By Y. Mallikarjun
This July 26, 2010 photo shows the launch of an interceptor missile at the ITR in Chandipur, Orissa. On Sunday, the DRDO successfully test-fired a similar missile as part of the Ballistic Missile Defence shield programme.
Hyderabad, Mar 6 : In a successful interception test, an indigenously-developed Advanced Air Defence (AAD) missile destroyed an incoming target missile, a modified Prithvi, at an altitude of 16 km over the Bay of Bengal on Sunday.
According to Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) sources, the modified Prithvi, which mimicked an incoming enemy missile took off from Chandipur, while the interceptor was launched from Wheeler Island within a few moments.
As the “attacker” missile reached a height of 120 km and began its downward trajectory, the AAD equipped with state-of-the-art guidance system zeroed in on to the target and destroyed it at 9.37 a.m. The falling debris was tracked by various radars and sensors.
The sources said the entire mission went off in a copybook fashion and the trajectories of the both the missiles followed the pre-designated paths.
The Long Range radars and Multi Function Fire Control Radar tracked the target missile and passed on the information to the Mission Control Centre to launch the interceptor.
The test was carried out as part of India’s plan to deploy in the next few years a two-layered Ballistic Missile Defence shield to intercept and destroy incoming enemy missiles in endo- and exo-atmospheres.
Sunday’s test was witnessed by Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister V.K. Saraswat and other top DRDO officials.
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