DRDO conducted a successful flight-test of the indigenously developed Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) on 15 June 2026 from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast.
Key test details
- Launch site: Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island (off Odisha); launch monitored by Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur.
- Date & outcome: 15 June 2026; all mission objectives met and performance validated using tracking instruments and telemetry.
- Nodal agency: Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru, served as the project nodal laboratory.
Technical characteristics
- Class: Long-range land-attack cruise missile — a precision strike cruise weapon for surface targets.
- Range: Reported operational reach approaching 1,000 kilometres.
- Guidance: Incorporates improved guidance and navigation systems for enhanced reliability and accuracy.
- Indigenisation: All sub-systems developed by DRDO laboratories in collaboration with Indian industry partners.
Programme linkages & operational role
- Service application: Designed to provide long-range land-attack capability for the Indian armed services.
- Lineage: Described as a successor to the earlier Nirbhay cruise-missile project.
- Testing infrastructure: ITR Chandipur handled range instrumentation, tracking and data validation.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- DRDO: Principal defence R&D organisation coordinating laboratory and industry development efforts.
- ADE Bengaluru: Specialises in aeronautical systems and missile avionics within DRDO’s laboratory network.
- ITR Chandipur: Coastal test-range for missile launches, telemetry and radar tracking in Odisha.