Indian Ballistic Missile Defense System

power_monger

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BTW,the intecpetion test against real target(Agni?) is really important test. If proved it will prove that india can defend itself against shaheen missiles if enough money is poured on for this program.Hoping parrikar understands the strategic importance of this program.
 

sayareakd

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BTW,the intecpetion test against real target(Agni?) is really important test. If proved it will prove that india can defend itself against shaheen missiles if enough money is poured on for this program.Hoping parrikar understands the strategic importance of this program.
This is an important programme and they know it. That is why BMD is most successful programme of DRDO. Money was made freely available and best minds put to work on it. Sub systems were purchased from abroad to shorten time. Like green pine from Isreal, master fire control radar from France and proximity fuse radar from Russia. Now all of these are made in house.

yeah testing against Agni misdile in real time and is the ultimate test of our BMD. One of the problem is lack of full size test range. But floating test range will solve this problem.

hope we will put our BMD on ship soon.
 

power_monger

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This is an important programme and they know it. That is why BMD is most successful programme of DRDO. Money was made freely available and best minds put to work on it. Sub systems were purchased from abroad to shorten time. Like green pine from Isreal, master fire control radar from France and proximity fuse radar from Russia. Now all of these are made in house.
To call it sucessfull,we need ssucessful deployment of BMD batteries which i think has been done yet.
 

sayareakd

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PAD is not very practical for BMD as only single missile per launcher. Therefore improved PDV, with 4 missile per launcher and AAD will have 6 missile per launcher.
 

Bheeshma

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Most likely L&T. The PDV and AAD should be deployed in a couple of years but whats happening with AD-1 and 2?
 

arnabmit

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BTW,the intecpetion test against real target(Agni?) is really important test. If proved it will prove that india can defend itself against shaheen missiles if enough money is poured on for this program.Hoping parrikar understands the strategic importance of this program.
Most likely L&T. The PDV and AAD should be deployed in a couple of years but whats happening with AD-1 and 2?
Interception test against Agni cannot be done till the MTRs at Machilipatnam & Rutland Island are not operational.

AD1 & AD2 interceptors are not a big deal. They would be more or less the same missiles as AAD & PDV with higher propellant charges. So, the scope for major R&D is in propellants (by HEMRL) and long range radars (by LRDE). While ICL-20 is yet to be productionalized by HEMRL using a cost effective method, LRDE might be going in for a JV for 5k range radar.
 
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power_monger

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Interception test against Agni cannot be done till the MTRs at Machilipatnam & Rutland Island are not operational.

AD1 & AD2 interceptors are not a big deal. They would be more or less the same missiles as AAD & PDV with higher propellant charges. So, the scope for major R&D is in propellants (by HEMRL) and long range radars (by LRDE). While ICL-20 is yet to be productionalized by HEMRL using a cost effective method, LRDE might be going in for a JV for 5k range radar.

Operanationalizing Phase 1 is our immediate need. It looks like pakistan is yet to acquire the capability to throw decoys from ballistic missiles. So keeping that in mind,funds should be sanctioned now to get the complete infrastructure in place like radars,control centres,launchers and missiles. I believe AAD+PDV in its current form should be good enough to handle pak missiles now.
 

Bheeshma

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Even if operationalized I doubt they would announce it with fanfare. Lets LRDE first finish and deploy Swordfish-2 with 1500 km range.
 

power_monger

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Even if operationalized I doubt they would announce it with fanfare. Lets LRDE first finish and deploy Swordfish-2 with 1500 km range.
Its not Swordfish-2. its LRTR which is a indigenous solution. We went with 600 Kms Swordfish for immediate testing reasons only as LRTR was not ready at that point of time.
 

arnabmit

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Its not Swordfish-2. its LRTR which is a indigenous solution. We went with 600 Kms Swordfish for immediate testing reasons only as LRTR was not ready at that point of time.
Swordfish LRTR (max 800km range) is an indigenous derivative of the Israeli (Elta) GreenPine long range radar for Phase 1 BMD (against 2000km class SRBMs).

Next version of Swordfish LRTR (max 1500km range) would be an indigenous long range radar for Phase 2 BMD (against 5000km class IRBMs).

Not only that, new extended range MFCR would also be required for Phase 2 BMD.

Operanationalizing Phase 1 is our immediate need. It looks like pakistan is yet to acquire the capability to throw decoys from ballistic missiles. So keeping that in mind,funds should be sanctioned now to get the complete infrastructure in place like radars,control centres,launchers and missiles. I believe AAD+PDV in its current form should be good enough to handle pak missiles now.
3 more PDV tests remain, which would be completed by next year. PDV has not been tested in full configuration yet. The maiden PDV test was with an inert KV. AAD is ready. So is LRTR & MFCR.
 
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power_monger

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Comments from guy called Ravi who has worked in DRDO and probabaly in BMD program.

LIVEFIST: The Truth about the Rohini radar (from Prasun K Sengupta)

Ravi, since you seem like an inside guy, can you throw some light on how much of LRTR is indegenous? how much individual components do we source from Israel or US?

Dear freind, its best we do not talk of LRTR and ABM in public space because it is strategic program. But do not worry, LRTR is for local manufacture. India do not source radar systems for local program from US, there is reality that ITAR issue is still a problem.

There is this doubt that it is GreenPine re-branded. Also the range of this radar mentioned on public domain is very confusing..

It is not GreenPine

DRDO worked with Israel to make own radar specific for ABM program.

The range is sufficient for long range gating and acquisition, and yes range specifics is not mentioned publically for LRTR or tom-tomed because it will give a clear idea of system growth capability

Also this radar is considered AESA, while we seem to be struggling with that technology. If I am not wrong, many international firms extending invites for participation on AESA joint ventures means, India is lacking somewhere.

friend, we are not struggling with AESA. Thanks to rajendra program and project AKASH we are now sufficiently aware of and capable with electronic scanning radars.
What we are to sufficiently grow in is airborne radar for fast moving platform like fighter jets. This is entirely qualitatively different field than system for long range surveillance based on stationary platform (AKASH, Program AD) and even air based surveillance system which are not on fast moving jets of speed like fighter aircraft
fighter jet radar are having stabilisation plus long range multi surveillance modes in compact package with anti clutter measures
This is area where some 8 OEMs are having experience in worldwide

This is where foreign OEM are offering cooperation and not just in AESA systems where we have indeed got sufficient growth capability and experience
 

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Complete Story of Ballistic missile defense

DRDO Chief V.K. Saraswat told the press on March 21, 2010, that the Ballistic Missile System is being developed in two phases under a capability based deployment plan.

In the first phase, which is currently underway, DRDO will develop and deploy a system for defense against missiles with less than 2,000 km range like Pakistan's Ghauri and Shaheen missiles.

In the second phase, system capability will be upgraded to defend against missiles with ranges greater than 2,000 km that can additionally deploy decoys or maneuver.

Phase 1 system will be deployed within two years and Phase 2 system by 2016.

The Phase 2 system will require longer range radars (Detection range of 1,500km as opposed to 600 km for Phase 1 radars), and new hypersonic interceptor missiles flying at Mach 6-7 (As opposed to Mach 4-5 for Phase 1 missiles) with agility and the capability to discriminate against ballistic missile defence counter measures.

"Our effort is to have interception at very high altitudes, and the entire system will be able to handle multiple, simultaneous attacks," Saraswat said.


Indian BMD program has a two-tiered system namely Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) for high altitude interception and Advanced Air Defence (AAD) for lower altitude interception. The PAD missiles are for intercepting ballistic missiles at altitudes between 50-80 km and the Advanced Air Defence (AAD) missile is for destroying them at heights ranging 15-30 km.
India\'s future plans include two new anti ballistic missiles that can intercept Inter Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) namely Advanced Defence (AD-1 and AD-2) which would be capable of intercepting and destroying a missile at a range around 5,000 km.

Entities Involved in Development

Development of the anti-ballistic missile system began in 1999. Around 40 public and private companies were involved in the development of the systems. They include Bharat Electronics Ltd and Bharat Dynamics Ltd, Astra Microwave, ASL, Larsen & Toubro, Vem Technologies Private Limited and KelTech. Development of the LRTR and MFCR (Multi-function Fire Control Radar) was led by Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE).

Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) developed the mission control software for the AAD missile. Research Centre, Imarat (RCI) developed navigation, electromechanical actuation systems and the active radar seeker. Advanced System Laboratory (ASL) provided the motors, jet vanes and structures for the AAD and PAD. High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) supplied the propellants for the missile.


How It Works

The two-tiered BMD System consists of the PAD, which will intercept missiles at exo-atmospheric altitudes of 50–80 km (31–50 mi) and the AAD missile for interception at endo-atmospheric altitudes of up to 30 km. The deployed system would consist of many launch vehicles, radars, Launch Control Centers (LCC) and the Mission Control Center (MCC). All these are geographically distributed and connected by a secure communication network.

The MCC is the software intensive system of the ballistic missile defense system. It receives information from various sources such as radars and satellites which is then processed by ten computers which run simultaneously. The MCC is connected to all other elements of the defense through a WAN. MCC performs target classification, target assignment and kill assessment. It also acts as a decision support system for the commander. It can also decide the number of interceptors required for the target for an assured kill probability.[10] After performing all these functions, the MCC assigns the target to the LCC of a launch battery. The LCC starts computing the time to launch the interceptor based upon information received from a radar based on the speed, altitude and flight path of the target. LCC prepares the missile for launch in real time and carries out ground guidance computation.

After the interceptor is launched, it is provided target information from the radar through a datalink. When the interceptors close onto the target missile, it activates the radar seeker to search for the target missile and guides itself to intercept the target. Multiple PAD and AAD interceptors can be launched against a target for high kill probability.


Phase 1 System Overview


The system will be based on radar technology for tracking and fire control which the DRDO developed jointly with Israel and France.

It will be implemented as a two tiered terminal phase interceptor system comprising of

1. Prithvi Air Defense (PAD) exo-atmospheric interceptor missile for intercepting targets outside the atmosphere.
2. Advanced Air Defense (AAD) endo-atmospheric interceptor missile for intercepting targets up to an attitude of 30 kms .
3. 'Swordfish' Long Range Tracking Radar (LRTR). The Swordfish LRTR has been developed jointly by India and Israel. It is based on the Israeli Green Pine early warning and fire control radar imported by India from Israel in 2001-2002.

The integrated exo and endo-atmospheric systems offer a hit-to-kill probability of 99.8 per cent.

Prithvi Air Defense



To begin with the exo-atmospheric interceptor PAD-1 was a two stage missile with one liquid and one solid stage.


The Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) is an anti-ballistic missile developed to intercept incoming ballistic missiles outside of the atmosphere (exo-atmospheric). Based on the Prithvi missile, PAD is a two stage missile with a maximum interception altitude of 80 km. The first stage is a liquid fuelled motor while the second stage is solid fuelled. It has maneuver thrusters which can generate a lateral acceleration of more than 5 Gs at 50 km altitude. Guidance is provided by an inertial navigation system with mid-course updates from LRTR and active radar homing in the terminal phase. PAD has capability to engage the 300 to 2,000 km class of ballistic missiles at a speed of Mach 5.

LRTR is the target acquisition and fire control radar for the PAD missile. It is an active phased array radar having capability to track 200 targets at a range of 600 km. The PAD missile has also been called Pradyumna.

Further development led to the improvement of the interception range to the 80 to 50 km range. The improved missile will utilize a gimbaled directional warhead, a technology that until now has only been used by the US and Russia. This technology allows for a smaller warhead to destroy the target missile.

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 range of a 1,500 km. The target was tracked by Swordfish (LRTR) radar and destroyed by the PAD at 75 km altitude.


PDV Interceptor Missile


In 2009, reports emerged of a new missile named the PDV. The PDV is said to be a two solid stage hypersonic anti-ballistic missile similar in class to the THAAD. The PDV is intended to replace the existing PAD in the PAD/AAD combination. It will have an IIR seeker for its kill vehicle as well. The PDV will replace the PAD with a far more capable missile and will complete the Phase 1 of the BMD system, allowing it to be operational by 2013. Whereupon Phase 2 development will take over for protection against missiles of the 5,000 km range class.


The PAD-1 missile is now being replaced with the PDV missile, which does away with the liquid fuel first stage and has two solid fuel stages.

The PDV will armed with a 'kill vehicle' which destroys the enemy missile and equipped with a innovative system to allow the missile to maneuver at altitudes approaching 30km, where the air is thinner.

The first trial of the missile is scheduled for late June or early July 2010.

"The PDV will be the mainstay of the defence shield," Dr Saraswat told India Today in June 2010.

Advanced Air Defense


Advanced Air Defence (AAD) is an anti-ballistic missile designed to intercept incoming ballistic missiles in the endo-atmosphere at an altitude of 30 km. AAD is single stage, solid fuelled missile. Guidance is similar to that of PAD: it has an inertial navigation system, midcourse updates from ground based radar and active radar homing in the terminal phase. It is 7.5 m tall, weighs around 1.2 tons and a diameter of less than 0.5 metres.
On 6 December 2007, AAD successfully intercepted a modified Prithvi-II missile acting as an incoming ballistic missile enemy target. The endo-atmospheric interception was carried out at an altitude of 15 km. The interceptor and all the elements performed in a copy book fashion validating the endo-atmospheric layer of the defense system.

Due to two successful interceptor missile tests carried out by India, the scientists have said that the AAD missile could be modified into a new extended range (up to 150 km) surface-to-air missile that could be possibly named as 'Ashvin'.

On 15 March 2010, AAD interceptor missile test failed. The AAD missile was to intercept the target at an altitude of 15 to 20 km over the sea. The target, a Prithvi missile, fired from a mobile launcher deviated from its trajectory after traveling about 11 km and fell into the sea.

On 26 July 2010, AAD was successfully test-fired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Wheeler Island off the Orissa's east coast.


The endo-atmospheric interceptor AAD is a 7.5m long, single stage solid fueled missile, equipped with a ring laser gyro based inertial navigation system, a hi-tech computer and an electro- mechanical actuators totally under command by the data up-linked from the sophisticated ground based radars to the interceptor.

P-Charge Interceptor Warhead

The AAD interceptor is equipped with 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.

Phase 2 System

Phase 2 Interceptor Missiles

The Phase 2 missile defense system will be based on the AD-1 and AD-2 interceptor missile that are currently under development.


Phase 2 interceptors will have speeds of 6-7 Mach and they will be hypersonic. Missiles will have lesser time to intercept. Guidance systems have to be far more energetic and quick responsive.

"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.

The Phase 2 system will match the capability of the THAAD or Terminal High Altitude Area Defence missiles deployed by the United States as part of its missile shield beginning this year. THAAD missiles can intercept ballistic missiles over 200 km away and track targets at ranges in excess of 1,000 km.

Phase 2 Radar

Unlike the Phase 1 Swordfish radar developed by India in partnership with Israel, the radar to support Phase 2 interception will have 80% indigenous component, DRDO chief VK Saraswat told the press on May 15, 2011.

"Only some of the equipments and consultancy would be provided by Israel," Saraswat said.

Floating Test Range for Phase 2 system

A floating test range is being developed for developing the Phase 2 system.

Scientists have started designing the ship and associated systems such as radar, mission control centre, launch control centre, communication network and many other equipment needed for phase-II trials, Sarsawat told the press.

BMD Tests

A total of five successful test of the BMD system have been carried out: Two using the PAD exo-atmospheric interceptor and three using the AAD endo-atmospheric interceptor.

First Test
On March 6, 2006 a PAD missile successfully intercepted a modified Dhanush surface-to-surface missile fired from INS Rajput anchored inside the Bay of Bengal, towards Wheeler Island, simulating a target "enemy" missile with a range of 1,500 km.

Second Test
On November 27, 2006 a PAD missile intercepted a Prithvi ballistic missile at 48 km altitude.

Third Test
In December 2007 an AAD missile intercepted a target missile at an altitude of 15kms.

The interceptor used a 'gimbaled directional warhead' or a warhead only one side of which explodes close to an incoming ballistic missile, shattering it.

The Advanced Air Defense (AAD) interceptor has so far been successfully tested up to an altitude of 15 kms.

The interceptor will next engage an incoming target missile at 30 km to validate the efficacy of the missile in its entire endo-atmospheric envelope.
(Date in the video is misleading)




Fourth Test Aborted
A test of the AAD missile on March 15, 2010 at 10010 was aborted after the modified Prithvi (Dhanush) missile launched to simulate the target deviated from its flight path.

In the test, a Dhanush missile launched from a naval ship was be guided along a trajectory similar to that of an 1,500 km range Ghauri missile in its terminal phase zeroing in on the Wheeler Island, off Damra village on the Orissa coast. A PAD interceptor launched from Wheeler Island was to intercep the "enemy" missile with a hit to kill at 70-80 km.

In an explanatory statement, DRDO said:

"The target missile took off in normal way; at T+20 sec (approx) the target deviated due to some onboard system malfunction and could not maintain the intended trajectory, failing to attain the desired altitude profile. The Mission Control Centre computer found that the interception is not warranted as the deviated target did not present the incoming missile threat scenario and accordingly the system intelligently did not allow take-off of the interceptor missile for engaging the target. The cause of the target malfunction is being investigated by analysis of tele-metered data."

On March 18, after analyzing the telemetry and other data, DRDO scientists conclude they had figured out the reason for the failure.

The target missile reached an altitude of nearly 65 km and then spiralled down into the Bay of Bengal having travelled 27 km.

Fuel leak caused test failure

On April 11, 2010, DRDO Chief VK Sarsawat said:

"Analysis of the earlier trial revealed there was a leakage in the target missile leading to system failure. We are rectifying it to ensure the next flight test in June will hit the target and demonstrate our advance capability in developing the missile defence shield against any adversary missile attack."

He was speaking at the sidelines of a national convention on 'The Frontiers of Aeronautical Technologies', organised by the Aeronautical Society of India in Bangalore..

Fifth Test

A Prithvi target missile lifts off during a BMD test on July 26, 2010

A test of the AAD interceptor missile was conducted on Monday, July 26. The test was partially successful as the missile failed to score a direct hit.

A modified surface-to-surface Prithvi was launched from a mobile launcher at 10:05 am from launch complex-3 of ITR at Chandipur-on-sea.

The interceptor AAD missile, positioned at Wheeler Island, about 70 km across sea from Chandipur, engaged the target missile at an altitude of 15 km.

The warhead exploded within a few metres of the target missile releasing multiple bullet-like particles which hit and destroyed the target missile 26 seconds after its launch. The debris which fell into the sea was tracked by radars located along the coast.

The AAD missile for the first time used P-charge directional warhead.

A DRDO press release cryptically stated

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), today successfully conducted fourth consecutive Interceptor Missile test in Endo atmospheric regime at 15 Km altitude off ITR, Chandipur, Orissa. The single stage Interceptor Missile fitted with Directional Warhead and other advanced systems neutralized the target.

The target ballistic 'enemy' missile was launched from Launch Complex – III, ITR Chandipur. The Interceptor Missile fitted with directional warhead was launched from Wheeler Island and destroyed the Target Missile breaking it into fragments. This was tracked by various Radars and sensors. All weapon system elements including Command and Control, Communication and Radar performed satisfactorily.

Sixth Test

AAD Interceptor missile test on Sunday, March 6, 2011.

An AAD interceptor missile armed with a P-charge directional warhead was successfully tested on Sunday, March 6, 2011.

A Target Missile mimicking an enemy Ballistic Missile with a 600-km range was launched from Launch Complex –III, ITR, Chandipur at 9.32 AM. The target missile climbed to an altitude of 120 km and began its downward trajectory.

The missile tracking network consisting of long range and multi function Radars and other Range sensors positioned at different locations detected and identified the incoming Missile threat.

The radars tracking the Ballistic Missile constructed the trajectory of the missile and continuous complex computations were done in real time by ground guidance computer to launch the interceptor at an exact time.

The fully automatic launch computer launched the interceptor at 9.37 AM and the onboard INS (Inertial Navigation System) and ground based Radars guided the interceptor to the target (incoming Ballistic Missile).

The Interceptor intercepted the Ballistic Missile at an altitude of 16 km and blasted the missile into pieces. It was a text book launch and all the events and mission sequence took place as expected.

The falling debris was tracked by various radars and sensors.

The test was witnessed by Scientific Advisor to Defense Minister V.K. Saraswat and other top DRDO officials.

Following the successful launch, Sarsawat told the press that after launch the interceptor maneuvered in the direction of the target; the maneuvered is referred to as the "least energy maneuver. In the terminal phase of the attacker's flight, as it was hurtling towards the earth, the interceptor's radio frequency seeker "acquired the target, rolled the interceptor in the right direction and, when it was a few meters from the target, gave the command to the directional warhead to explode," Dr. Saraswat explained.

The warhead detonated, blasting the attacker to pieces. The ground-based radars and the sensors on board the targeted missile tracked the debris, which rained down over the Bay of Bengal, "confirming a very good kill," the DRDO Director-General said. "Based on the data from the target, a 100 per cent kill was achieved." The radars were located at Konark and Kendrapara, near Paradip, in Orissa.

It was earlier reported that the test would involve a maneuvering target missile. The report had quoted DRDO sources as saying it will be "a tricky mission" because the attacker would have a manoeuvrable trajectory and try to dodge the interceptor from homing in on it.

The test was earlier scheduled for for February 10, 2011.

PDV Test

DRDO had scheduled a test of its PDV Phase-1 endo-atmospheric interceptor missile in end June - early July 2011.

"We will have a test in end June or early July and are calling this new missile the PDV and it will have two solid stages," Dr Saraswat had said.

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.

A Boost Phase Missile defense system will need to rely on a space based launch detection system like the SBIRS satellite constellation being deployed by the US. Unlike the SBIRS, which is global in scope, India would require a more limited system to monitor Pakistan and China. India could also buy into the US SBIRS while developing its own limited constellation.

Satellite Kill Vehicle

ISRO is developing a satellite kill vehicle as part of its BMD system, according to DRDO Defense Research and Development Organization Director General V.K. Saraswat.

The hit-to-kill vehicle will use an imaging infra-red seeker and a 3-D laser image of a target satellite in low earth orbit to guide itself to impact.

No tests of the system have been scheduled so far.

"We are working to ensure space security and protect our satellites. At the same time we are also working on how to deny the enemy access to our space assets," Saraswat told newsmen at the Science Congress on January 4.

Capability Maturity

On February 10, DRDO chief V.K. Saraswat told the press that India's BMD programme is more advanced than China's.

"This (BMD) is one area where we are senior to China. We knew they had acquired the building blocks for BMD when they shot down a satellite in 2007. But we have been working on this programme since 1999."
 

Lions Of Punjab

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GOVERNMENT PLANS NUCLEAR MISSILE SHIELD IN DELHI; MUMBAI NEXT IN LINE TO BE COVERED


NEW DELHI: Modi Sarkar has taken the first real step in giving India's capital city, Delhi, a security cover that cities such as Beijing and Washington already have — a nuclear missile shield. Two long-range missile-tracking radars have been placed in the national capital region.

When completed, the shield will be able to intercept missiles fired from as far as 5,000 km away. Senior government officials familiar with the matter told ET placing the radars is the beginning of an accelerated process in creating a missile cover for major Indian cities. The next Indian city to be covered is Mumbai.

Major cities around the world such as Washington, Beijing, Paris, London and Tel Aviv all have missile shields.

India's missile shield program has fallen behind over the past two years. The program started in real earnest in 2006 and 2009-12 saw many tests. However, say senior officials, 2013 and 2014 were lull years for the program. There was a failed test in April 2014.

Officials said the Modi government had ordered a major acceleration of the missile shield program immediately after coming to power last May. Placing the long-range radars — Swordfish, developed with Israeli assistance, and capable of tracking incoming missiles from a range of 800 km — is a first big step that will be followed by placing missile interceptor units by 2016.

Missile tests will be held regularly, officials said. Next Monday will see an air defence missile test from Wheeler Island, off the Odisha coast. Wheeler Island is India's main missile testing location.

The missile shield system will require several dozen missiles to be produced annually in the first phase. Missile defence systems in India use both long- and short range interceptors. Officials said India was better prepared in developing short-range interceptor missiles. The long range system will require more tests.

Officials say the Modi government's view is that given the growing sophistication of nuclear arsenal in India's neighbourhood, the lack of a missile defence system was a major security gap. The missile shield is even more critical for India given its 'no first use' policy for nuclear weapons, a doctrine that Pakistan doesn't follow.

A major project cleared by the Modi government in its first months in power was to approve setting up a $1-billion facility in DRDO to manufacture vital seeker systems. Seeker systems direct missiles in the final phase of targeting. The facility, expected to come up near Hyderabad, is critical for missile shield.

Government plans nuclear missile shield in Delhi - The Economic Times
 

arnabmit

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People seems to confuse the role of PAD. PAD was never an interceptor project. It was a technology demonstrator (Proof of concept) which let to the real interceptor PDV. It is really un-researched journalism to call PAD as a part of BMD Phase 1.
 

LalTopi

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People seems to confuse the role of PAD. PAD was never an interceptor project. It was a technology demonstrator (Proof of concept) which let to the real interceptor PDV. It is really un-researched journalism to call PAD as a part of BMD Phase 1.
The confusion arose because even two years ago Saraswat was claiming that PAD will be rolled out to protect Delhi and Mumbai. maybe it was just deliberate misinformation. see my post of almost exactly two years ago. Theoretically he was right, in that a liquid based rocket could be rolled out, in limited quantities.

http://defenceforumindia.com/forum/strategic-forces/46-indian-ballistic-missile-defense-system-51.html#post483350
 

sayareakd

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The confusion arose because even two years ago Saraswat was claiming that PAD will be rolled out to protect Delhi and Mumbai. maybe it was just deliberate misinformation. see my post of almost exactly two years ago. Theoretically he was right, in that a liquid based rocket could be rolled out, in limited quantities.

http://defenceforumindia.com/forum/strategic-forces/46-indian-ballistic-missile-defense-system-51.html#post483350
Prithvi is drdo work horse with more then 110 tests. Its an interim measure till PDV become operational.
 

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