Balasore: In a major breakthrough in its quest for an anti-missile system, India on Monday carried out a surface-to-surface missile interception over the waters of Bay of Bengal, unveiling a new supersonic interceptor missile.
If the interceptor missile, the medium-range and nuclear-capable Prithvi II, can be transformed into a viable defense system, it would push India into an elite club of nations with working missile shields.
Such a system would vastly boost India's defensive capabilities, especially against neighbouring Pakistan.
According to the ministry, the first missile, a modified Prithvi II simulating the ''adversary's missile,'' was launched from the Chandipore test range about 250 km north of Bhubaneswar.
The interceptor, also a Prithvi, was fired one minute later from the Wheeler's Island missile testing center. The island is in the Bay of Bengal, about 170 km north of Bhubaneswar.
"We have successfully validated many technologies relevant to an interceptor missile," top DRDO officials said raising prospects of the country developing an indegenious anti-missile system.
Later, top DRDO scientists, on the condition of anonymity, said in New Delhi that the missile had the capability of intercepting an incoming missiles thousands of kilometres away and had a response time of just 30 seconds.
Though tightlipped about the contours of the new missile, DRDO officials said "it was supersonic, highly manouvreable and was launched using its own mobile launcher".
Labelling the missile as of "a different class" from the US Patriot PAC-III missile which India is observing along with Israeli Arrow missiles, Defence Ministry sources said New Delhi would continue its analysing of the American system.
Comments
0 comment