Making a quantum jump in its air defence capability, the Indian Navy today successfully test-fired the Barak-8 Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LR-SAM) from INS Kolkata.
Two missiles were fired yesterday and today on high speed targets, during naval exercises being undertaken in the Arabian Sea, a Defence spokesperson said.
This is a significant step towards Indian Navy’s transformation into a force capable of projecting power in its area of interest, the spokesperson said.
The Barak-8 missile has been developed in joint collaboration by India and Israel. While two tests have been successfully conducted onboard Israeli ships, this is the first time that the test has been held onboard an Indian one.
The Barak-8 has been designed to defend against a variety of short-to-long-range airborne threats, including fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, drones and projectiles.
It incorporates a modern phased array multi-mission radar, two-way data link, and a flexible command and control system that enables it to simultaneously engage multiple targets day and night and in all-weather conditions.
The missile system is being jointly developed by IAI, DRDO, Israel’s Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, Elta Systems, Rafael and other companies.