India Contemplates Anti-Satellite Vehicle Integration with Agni-III Ballistic Missile

[Chanakya's_Chant]

India Contemplates Anti-Satellite Vehicle Integration with Agni-III Ballistic Missile​

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India’s varied missile capabilities are catching up to be at par with those of the US and China, as talks revolve around integrating the Agni-III ballistic missile with a satellite kill vehicle. According to former DRDO Chief V K Saraswat, India is considering the feasibility of developing an anti-satellite missile which will lend a superior edge to India’s missile power. It would involve the development of lasers and an exo-atmospheric kill vehicle.

During a speech regarding DRDO’s upcoming challenges and defence projects, Former DRDO Chief Saraswat touched upon the crucial issue of the anti-satellite vehicle, a capability which hitherto lies with the U.S, Russia and China. The development of an anti-satellite vehicle is feasible if the Agni-III missile and the Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) kill vehicle are integrated. The DRDO Chief added that the effective range, which is about 1400-1500 kilometers, is sufficient to engage a satellite. India is known to have been developing an exo-atmospheric kill vehicle that can be integrated with the missile to engage satellites.

In the recent past, former DRDO Chief V.K Saraswat had stated that India had all the building blocks necessary to integrate an anti-satellite weapon to neutralize hostile satellites in low earth and polar orbits. The Agni series of missiles already contained the propulsion module and a kill vehicle already existed in principle although it had not been formalized. According to DRDO, the Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Program can incorporate the anti-satellite weapon development. India purports development of anti-satellite weapons for electronic or physical destruction of satellites in both LEO or Low Earth Orbit (2,000 kilometers altitude above earth's surface) and the higher GEO-synchronous orbits.

In an earlier statement, Dr. Saraswat said that while work on individual components of the system is going on, the anti-satellite (A-Sat) weapon will be built and tested only if and when the country needs it. He added that India must not lag behind in terms of space security. In addition, India has conducted many successful tests of its ballistic missile defence system wherein an "attacker” ballistic missile at an altitude of 120 kilometers was destroyed with an interceptor missile.

Besides discussing the issue of ant-satellite weapons, former DRDO Chief also talked of other crucial defence projects like the creation of a new engine besides the upgradation of Kaveri engine. While upgrade of Kaveri engine can continue, a new engine with variable cycle can be developed for the indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). He added that advanced integrated controls, reduced infrared signatures, advanced avionics, stealth materials such as radar absorbing paint, advanced composites and hypersonic materials are some areas that need further development. Besides, areas such as network centric warfare need attention just as urgently as means of combating nuclear biological warfare need to be developed.

Source:- India Contemplates Anti-Satellite Vehicle Integration with Agni-III Ballistic Missile - Defence Now
India Contemplates Anti-Satellite Vehicle Integration with Agni-III Ballistic Missile | Missile ThreatMissile Threat

 

[Ashutosh Lokhande]

india wud be the 4th country to have this capability after US,RUS,CHINA.

it seriously puts pak on the backfoot.

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

india wud be the 4th country to have this capability after US,RUS,CHINA.

it seriously puts pak on the backfoot.

Sorry sir! Pakistan is nowhere in competition - neither its has a SLV nor even a Sounding rocket - the real threat comes from China!

 

[TejasMk3]

india wud be the 4th country to have this capability after US,RUS,CHINA.

it seriously puts pak on the backfoot.

Saaar...Pak is not even in the picture. We need to start looking forward, onto other challenges. Someone in college should not laugh at the capabilities of LKG kids

 

[a.kumar]

9 Months old Article .

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

9 Months old Article .

But not discussed! What's your take on it?

 

[Indischer]

India is considering the feasibility of developing an anti-satellite missile

India is known to have been developing an exo-atmospheric kill vehicle that can be integrated with the missile to engage satellites.

Sounds pretty silly that a satellite kill vehicle is being developed but not the missile that can take it up into space. And NO, it's not as simple as randomly ripping the warhead off an Agni and fitting this kill-vehicle and hope that both do their job.

 

[a.kumar]

But not discussed! What's your take on it?

Everyone knows we have technology to develop Anti-satellite weapons , But We are not pursuing it .

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

Everyone knows we have technology to develop Anti-satellite weapons , But We are not pursuing it .

Sounds pretty silly that a satellite kill vehicle is being developed but not the missile that can take it up into space. And NO, it's not as simple as randomly ripping the warhead off an Agni and fitting this kill-vehicle and hope that both do their job.

An ASAT weapon would require to reach about 500 miles altitude - AGNI 5 missile reached a top altitude of about 373 miles above the Earth's surface - We have propulsion technology, re-entry technologies, we have the technology which can take a re-entry system which will deliver a payload and have yet another re-entry system which will bring the missile back when it re-enters the atmosphere on its return journey - DRDO is developing a Long Range Tracking Radar of 1500 km. Another key ASAT milestone capability was reached early this year with the first test of a PDV interceptor was hailed a success - Unlike a ballistic missile, a satellite has a predictive path. A satellite has a diameter of 1 meter while our BMD system can track and destroy targets less than 0.1 metres!

 

[Indischer]

An ASAT weapon would require to reach about 500 miles altitude - AGNI 5 missile reached a top altitude of about 373 miles above the Earth's surface - We have propulsion technology, re-entry technologies, we have the technology which can take a re-entry system which will deliver a payload and have yet another re-entry system which will bring the missile back when it re-enters the atmosphere on its return journey - DRDO is developing a Long Range Tracking Radar of 1500 km. Another key ASAT milestone capability was reached early this year with the first test of a PDV interceptor was hailed a success - Unlike a ballistic missile, a satellite has a predictive path. A satellite has a diameter of 1 meter while our BMD system can track and destroy targets less than 0.1 metres!

That first sentence is exactly what I'm talking about. That our proven technologies will still need many a tweak here and there for our SLV/Agni to work as a sat killer carrier. Why they aren't already developing the missile is best known to them.

 

[Tangent]

...would like to see a test of this vehicle....
BTW, how much do you believe in barbs of Mr. Saraswat ??
DRDO chiefs, IMO, should not speak these things before testing.

 

[Supply&Demand]

I dont think we will be able test it without severe international consequences...I dont know if the testing would be wise considering we have much more to lose if we test and it creates a hundreds of space junk if not thousands and this creates a $hit storm for us here..

 

[Screambowl]

I dont think we will be able test it without severe international consequences...I dont know if the testing would be wise considering we have much more to lose if we test and it creates a hundreds of space junk if not thousands and this creates a $hit storm for us here..

yes, after the movie gravity, because US and China have tested now it gives justification for no more test. This is BS.

Actually, India will test, covertly.

 

[Ashutosh Lokhande]

I dont think we will be able test it without severe international consequences...I dont know if the testing would be wise considering we have much more to lose if we test and it creates a hundreds of space junk if not thousands and this creates a $hit storm for us here..

theres actually a legit way to test it. india can say that they are destroying a malfunctioning satellite. just how
the US did successfully destroy a malfunctioning spy satellite in 2008 using a RIM0161 Standard Missile 3, an anti-ballistic missile with anti-satellite capabilities.
but still there would be some international consequences.

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

That first sentence is exactly what I'm talking about. That our proven technologies will still need many a tweak here and there for our SLV/Agni to work as a sat killer carrier. Why they aren't already developing the missile is best known to them.

Actually the problem is the government has not yet allowed DRDO to work on it neither there are any any plans or fund allocations for the same project.

I dont think we will be able test it without severe international consequences...I dont know if the testing would be wise considering we have much more to lose if we test and it creates a hundreds of space junk if not thousands and this creates a $hit storm for us here..

yes, after the movie gravity, because US and China have tested now it gives justification for no more test. This is BS.

Actually, India will test, covertly.

theres actually a legit way to test it. india can say that they are destroying a malfunctioning satellite. just how
the US did successfully destroy a malfunctioning spy satellite in 2008 using a RIM0161 Standard Missile 3, an anti-ballistic missile with anti-satellite capabilities.
but still there would be some international consequences.

Well this weapon will not be tested publicly - we will get to know about it only after it will be tested.

But yes it has been made very clear that India will not test this capability through the destruction of a satellite. Such a test risked showering lethal debris in space that could damage existing satellites. Instead, India's ASAT capability would be fine-tuned through simulated electronic tests only.