New Delhi: The Medium Range-Microwave Obscurant Chaff Rocket (MR-MOCR) was handed over to the Indian Navy by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on June 26 at a ceremony held in New Delhi.

A niche technology developed by DRDO’s Defence Laboratory in Jodhpur, Microwave Obscurant Chaff (MOC) obscures radar signals and creates a microwave shield around platforms and assets, thus reducing radar detection. Special types of fibres, with a diameter of a few microns and unique microwave obscuration properties, have been assembled in the medium-range chaff rocket.

When fired, the rocket, forms a microwave obscurant cloud in space spreading over a sufficient area, with adequate persistence time, creating an effective shield against hostile threats having radio frequency seekers. The Phase-I trials of MR-MOCR were successfully conducted on Indian Navy ships, demonstrating the MOC cloud blooming and being persistent in space. In Phase-II trials, the Radar Cross-Section (RCS) reduction of an aerial target to the extent of 90 per cent has been demonstrated and cleared by the Indian Navy.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat handed over the MR-MOCR to Director General of Naval Armament Inspection, Indian Navy Rear Admiral Brijesh Vashistha. The number of MR-MOCR, meeting all the qualification requirements, have been successfully handed over to the Indian Navy.

The DRDO Chairman congratulated the Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur team for this significant achievement. The Director General of Naval Armament Inspection, Indian Navy, also applauded the efforts of DRDO for indigenously developing this strategically-important technology in a short span of time.