Agni-III could be modified for use as anti-satellite weapon

Agni-III could be modified for use as anti-satellite weapon


Sun Oct 23 2011


An anti-satellite missile that can put in the leaage of countries like the US and China is feasible with Agni III intergrated with a satellite kill vehicle, according to DRDO Chief and Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister V K Saraswat.


Delivering a lecture on ‘DRDO, the Challenges Ahead’ at Air Marshal Y V Malse Memorial Lecture at the University of Pune, Saraswat said, “Developing such a missile is feasible if Agni III and BMD (ballistic Missile Defence) kill vehicle are integrated. The effective range, which is about 1400-1500 km, is sufficient to engage a satellite.”


Air Chief Marshal (Retd) P V Naik and Air Marshal (Retd) Bhushan Gokhale were also present on the occasion.


India has been reportedly developing an exo-atmospheric kill vehicle that can be integrated with the missile to engage satellites. Only the US, Russia and China have developed such anti-satellite weapon.


During the 90-minute lecture, Saraswat touched upon a number of issues pertaining to DRDO and defence production in general. After the failure of Kaveri engine for India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, which is fitted with GE 404/ 414 engines, Saraswat said there was the need to start yet another programme for development of a new engine for the ongoing Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). “While upgrade of Kaveri engine can continue, a new engine with variable cycle can be developed for AMCA,” he said, adding, “If we as nation are able to operationalise AMCA by 2030, we will be doing fairly good as far as IAF aircraft inventory is concerned.”




AMCA, being developed by HAL, is expected to fit between MMRCA and LCA. “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. Further, production facilities at HAL also need to go hand in hand for which an upgrade is required at HAL,” he said.


He also spoke about a number of futuristic developments required in the era of cyber/ network centric warfare. “The idea of solar powered aircraft should have occurred to us. The development of such aircraft has certain challenges like development of avionic sensors, energy consumption-to-collection ratio, geographic areas of operation, weather and so on,” he said.


Pressing for a cyber command, Saraswat said a lot needs to be done on combating Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC) warfare, Low Intensity Conflict (LIC), Information Security, composites and so on. “Time has come to introduce a programme for aerostats,” he said adding, “An investment of Rs 300 crore per year is needed if we have to be self-reliant.”




Agni-III could be modified for use as anti-satellite weapon, says DRDO chief - Indian Express

At last the DRDO means some bussiness.They are talking out their new strategies.

good work................. from having building block of ASAT they are now talking about having ready missile that can do this, this shows hint of things to come.

Wont be bad idea to have 20+ ASAT A3 at any given time to take out enemy satellites (keeping in mind china). no need to do ASAT test, they should do electronics test and keep on testing PAD/AAD, rest India have enough experience in space.

BTW i like to see DRDO and IAF team up to launch military satellites, that way ISRO would be out of equation.

Move in the right direction.

DRDO in collaboration with ISRO can do it, they have it all except nod from government.

Well, Kalam sir has pointed out in past that agni series can be used to launch nano satellites too (saya sir correct me if I am wrong). Now it is ASAT too. Way to go

well tech is more or less same, you can send satellite or send flowers as Dr. kalam had said now you can send something at interceptor course of satellite.

some one said that ISRO every time before the launch of rocket make sure that it does not hit at any existing satellite, therefore they track all the satellite during launch time and find most appropriate time of launch. Now just reverse the whole processes to hit the satellite using missile. One advantage of this system over BMD is that you can monitor the enemy satellite before hand (even for days), we dont have same luxury in BMD only dis advantage is that while in BMD enemy missile warhead is coming down so it is easy to intercept, while for ASAT system satellite is moving at fast pace (in low earth orbit) in known orbit, therefore we may miss it, while on Geo orbit which is almost fixed it wont be problem, just reaching that far is problem.

we already have warhead to take out any satellite, all we need is vehicle to take it to the point, now A3 has been chosen as vehicle good job DRDO.

AMCA coming up by 2030. i want to cry!!! i cant fight in paki forums anymore for drdo bullshit lethargy