Giving a boost to self-reliance in defence manufacturing, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Wednesday here handed over the Medium Range-Microwave Obscurant Chaff Rocket (MR-MOCR) to the Indian Navy, Defence Ministry said.

Giving details, officials said Microwave Obscurant Chaff (MOC), a niche technology developed by DRDO’s Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur, obscures radar signals and creates a microwave shield around platforms and assets, thus reducing radar detection.

Special type of fibres, with diameter of few microns and unique microwave obscuration properties, has been assembled in the medium range chaff rocket. The rocket, when fired, forms microwave obscurant cloud in space spreading over a sufficient area, with adequate persistence time, thus creating an effective shield against hostile threats having Radio Frequency seekers.

The Phase-I trials of MR-MOCR were successfully conducted from 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. The number of MR-MOCR, meeting all the qualification requirements, has been successfully handed over to the Indian Navy. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh complimented DRDO and the Indian Navy on the successful development of MR-MOCR. He termed the MOC technology as another step towards achieving Aatmanirbharta in defence.

The MR-MOCR was handed over by DRDO chief Samir V Kamat to Director General of Naval Armament Inspection, Indian Navy Rear Admiral Brijesh Vashistha. The DRDO Chairman congratulated the Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur team for this significant achievement.