Varunastra is a heavy weight, electrically-propelled anti-submarine torpedo capable of targeting quiet and stealth submarines, both in deep and shallow waters in an intense countermeasure environment. Developed by the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory of the DRDO, the Varunastra torpedo was formally inducted into the Indian Navy in 2016. Varunastra can be fired from all anti-submarine warfare ships.
According to news reports, the Indian Navy will receive a second tranch of the Varunastra in April 2019 — exclusively for use on the Scorpene-class, the INS Sindhughosh (Kilo-class) and the Arihant-class submarines.
Developing the Varunastra took massive leaps forward in key areas of technology. The battery that powers the electric motor, for example, is almost two and a half times more powerful than ones used in current Indian Navy torpedos.
Another huge first is the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) for target homing in case the torpedo is aimed against a submarine using torpedo decoys. The DRDO believes that Varunastra is the first torpedo in the world to use GPS-based targeting.
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