State PCS - Maharashtra (MPSC)

• 10 Jul 2025

Successful Trials of ERASR

Why in News?  

The Indian Navy successfully conducted user trials of the Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket (ERASR) from INS Kavaratti. 

• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)'s Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune, Maharashtra, led the design and development of ERASR.

Key Points 

• ERASR 
  • Key Features: 
    • ERASR is a completely indigenous anti-submarine rocket designed to neutralize underwater threats. 
    • It is launched from onboard in-real-life (IRL) systems of Indian Naval Ships. 
    • The system features a twin-rocket motor configuration, enabling it to meet a broad range of operational distances with high accuracy and consistency. 
    • It uses an indigenously developed Electronic Time Fuze for precision engagement. 
• INS Kavaratti: 
  • About: 
    • The Navy named INS Kavaratti after Kavaratti, the capital of the Lakshadweep islands. 
    • It revives the legacy of the erstwhile Arnala Class missile corvette INS Kavaratti (P 80), which played a key role in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. 
  • Project 28 and ASW Capabilities: 
    • INS Kavaratti is the fourth and final stealth corvette built under Project 28 (Kamorta Class) by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. 
    • It joins its three sister ships—INS Kamorta, INS Kadmatt, and INS Kiltan—in the Eastern Naval Command (ENC). 
  • Strategic Importance: 
    • The ship significantly boosts India's ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) capabilities, especially amid rising Chinese submarine activity in the Indian Ocean. 
    • Its induction marks a strategic game-changer on the eastern seaboard. 
  • Stealth and Structural Innovation: 
    • INS Kavaratti features enhanced stealth capabilities, including reduced Radar Cross Section (RCS) through sloped surfaces and stealthy superstructure design. 
    • Along with INS Kiltan, it is one of the first major Indian warships with a carbon fibre composite superstructure, offering high strength and reduced weight. 
  • Combat-Ready Design: 
    • The ship carries state-of-the-art systems to operate in Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) warfare conditions. 
    • It integrates high-tech indigenous equipment such as Combat Management System (CMS), Torpedo Tube Launchers and Infra-Red Signature Suppression System.