 3 km.
  2. Another successful missile firing occurred on 1 October 2020 from the same platform at the KK Range.[7]
  3. On 28 June 2022, DRDO successfully tested the missile engaging a target at minimum range at the KK Range, ACC&S, Ahmednagar. Engaging a target at minimum range by an ATGM is particularly difficult given the dimensional constraints of tank launched ATGMs. The ATGM's performance was tested for maximum ranges in the previous trials, hence, establishing the capability of the missile from minimum and maximum range.[8] [9] [10]
  4. On 4 August 2022, another successful test was conducted at the KK Range, engaging a target from minimum to maximum range to check performance consistency. Telemetry systems recorded the satisfactory flight performance of the missile.[11] [12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cannon Launched Missile Development Programme (CLMDP) . 2021-07-06 . Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defence, Government of India.
  2. News: . DRDO plans to use Indigenous SAMHO missile on Russian T-90 tanks . Guarding India . en-US . 2021-07-06.
  3. Web site: . 2014-09-21 . India drops Israeli missile for Arjun Tank. 2021-07-06 . Hindustan Times . en.
  4. News: . 2020-10-01 . DRDO successfully test fires laser-guided anti-tank guided missile from Arjun Tank . The Indian Express . en . 2021-07-06.
  5. News: 2020-09-23 . DRDO test fires laser guided anti-tank missile . en-IN . The Hindu . 2021-07-06 . 0971-751X.
  6. Web site: Survey Ship Sandhayak & SAMHO ATGM . 2024-09-04 . www.spslandforces.com.
  7. Web site: Philip . Snehesh Alex . 2020-10-05 . Not just Arjun, DRDO looking to get indigenous anti-tank missile on Russian T-90 tanks too . 2022-06-29 . ThePrint . en-US.
  8. News: 2022-06-28 . Indigenous ATGM test-fired from Arjun tank at Karakoram range . en-IN . The Hindu . 2022-06-29 . 0971-751X.
  9. Web site: 2024-06-28 . Indigenously-developed Laser-Guided ATGM successfully tested by DRDO & Indian Army . 2024-09-04 . Press Information Bureau.
  10. News: 29 June 2022 . Laser-guided anti-tank missile successfully tested from Arjun tank . 29 June 2022 . The Indian Express . ENS.
  11. Web site: 2024-08-04 . DRDO successfully test fires indigenously developed laser-guided ATGMs . 2024-09-04 . Press Information Bureau.
  12. News: ANI . 2022-08-04 . DRDO successfully test-fires laser-guided ATGMs . 2022-08-04 . ThePrint . Printline Media . en-US.

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