The Hindu Business Line : Scientists target on developing surface-to-air missile

THE Indian Defence scientists have set their target on developing a long range, surface-to-air missile (SAM) and a `force multiplier', missile that can unleash multiple warheads to destroy different strategic targets.

The SAM, with a range of nearly 100 km, will be ready for flight trials by the end of 2005. It would be in the class of the Patriot missile of the US (90 km) range, according to Dr V.K. Saraswat, Director of the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), one of the key Defence laboratories in the country's missile programme.

The building blocks for the `hit-to-kill', SAM, like the propulsion, control and guidance, homing devices, using radio frequency (RF) seekers, have already been developed at the Hyderabad-based RCI, in collaboration with the other Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), laboratories, he told newspersons.

A long range tracking radar, which can sight an aircraft at a distance of 400 km is under development. It can track about 200 aircraft simultaneously, giving a tactical advantage for the targeting and launching of SAMs, Dr Saraswat said.

Being developed for the Indian Air Force, the SAMs can be launched both from the ground as well as ship, he added.

On the force multiplier, Dr Saraswat said these missiles with range of 200-250 km in the Prithvi class, would be equipped with precision guided munitions (PGMs), which would have the capability to seek and destroy multiple targets.

Once developed in the next three years, they will improve the fire power of the Indian Defence forces at a highly economical costs, since 4-5 PGMs, can be launched from the Unitary (single) Prithvi class missile, he said.

The US, Russia and Israel today have such PGMs. Also under feasibility study of the missile scientists is the development of a short range, helicopter-launched missile (15 km). It would be an advance version of the Nag's proposed helicopter-launched missile, with infra-red seekers and homing capability, Dr Saraswat said.

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