In a major success for its in-house design and development efforts, the Indian Air Force has successfully testfired its SAMAR air defence missile system.

• The IAF has developed the Surface to Air Missile for Assured Retaliation (SAMAR) air defence missile system by using its old Russian-origin air-to-air missile systems.  
• The missile system participated for the first time in the exercise to test its surface-to-air weapon systems and carry out their operational field trials.
• The missile system successfully achieved firing trial objectives in different engagement scenarios, they said.
• The system can engage aerial threats with missiles operating at a speed range of 2 to 2.5 Mach. The SAMAR system consists of a twin-turret launch platform with the capability of launching two missiles in single and salvo mode, depending on the threat scenario, the IAF officials said.
• The performance of the missile system has already been witnessed by Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal AP Singh.