SAMAR Air Defence System
{{Short description|Indian surface to air missile series}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox weapon
| name = SAMAR Air Defence System
| image = File:SAMAR Air defence system.jpg
| alt =
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| type = Surface-to-air missile
| origin = India
| is_missile = yes
<-- Service history -->
| service = {{start date|2022}}
| used_by = Indian Air force
| wars = India-Pakistan Conflict 2025
| designer = 11 Base Repair Depot Ojhar with industry partner Adtech Inventions Pvt Ltd
7 Base Repair Depot Tughlakabad with industry partner Simran Flowtech Industries and Yamazuki Denki
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| variants = * SAMAR I : Vympel R-73
- SAMAR II : Vympel R-27
| engine = Solid-propellant rocket
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| detonation = Proximity fuze, contact fuze
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| vehicle_range = * SAMAR I : {{cvt|10 - 12|km}}{{Cite web |last=Linganna |first=Girish |date=18 December 2023 |title=Explained: How potent is SAMAR, the Made-in-India air defence system |url=https://newsable.asianetnews.com/india/explained-how-potent-is-samar-the-made-in-india-air-defence-system-s5umae |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=Asianet News Network |language=en}}
| speed = * SAMAR I : Mach 2 to 2.5
- SAMAR II : Mach 4.5
| guidance = * SAMAR I : Infrared homing
- SAMAR II : Semi-active radar homing, infrared homing
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| propellant = Solid fuel
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| launch_platform = * SAMAR I : Ashok Leyland Stallion
- SAMAR II : BEML-Tatra T815 8WD
}}
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 11 Base Repair Depot Ojhar in collaboration with Adtech Inventions Pvt Ltd and 7 Base Repair Depot Tughlakabad (BRD) in collaboration with Simran Flowtech Industries and Yamazuki Denki ; these Indian private sector companies designed and developed the SAMAR-1 system.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-02-19 |title=SAMAR-1 SAM systems based on Vympel R-73E missiles are ready to be delivered to the Indian Air Force |url=https://frontierindia.com/briefs/samar-1-sam-systems-based-on-vympel-r-73e-missiles-are-ready-to-be-delivered-to-the-indian-air-force/ |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=Frontier India |language=en-GB}}
The SAMAR employs Vympel R-73 and Vympel R-27 air-to-air missiles, which are of Russian origin.{{cite news |last1=Satam |first1=Parth |title=Indian ‘Jugaad’! IAF Converts Obsolete Russian Air-To-Air Missiles Into Surface-To-Air Systems; Experts Perplexed |url=https://www.eurasiantimes.com/indian-jugaad-iaf-converts-obsolete-russian-air-to-air-missiles/ |access-date=18 December 2023 |publisher=The Eurasian Times |date=23 October 2022}}
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.
Following extensive test firing, the SAMAR system made its debut at Aero India 2023. 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).{{Cite web |last=Linganna |first=Girish |date=18 December 2023 |title=Explained: How potent is SAMAR, the Made-in-India air defence system |url=https://newsable.asianetnews.com/india/explained-how-potent-is-samar-the-made-in-india-air-defence-system-s5umae |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=Asianet News Network |language=en}}
The Indian Air Force has assigned the project to Maintenance Command for a road mobile short-range air defence system using thousands of Vympel R-73 and Vympel R-27 missiles that have reached the end of their flight shelf life and are no longer suitable for use from fighter jets.{{Cite news |date=2023-12-18 |title=Indian Air Force successfully testfires 'SAMAR' air defence missile system at Exercise Astrashakti |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/indian-air-force-successfully-testfires-samar-air-defence-missile-system-at-exercise-astrashakti/articleshow/106061338.cms |access-date=2023-12-19 |issn=0013-0389}}{{Cite web |title=IAF's SAMAR Air Defence System |url=https://www.indiandefensenews.in/2022/11/iafs-samar-air-defence-system.html |access-date=2022-11-16}}
Trials
On Aero India 2023, IAF confirmed that SAMAR-1 system completed 17 rounds of test firing before entering initial production.{{Cite web |last=Udoshi |first=Rahul |date=16 February 2023 |title=Aero India 2023: SAMAR air-defence system ready for induction into IAF service |url=https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/aero-india-2023-samar-air-defence-system-ready-for-induction-into-iaf-service |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=Janes.com |language=en}}
On 17 December 2023, IAF successfully test fired SAMAR in Exercise AstraShakti from Air Force Station Suryalanka. It achieved the firing objectives in different engagement scenarios. SAMAR is a twin-turret rail launch platform which can launch two missiles in single or salvo mode.{{Cite news |date=2023-12-17 |title=Indian Air Force successfully testfires 'SAMAR' air defence missile system at Exercise Astrashakti |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/indian-air-force-successfully-testfires-samar-air-defence-missile-system-at-exercise-astrashakti/articleshow/106061548.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2023-12-18 |issn=0971-8257}} The missile operates in Mach 2 to 2.5 range.{{Cite web |last=Negi |first=Manjeet |date=17 December 2023 |title=Air Force carries out successful trials of SAMAR air defence missile system |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/trials-of-samar-missile-system-indian-air-force-astrashakti-exercise-2477063-2023-12-17 |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=India Today |language=en}}
SAMAR air defence missile system was fired at the Exercise Vayushakti on 17 February 2024.{{Cite news |date=2024-02-17 |title=Watch: India's SAMAR air defence missile system in action and here's all about it |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/watch-indias-samar-air-defence-missile-system-in-action-and-heres-all-about-it/articleshow/107783192.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2024-02-18 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}
In August 2024, reports confirmed that the SAMAR-2 variant (30 km range) is ready to be tested from December 2024. This was announced during Exercise Tarang Shakti where the SAMAR 1 system was showcased.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-13 |title=India ready to test new SAMAR 2 air defence system |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-ready-to-test-new-samar-2-air-defence-system-101723530017807-amp.html |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Hindustan Times}}
Manufacturing
Concerns
Retired Indian Air Force pilot Squadron Leader Vijainder Thakur, a SEPECAT Jaguar pilot, questioned the efficacy of the arrangement, citing chiefly the lack of Vympel R-27 production in India. In addition, he also questioned its operational viability given its compromised combat capability and thought it was a waste of IAF funds. With experience of flying Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21s, Group Captain TP Srivastava emphasized the value of ground radar in determining the capability of surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems.
Having prior experience in English Electric Canberra bombers and Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25, Group Captain Johnson Chacko concluded that converting air-to-air missiles into surface-to-air missiles was not unfeasible, pointing to the jointly developed Norwegian/US NASAMS system as long as viable guidance system and acquisition issues were resolved.
Eventually, 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.{{cite news |title=India Has Successfully Upgraded Air Defense to Use the R-27 And R-73 Missiles |url=https://en.defence-ua.com/weapon_and_tech/india_has_upgraded_air_defense_to_use_the_r_27_and_r_73_missiles-5767.html |access-date=18 December 2023 |publisher=Defence Express |date=16 February 2023}}
Operational Use
During Operation Sindoor (May 7, 2025), a retaliatory strike against 21 terrorist camps in Pakistan and PoK following the Pahalgam attack, SAMAR was pivotal in defending Indian airspace. Pakistan’s counterattacks involved drones and missiles targeting cities like Jammu, Srinagar, and Amritsar.
SAMAR effectively intercepted these low-altitude threats, preventing damage to military and civilian infrastructure. Its quick deployment and combat-proven reliability, validated in exercises like AstraShakti (2023) and VayuShakti (2024), ensured seamless integration into India’s layered defence grid. Despite concerns over missile availability and guidance limitations, SAMAR’s performance in this war-like scenario underscored its cost-effective, indigenous design, reinforcing India’s ability to counter dynamic aerial threats and bolstering national defence sovereignty.{{Cite web |date=2025-05-09 |title=Pak swarm meets SAMAR's fury, Pechora's precision: India's iron shield crushes Pakistan's drone invasion - Pak swarm meets SAMAR's fury, Pechora's precision: India's iron shield crushes Pakistan's drone invasion BusinessToday |url=https://www.businesstoday.in/india/story/pak-swarm-meets-samars-fury-pechoras-precision-indias-iron-shield-crushes-pakistans-drone-invasion-475485-2025-05-09 |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=Business Today |language=en}}
See also
- {{lwc|NASAMS}}
- {{lwc|SPYDER}}