DRDO to test advanced defence interceptor next week

[sudhir007]

DRDO to test advanced defence interceptor next week

Undeterred by the December 11 failure of Agni-II prime ballistic missile test flight the missile fell into the sea a few seconds after launch —— the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is planning to test the advanced Air Defence Interceptor on December 22 and 24. Two earlier tests of the interceptor ended in failure.

The test on Wheeler Island off Orissa coast will see an interceptor missile destroy an incoming ‘hostile’ missile mid-flight over the Bay of Bengal. This test, sources said, is meant to observe the “operational effectiveness of the indigenously developed high-speed interceptor missile”.

A modified Prithvi missile, to be launched from the Chandipur Integrated Test Range, will “mimic” a hostile ballistic missile, the sources said.

The DRDO will also flight-test the indigenously developed micro-light drone Lakshya at the Chandipur Test Range on December 20. Lakshya is a sub-sonic, re-usable drone meant for aerial reconnaissance of battlefield and target acquisition. Lakshya has seen nearly 200 launches so far. It was last successfully tested in November 2009. Lakshya can be launched from land as well as a ship and then recovered by a parachute system on land or at sea. It’s Ground Control Station and Telemetry Station allows pilotless control of aircraft and real time data acquisition.

 

[Kinetic]

These will be third and fourth tests of AAD this year. They are working fast.

BTW last AAD test in July this year was full success.... out of four AAD tests three were successful and one aborted.





Interceptor missile hits the bull's eye

Tuesday, Jul 27, 2010
Y. Mallikarjun

Initial phase of Ballistic Missile Defence shield to be in place by 2012; second phase in 2016

- PHOTOS: H. SATISH

Live screen shots of the radar images at the point of interception are seen on the command and control display station at the Wheeler Island in Orissa on Monday. The target missile is broken into multiple pieces.











Wheeler Island (Orissa): India's plans to put in place the initial phase of a robust Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) shield by 2012 received a big thrust on Monday, with a supersonic interceptor missile, Advanced Air Defence (AAD), bringing down an incoming “enemy” ballistic missile (a modified Prithvi) of 2,000 km range, at an altitude of 15 km over the Bay of Bengal.

The proposed twin-layered BMD system envisages interception and destruction of incoming enemy missiles in exo-atmosphere (altitude of 50-80 km) and endo-atmosphere (altitude up to 30 km).

While the first phase seeks to protect vital assets against enemy ballistic missiles of up to 2,000 km range, the second phase is intended to engage missiles of up to 5,000 km range.

Conducted by scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Monday's test validated endo-atmospheric layer of interception, when the AAD achieved a kill of the Prithvi during the latter's terminal phase.

Five minutes after the lift-off of the target missile (Prithvi) from Chandipur, the interceptor blasted off from the Wheeler Island, 70 km away from Chandipur. The Long Range Tracking Radars located at Konark and the Multi-Functional Fire Control Radar at Paradip tracked the target missile and passed on the information to the Mission Control Centre, which classified the target, predicted the impact point and assigned the AAD battery to launch the interceptor.



In the picture on top, (from second left) Head of the Defence Research and Development Organisation V.K. Saraswat, Air Marshal P.K. Barbora, and Director of the Advanced Systems Laboratory Avinash Chander, among others, celebrate after the successful launch of the AAD missile on Monday.

As the target missile reached a height of 100 km and began its descent, the AAD missile, carrying a P-charge directional warhead (used for the first time in an Indian missile), travelled at a speed of 4.5 Mach and manoeuvred towards the target missile. Within a few metres of the modified Prithvi, the warhead exploded, releasing multiple bullet-like particles that destroyed the target missile, 26 seconds after its launch. The debris that fell into the sea was tracked by radars located along the coast.

The interception was witnessed by V.K. Saraswat, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, Vice-Chief of the Air Staff P.K. Barbora, top Army officers and scientists from the DRDO laboratories.

Talking to TheHindu soon after the event, Dr. Saraswat congratulated the scientists. He said the BMD technologies were fast reaching maturity levels in terms of reliability and robustness. Many new technologies, including P-charge warhead, electro-mechanical actuators and ring-based gyro navigation system, were used to make the AAD more accurate and robust.

The first phase of the BMD shield would be operational in 2012 and the second phase in 2016, he added.

Equipping AAD with a directional warhead would enable the interceptor to engage and destroy an enemy missile from any direction, according to V.L. Narasimha Rao, programme director, Air Defence.

He said another interceptor missile test would be conducted in endo-atmosphere in three months.

Air Marshal Barbora, said the mission proved that the nation was at the doorstep of having a BMD umbrella, “which is required considering the environment.” He was extremely proud that the system would be operational in a short duration.

The Hindu : Front Page : Interceptor missile hits the bull's eye

 

[RoYaL~GuJJaR]

Glad to hear the news..! Glad to see spirit of our DRDO..

 

[Nakul]

any idea now when they will be conducting test or any updates???

 

[Kinetic]

any idea now when they will be conducting test or any updates???

they will test it soon. I think due to number of missiles and satellite launch vehicles are launched in short span of time or for some other reason they postponed the test. Usually if they postpone any launch they test it soon.

 

[HongWu]

Initial phase of Ballistic Missile Defence shield to be in place by 2012; second phase in 2016

India can't even make a measly medium-range air defense missile. The Akash was another failure. Now India wants to jump ahead of the USA and China to build a BMD shield.

The more DRDO talks the more we all laugh.

 

[Masterchief]

@hongwu: you dont know a thing about 'defence', thats why you regularly come with your 'ultraunutopian dreams' isnt it?

 

[graphican]

Hay DRDO is upto something again.. Please wish India goodluck!

 

[Kinetic]

Hay DRDO is upto something again.. Please wish India goodluck!

This is not the first time DRDO going for ballstic missile defence test. Earlier all tests were successful except one aborted. Don't you know that?

 

[Kinetic]

India can't even make a measly medium-range air defense missile. The Akash was another failure. Now India wants to jump ahead of the USA and China to build a BMD shield.

China can't even make a simple missile in their own but talking about India? Other than copycat of Russian missiles what you have done on your own? lol Hwy US and China? Do even come close to Russia or France? lol

The more DRDO talks the more we all laugh.

You do that to hide your fear and insecurity.

 

[PRACTICAL PATRIOT]

good news !!!
thanks kinetic for sharing it

 

[rockstarIN]

All the very best DRDO, you gonna make it this time..

 

[deep.ocean]

India can't even make a measly medium-range air defense missile. The Akash was another failure. Now India wants to jump ahead of the USA and China to build a BMD shield
.

Baba HongWu, please don't feed the trolls by showing ur intelligence level.. I think you will forgive these guys after knowing the fact that Aaksh has been successfully inducted by Army and Air Force is on pipelione.. and for your surprise they are going to stationed them in North East..

The more DRDO talks the more we all laugh.

Its good to know that you laugh also else I was thinking that you only pour venom....

 

[chinapakistan]

China can't even make a simple missile in their own but talking about India? Other than copycat of Russian missiles what you have done on your own? lol Hwy US and China? Do even come close to Russia or France? lol


You do that to hide your fear and insecurity.

Which planet are you living on? or another guy living in parallel world.
Indian missile? You mean the failed one this morning? lol

 

[Kinetic]

Which planet are you living on? or another guy living in parallel world.

You dont know in which planet but I know where you and hongwu live in dreamland. For you Akash is failure, India cant build a medium range SAM!! but when you copy Russian missiles, no problem! lol

Indian missile? You mean the failed one this morning? lol

What a man!!! Don't know the difference between a missile and a launch vehicle!! Shame on you. lol