Ok, guys! I think our friend peaceful has muddied the water quite a bit resulting into a lot of confusion over altitude and warhead of the Indian ABM system. So, here is a review of the issues in focus.
1. WTF is this KKV?
KKV is a short form of Kinetic kill vehicle which is a type of warhead used for ASAT and ABM purposes.
This technology is known as Hit to kill (HTK) and here is a good article summarizing what this S**t is all about!
Kinetic Energy Hit-To-Kill Warhead
So, it is a case of hitting a bullet with another bullet!
2.What does AAD and PAD use as a warhead?
Currently, both of them use a
" P-Charge gimballed directional Interceptor Warhead"
A. 'gimbaled directional warhead' is a warhead only one side of which explodes close to an incoming ballistic missile, shattering it. It is a manoeuvrable warhead which can rotate 360 degrees
. Dr. Saraswat has said that it weighs only around 30 kg but is able to generate the impact that a 150 kg omni-directional warhead could make.
B. The warhead is also a P-charge [projectile charge] warhead that can penetrate thick steel and cause damage with a high hit [repeat hit] density.
"That means the number of holes you create per unit area is very high," a DROD official told the press in October, 2009.
Currently this is the warhead both PAD and AAD use and I must say it is pretty advanced.
3. Are the DRDO folks sitting idle about HTK technology?
NOPE! Check this out......
This is further confirmation.......
Also, please note that PDV too boasts of an IIR seeker with RLG based INS which are a must for KKV!
4. What about Mid course inteception?
--- The PDV is designed to take out the target missile at altitudes
above 150 km (93 mi).
So, we can safely say that PDV is gonna go for Mid course Interception. (I hope peaceful is reading this.)
Also,
The Phase 2 missile defense system will be based on the AD-1 and AD-2 interceptor missile that are currently under development.
"Ground testing of the AD-1 will begin next year and the AD-1 missile will be test-fired in 2012," Saraswat told India Today in June 2010.
These interceptors would be capable of shooting down missiles that have ranges greater than 5,000 km, which follow a distinctly different trajectory than a missile with a range of 2,000 km or less. During their final phase, ICBMs hurtle towards their targets at speeds twice those of intermediate range missiles.
So, the future is definately going for mid course interception!
5. But the world is going for Boost phase interception, what about that?
Boost Phase Missile Defense
The Laser and Science Technology Centre (LASTEC) is also reported to be developing lasers to takeout enemy missiles during their boost phase, when they are most vulnerable.
"It's easier to kill a missile in boost phase as it has not gained much speed and is easier to target. It cannot deploy any countermeasures and it is vulnerable at that time," DRDO's Air Defense Program Director V K Saraswat told PTI in January 2009.
"In LASTEC, we are developing many of these technologies. We have to package these technologies on aircraft like the Americans have done on their systems," he added.
"It is an involved process and not just about producing lasers. We have to put in many systems like the surveillance and tracking systems together for such a system to work. It will take another 10-15 years before we talk of integrating all these elements," he said.