Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme - Updates and Discussions

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India's homegrown supersonic interceptor takes down ballistic missile, landmark victory for DRDO

BHUBANESWAR: India's attempts to develop a robust multi-layered Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) shield got further boost on Thursday when a homegrown supersonic interceptor successfully destroyed an incoming ballistic missile over the Bay of Bengal. The missile was intercepted in the endo-atmospheric region -- at an altitude of 15 km.

Defence sources said the low altitude Advanced Area Defence (AAD) interceptor missile fired from the Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast zoomed in on the target, which was launched from the launching complex - III of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) also based in the island.

"The radar of the defense system detected the incoming missile, tracked it and provided the command to launch the interceptor missile. The mission was brilliant as the interceptor missile achieved a direct hit, paving the way for its early deployment in the armed forces" said a defense official.

"The Fibre Optic Gyro (FOG) based INS in the interceptor, onboard computers, guidance systems, actuation systems and the critical Radio Frequency (RF) seekers used for the terminal phase all performed excellently. The launch has proved the BMD prowess of the country," the official added.

The entire event, including the engagement and destruction of the ballistic missile, was tracked by a number of electro-optical tracking systems using infrared imagery.

Indigenously developed by DRDO, the AAD interceptor is a single-stage missile powered by solid propellants. It is 7.5 metres tall and weighs around 1.2 tonnes. It had a diameter of less than 0.5 metre. The target missile was however fuelled by liquid propellants. It was 11 metres tall and weighs five tonnes and had a diameter of one metre.

With the success, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has ended its 'Mission 2017' on a happy note. This was the second successful test of ballistic missile defense, this year.

The DRDO has developed both high-altitude and low-altitude anti-ballistic missiles. While the first phase seeks to destroy the incoming enemy missiles in the exo-atmospheric region (outside the atmosphere), the second phase envisages killing enemy missiles of more than 2,000 km range within the endo-atmospheric (inside the atmosphere) region.
 
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DRDO's AAD Ballistic Missile Defence Interceptor Heads Toward Induction With Latest Test

In a manner similar to a test in March 2017, the Defence Research and Development Organization’s (DRDO’s) AAD endo-atmospheric ballistic missile defence (BMD) interceptor successfully destroyed a test target at an altitude of 15 km yesterday morning at 0945 hours IST. The AAD configuration for this test was akin to what can be fielded in a final deployment configuration and DRDO sources believe that the system is now ready for induction with the Indian Air Force (IAF), which is likely to be the first military user of this system.

Discussions at the highest levels of government are currently underway to finalize a plan for pushing this system into limited series production with induction and deployment related issues being examined. Incidentally, two locations in North-Western India, Khoa and Roopnagar, have already been chosen for the deployment of ground-based radars that will be a key part of any deployed Indian BMD system.

Yesterday’s AAD mission was as an explosive intercept, with the pre-fragmented warhead on-board the missile being made to explode using the missile’s radio proximity fuze (RPF) as it neared the incoming target. Prior to launch, ground based radars such as the Long Range Tracking Radar (LRTR) and the Multi-function Fire Control Radar (MFCR) located faraway from the AAD’s launcher acquired the target, tracked them and passed on the data to the Master Control Centre (MCC), which generated the expected trajectory of the target and alerted the interceptor missile. Both of these radars were initially developed by DRDO’s Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), Bengaluru with foreign collaboration. The version of the LRTR used in today’s yesterday’s AAD mission is an L-band array that can track a ballistic target with a radar cross section (RCS) of 0.1 sqm from over 1500 km away. MFCR, which is a S-band array has a tracking range of over 370 km for a target with a RCS of 0.3 sqm. Both radars are capable of variable track rates.

Once launched, the AAD was initially guided by its on-board inertial navigation system (INS) which received continuous updates about the incoming target’s trajectory from the ground-based radars mentioned above through a secure data link. After that, a radio frequency (RF) seeker in the AAD’s nose cone section tracked the target while an intercept course was plotted by its on-board computer (OBC).

The single-stage target missile (see image below) used in this test is based on a Prithvi booster and is capable of mimicking the re-entry characteristics of a medium range ballistic missile (MRBM). In order to successfully simulate the angle of attack and re-entry velocity usually associated with a MRBM, this target missile has an apogee greater than that of a standard member of the Prithvi missile family. Incidentally, the target missile also boasts a ring-laser gyroscope (RLG) based INS.

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The AAD itself is a single-stage missile powered by solid propellants delivering high specific impulse values. The missile has a length of 7.32 metres, diameter of 420 mm and a weight of 1275 kg. Its INS has at its heart a fibre optic gyroscope (FOG) with 0.1 degree/hr drift, which receives updates from ground based radars. For the end-game, the AAD uses an indigenously developed Ku-band RF seeker with considerable tracking range.

The AAD can intercept targets at altitudes between 15 to 25 km. In the course of flight, AAD achieves high supersonic speeds and the efficacy of its thermal protection systems as well that of its actuation system has been demonstrated repeatedly.

Yesterday’s test was witnessed by the IAF’s Vice Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sirish Deo, a fact that is indicative of user interest in this system. Scientific Advisor to India’s Defence Minister & Director General (Missiles & Strategic Systems), Dr G Sateesh Reddy, who was also present during the launch operation believes that ‘the repeat performance of the interception demonstrates India’s professional capability in high technology oriented BMD’. U. Rajababu, who is Programme Director for DRDO’s ‘AD’ mission which oversees India’s BMD programme and Shashikala Sinha, who is Project Director for the AAD system itself, were also present for this test mission.
 
India Test-Fires Nuclear-Capable ICBM

India Test-Fires Nuclear-Capable ICBM


Willa Frej

,
HuffPostJanuary 18, 2018

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India successfully test-fired a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile on Thursday in what officials called a “major boost” to the country’s strategic defense system.

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India successfully test-fired a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile on Thursday in what officials called a “major boost” to the country’s strategic defense system.

The Agni-V missile, with a range of about 3,100 miles, has been in the works for several decades, a tweet from India’s congress said. The country, which has successfully tested this type of missile five times since 2012, last completed a launch in December 2016.

President of India@rashtrapatibhvn
Successful test firing of Agni-V ICBM makes every Indian very proud. It will boost our strategic defence. Congratulations to the team of DRDO scientists. May you go further on this trajectory #PresidentKovind
7:48 AM - Jan 18, 2018
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The launch comes as some of the world’s nuclear powers are considering steps that would slow or reverse years of working to denuclearize their arsenals.

The North Korean nuclear threat looms over the rogue nation’s neighbors as well as the United States. The country continues to test what appear to be ICBMs, and President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un trade verbal jabs in an escalation that many fear could lead to nuclear war.

The Pentagon also reportedly is considering the defense tactic of a nuclear strike against cyberattackers, The New York Times reported Tuesday. Trump’s administration seems to be advocating nuclear capabilities as “supplements” that will “enhance deterrence,” according to a pre-decisional draft of the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review obtained by HuffPost.
 
Ballistic Missile Interceptor AAD Successfully Flight Tested

DRDO conducted the successful test of the Ballistic Missile Interceptor Advanced Area Defence (AAD) at 1130 hrs today from Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha. The endo-atmospheric missile, capable of intercepting incoming targets at an altitude of 15 to 25 kms was launched against multiple simulated targets of 1500 km class ballistic missile. One target among simultaneously incoming multiple targets was selected on real time, the weapon system radars tracked the target and the missile locked on to it and intercepted the target with a high degree of accuracy. The complete event including the engagement and interception was tracked by a number of electro-optical tracking systems, radars and telemetry stations. All the mission objectives were successfully met.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, witnessed the flight test along with other senior officials.
The Raksha Mantri Smt Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated DRDO on the successful flight test for further boosting the defence capabilities of the country.
NAo/Nampi/MKT

(Release ID :181451)
 
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So we did the successful interception of MIRV missile 👍👌.

@randomradio can explain better.

I don't have an answer for this yet. But the explanation of the test seems to be designed against MIRVs.

India successfully test-fires Advanced Air Defence interceptor missile off Odisha coast
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) test-fired the AAD interceptor from a canister against multiple simulated targets. The missile shoots down one after choosing from a number of targets, said the sources.

If that is true, then it is an anti-MIRV test.
 
I don't have an answer for this yet. But the explanation of the test seems to be designed against MIRVs.

India successfully test-fires Advanced Air Defence interceptor missile off Odisha coast
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) test-fired the AAD interceptor from a canister against multiple simulated targets. The missile shoots down one after choosing from a number of targets, said the sources.

If that is true, then it is an anti-MIRV test.

Saurav Jha (@SJha1618) Tweeted:
A single interceptor was launched to engage a target randomly chosen from multiple incoming tracks (simulated), which it did successfully.
DRDO Successfully Tests AAD Endoatmospheric Interceptor Against Multiple Incoming Simulated Ballistic Targets DRDO Successfully Tests AAD Endoatmospheric Interceptor Against Multiple Incoming Simulated Ballistic Targets | Delhi Defence Review

Saurav Jha (@SJha1618) Tweeted:
According to @DRDO_India, the test was 'fully' successful and electronically simulated targets were used for the multi-interception scenario.
 
I don't have an answer for this yet. But the explanation of the test seems to be designed against MIRVs.

India successfully test-fires Advanced Air Defence interceptor missile off Odisha coast
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) test-fired the AAD interceptor from a canister against multiple simulated targets. The missile shoots down one after choosing from a number of targets, said the sources.

If that is true, then it is an anti-MIRV test.

Completely agree .This test was completed in presence of air chief that tells about expectations and it’s getting closer to induction.Main objective of this test may be to identify the actual warheads of a MIRV simulated missile .
 
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It choose s one real target among fakes..
But engages only one..
How can it be anti MIRV ?
If 3 real warheads are there.. what will happen to other 2 ?