Varunastra (torpedo)

The Varunastra is an Indian advanced heavyweight anti-submarine torpedo, developed by Naval Science and Technological Laboratory of the DRDO for the Indian Navy.

The ship launched variant of Varunastra torpedo was formally inducted in the Indian navy by honorable defence minister Manohar Parrikar on 26 June 2016. The minister in his speech said that the government is in favor of exporting the torpedo to friendly nations including Vietnam. With some minor modifications the submarine variant of the torpedo is to be test fired shortly. The Indian Navy plans to produce 73 of these torpedoes for its use.

Design
This torpedo is powered by an electric propulsion system with multiple 250 KWs Silver Oxide Zinc (AgOZn) batteries. It can achieve speeds in excess of 40 kn, weighs around 1.25 tons and can carry 250 kg of conventional warhead. This torpedo has more than 95 per cent indigenous content. Varunastra has conformal array transducer which enables it look at wider angles than most common torpedos. It is also has advanced autonomous guidance algorithms with low drift navigational aids, insensitive warhead which can operate in various combat scenarios. It is the only torpedoes in the world to have a GPS-based locating aid.

The exercise variant of Varunastra has integrated instrumentation system for recording all the dynamic parameters of the weapon, redundancy in recovery aids in case of emergency shut down or malfunction.

Varunastra will be manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited in association with NSTL.

Operators

 * 🇮🇳 India - Kolkata-class destroyer, Rajput-class destroyer, Delhi-class destroyer, Kamorta-class corvette, Talwar-class frigate and anti-submarine warfare ships.

Export

 * Vietnam - India has offered its new indigenously built Varunastra anti-submarine torpedoes to Vietnam.