After a long wait, the Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO) is contemplating to conduct the first test of its newly developed
interceptor missile from a defence base off the Odisha coast next
month.
The missile, dubbed as Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV), has
the potential to destroy enemy missile with a strike range of around
2,500 km outside the earth’s atmosphere (at an altitude of over 150 km).
Only a few countries in the world have such a capability.
The air
defence exercise, a part of India’s Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD)
system, would involve two missiles- the interceptor and enemy missile.
Both the missiles have been developed for the first time and will be
programmed at separate locations in Chandipur and Wheeler Island.
A
source said while the enemy missile would be fired from a Naval warship
in the Bay of Bengal, the interceptor would be launched from the
launching complex-IV at Wheeler Island. “The test is likely to be
conducted any time between December 20 and December 27,” he said.
Earlier,
the DRDO had successfully test-fired exo-atmospheric (outside the
atmosphere) and endo-atmospheric (within the atmosphere) interceptor
ballistic missiles.
Of the seven interceptor missile tests, six
have been successful. While two were in exo-atmosphere region, five took
place in endo-atmosphere (below an altitude of 50 km).
“Prithvi
Air Defence (PAD) interceptor missile has already demonstrated its
killing capability at an altitude of 50 to 80 km. The Advanced Air
Defence (AAD) interceptor missile has destroyed the target missile at an
altitude of 15 to 30 km. Now we want to achieve the interception
altitude of over 150 km,” a defence scientist said.
The two-stage
PDV interceptor will be powered by solid propellants and fitted to an
innovative system for controlling the vehicle at an altitude of more
than 150 km.
A scientist associated with the PDV project told
‘Express’ that the focus was now to achieve the killing precision at the
highest altitude with the help of an advanced software for which the
DRDO would achieve a direct hit-to-kill on the target missile.
In a
bid to protect major cities, the DRDO has developed two-layered BMD
system and the R&D is on to develop Phase-II anti-ballistic missile
defence system, capable of destroying enemy inter-continental ballistic
missiles fired 5,000 km away.
The two-layered BMD system is expected to be inducted in the armed forces by the end of next year.
However,
prior to the PDV test, two user trials by the Strategic Forces Command
(SFC) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) have been planned.
While
the 350-km range Prithvi-II ballistic missile is slated for test on
December 3, Agni-III missile, with a range of 3,000-km, is scheduled for
test on December 18.
Hit-to-kill
*
The missile, dubbed as Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV), has the potential
to destroy enemy missile with a strike range of around 2,500 km outside
the earth’s atmosphere (at an altitude of over 150 km)
* Only a few countries in the world have such a capability
*
The focus was now to achieve the killing precision at the highest
altitude with the help of an advanced software for which the DRDO would
achieve a direct hit-to-kill on the target missile
