The Indian BMD programme is structured as a two-tiered system with Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) for high altitude interception and Advanced Air Defence (AAD) for low altitude interception. Developed to intercept incoming exo-atmospheric ballistic missiles, the PAD is a two-stage missile with a maximum interception altitude of 80 km.
Pradyumna, PAD has the capability to engage the 300 to 2,000 km class of ballistic missiles at speeds of Mach 5. LRTR,the target acquisition and fire control radar for the PAD missile, is an active phased array radar with capability to track 200 targets at a range of 600 km.
On March 6, 2009 DRDO, carried out a second successful test of the PAD interceptor missile. The target used was ship-launched Dhanush missile which followed the trajectory of a missile with a range of 1,500 km. The target was tracked by Swordfish LRTR radar and destroyed by the PAD at 75 km altitude.
After two successful interceptor missile tests, scientists were of the view that the AAD missile could be modified into a
new extended range (150 km) Surface-to-Air Missile that could be possibly named as ‘Ashvin’.
The Indian system will cost less but the amount involved will be between Rs 50,000 crore to Rs 250,000 crore