NEW DELHI: India tested a supersonic interceptor missile to destroy an
incoming ballistic missile over the Bay of Bengal on Thursday.
The experimental two-tier BMD system is supposed to track and destroy
nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles both inside (endo) and outside (exo) the
earth’s atmosphere. Phase-I of this BMD system, with interceptors flying at
4.5 Mach high-supersonic speeds to intercept enemy missiles, is meant to
tackle hostile missiles with a 2,000-km strike range.
The Phase-II, in turn, will be geared for taking on 5,000 km range
missiles, virtually in the class of ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic
missiles), with interceptors at hypersonic speeds of 6-7 Mach. The
indigenous missile shield, once it becomes fully operational, is supposed
to protect cities like New Delhi and Mumbai, Indian media quoted officials
involved in the development and testing of the missile.
In the test, the low-altitude or endo-atmospheric Advanced Area Defence
(AAD) interceptor missile hit the “enemy” missile (a modified Prithvi
missile) at an altitude of 15 km, in the third such successful test this
year after a string of failures.
While the interceptor missile was fired from the Abdul Kalam Island off
Odisha coast, the “enemy” missile was launched from the Launch Complex-III
of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) also based in the island. “It was a
direct hit,” said a DRDO official.