India has joined a select club of nations with capability to build its own operational ballistic missile defence.
In tests off the Orissa coast today, an air defence missile successfully struck down an incoming ballistic missile at a height of 15 km, according to the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
A modified Prithvi missile, which mimics the ballistic missile was launched at 10.10 a.m. from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur. Explaining the event, DRDO scientists said radars located at different points tracked the incoming ballistic missile.
The interceptor missile, was kept in complete readiness at the Wheeler Island. With the help of guidance computers, the trajectory of the ballistic missile was calculated and the missile launched at the precisely calculated time.
As the radars, inertial navigation system and the onboard computer working in perfect harmony, the onboard radio frequency seeker identified the target missile and guided the interceptor missile to home-in and hit the incoming missile directly and destroyed it. The warhead also exploded and broke down the target missile into pieces, they described.
India is the fifth country to have these capabilities. The mission was carried out in the final deliverable user configuration mode said Dr V.K. Saraswat, Director-General, DRDO. The Defence Minister, Mr A.K. Antony has congratulated the scientists for the successful demonstration of the ballistic missile defence.