Chinese and Pakistani increase in submarine and under water capabilities.
The VL-SRSAM is taking a troubling amount of time to mature. The VLS has gone through 2 major modifications already.
Unlikely. VL-SRSAM is meant to be an inner layer/anti-missile replacement for Barak-1. The range will likely be limited to no more than 50km (ESSM B2 class) or the overlap with MRSAM on other DDG/FFG will be too high, making the latter almost redundant.
I know that.
Does it make sense to have 2 separate production lines for 2 different variants of the same missile? IAF won't order the older more of the 110km ranged missile. Having a combined production line for Astra Mk-1 & VL-SRSAM is the logical course of action.
The 160 km range of the improved Astra Mk-1 is achieved when launched from a fighter. The same missile when launched from a ground/naval VLS would give you around half that range, so around 80 kms.
The VLSRSAM is not the same missile as the astra mk1. its 20cm longer and around 30 kgs heavier. Its closer to the astra mk2 than mk1.
Can VL-SRSAM be quad-packed in any of the VLS used by IN ?
if the Indian navy started using a slightly modified variant of the brahmos VLS as the UVLS( this looks highly likely) then yes it has more than enough space to quadpack the VLSRSAM.
DRDO is working on a truck mounted VL-SRSAM launcher for the IAF. This will likely supplement and then replace the Syder-SR/MR batteries which have a max intercept range of 35km, iirc.
I'd say the design benchmark for VLSRSAM has always been the MBDA CAMM which comes in a unique 2X3 cell VLS. But turns out it can be quadpacked into the Mk41 VLS which is also being fitted on the RN's upcoming T26 FFG.
