India successfully test-fires indigenous interceptor missile

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, March 6, IRNA -- India successfully test-fired indigenously developed interceptor missile, capable of destroying any incoming hostile ballistic missile, Sunday from Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Wheeler Island off Orissa coast.

'Aimed at developing a full fledged multi-layer Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system, the trial was carried out from two launch sites of ITR off Orissa coast,' pti reported quoting defence sources as saying.

Describing the trial as successful, they said the whole exercise is to achieve 'desired result with precision'.

The 'hostile' target ballistic missile, a modified surface-to-surface 'Prithvi', was first lifted off from a mobile launcher around 0933 hours from the launch complex-3 of ITR at Chandipur-on-Sea, 15 km from Balasore in Orissa.

Within four minutes, the interceptor, Advanced Air Defence (AAD) missile positioned at Wheeler Island, about 70 km across sea from Chandipur received signals from long ranging tracking radars installed along the coastlines, and then travelled through the sky at a speed of 4.5 Mach to a definite altitude over the Bay to destroy it, sources said.

'After the launch of 'target' and 'hit' missiles from their launch sites, detailed results and the 'kill' effect of the interceptor were being ascertained by analysing data from multiple tracking sources,' a Defence Research Development (DRDO) scientist said soon after both the missiles roared in to the skies leaving behind a thin white ribbon of smokes.

'While the interceptor designed for endo-atmospheric condition (up to 30 km altitude) is a seven-meter long and single stage solid rocket propelled guided missile, equipped with an inertial navigation system, a hi-tech computer and an electro-mechanical activator under command by the data up linked from sophisticated ground based radars, the interceptor designed for exo-atmospheric condition is a two stage missile,' sources said.

Of the total five earlier trials, DRDO has tested the interceptor missile successfully four times since its first test on November 27, 2006 both in exo-atmosphere (altitude of 50 to 80 km from earth's surface) and endo-atmosphere (altitude up to 30 km from earth's surface) conditions.

However, on March 16, 2010 it could not take off from its launcher as the target missile failed to come to the interceptor's killer zone. The last trial held on July 26, 2010 from Wheeler Island was a success.

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