'Enemy' ballistic missile to be downed in space next month

[Varunastra]

Go DRDO Go !!

 

[IND151]

Important Part of Article

Next month, the Defense R&D Organisation (DRDO) will attempt to shoot down an incoming “enemy” ballistic missile in outer space, well before it enters the earth’s atmosphere. The DRDO chief, Dr VK Saraswat, has told Business Standard that a newly developed Prithvi Defense Vehicle (PDV) interceptor missile will be launched from Wheeler’s Island, travelling 110-150 kilometers into space, where it will destroy an incoming missile fired earlier from an Indian Navy warship in the Bay of Bengal.

This comes on the heels of the DRDO’s successful Nov 23 test of its Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptor missile, which destroyed an incoming target missile at an altitude of 15 kilometres. Together, the AAD and the PDV missiles, along with their radars and control centres, will form a two-layered anti-ballistic missile (ABM) defense system that will protect strategic targets like Delhi by 2013-14. While the AAD missile performs endo-atmospheric (inside-the-atmosphere) interceptions of enemy ballistic missiles; the PDV will conduct exo-atmospheric (outside-the-atmosphere) interceptions.

Next month’s test will feature a brand new target: a two-stage version of the Dhanush missile, launched from a naval vessel that is 300-350 kilometres from the interceptor location at Wheeler’s Island off the coast of Odisha, and soaring to an altitude of over 150 kilometres. This target missile would mimic the trajectory and speed of an enemy ballistic missile fired from 1500 kilometres away, such as Pakistan’s Ghauri and Shaheen missiles. So far target missiles, fired from Chandipur just 70 kilometres away, could only mimic enemy missiles fired from a range of 600 kilometres or less.

“Firing range limitations make developing targets as much a challenge for us as developing interceptors. We have developed a boosted, two-stage version of the ship-launched Dhanush missile --- which makes it into quite another system --- taking it to a greater altitude that will mimic the actual terminal conditions of a 1500-kilometre class enemy missile,” explains the DRDO chief.

The brand new PDV will intercept the incoming target at about 110-150 kilometres altitude, far higher than the 50 kilometre-high interceptions that the exo-atmospheric PAD (Prithvi Air Defence) interceptor has been doing so far. The PDV will carry a new Indian electro-optic seeker, which will work in tandem with the radio frequency seeker that the PAD has traditionally carried. An electro-optic seeker provides greater accuracy and reliability than a radio frequency seeker in homing the interceptor onto the target.

The PDV will be a solid-fuel missile that will be powered by a sophisticated new “pulse motor”. This will provide surges of propulsion during the missile’s later stage, increasing its manoeuvrability when it is very close to the target.

“Intercepting the target at longer ranges provides several advantages. Firstly, the target is travelling slower --- some 2 kilometres per second at 150 kilometres; compared to 2½ kilometres per second at 50 kilometres altitude. Secondly, the target missile can be engaged before it enters Indian airspace, so that the debris falls into enemy territory. Finally, a longer flight time gives the interceptor more time for navigation, and the seeker can see better.

The PAD has been test-fired only twice, compared to the four test-firings of the AAD. DRDO insiders say that, with the PDV under development, there was no incentive to waste effort on the PAD. Now the PDV could well undergo a phase of intensive testing.

Alongside the actual launch of the PDV at an actual target missile, the test next month will also feature up to 6 simulated targets that will force the radars and command systems to respond. “We can launch six interceptors simultaneously --- some endo-atmospheric and some exo-atmospheric --- to handle such an attack,” says Saraswat.

The DRDO is meanwhile working on Phase Two of the anti-ballistic missile defence programme, which is capable of downing enemy inter-continental ballistic missiles fired from upto 5000 km away. The DRDO says the Phase Two shield would be deployed by 2016.

Source: http://www.defence.pk/forums/indian...le-downed-space-next-month.html#ixzz2E0Jbzpf1

 

[airuah]

wow......

does this mean we can also hit stuff floating in space apart from missiles?

 

[Skull and Bones]

wow......

does this mean we can also hit stuff floating in space apart from missiles?

You mean Santa Claus in Christmas?

 

[airuah]

You mean Santa Claus in Christmas?

well if that Santa had a red flag with SAR radars peeping into India , yup

 

[Skull and Bones]

well if that Santa had a red flag with SAR radars peeping into India , yup

He he..Good one.

But it'll require some serious modifications to have ASAT capability, it's not out of capability, only matter of political intention.

 

[pakfighter]

First : best of Luck To DRDO

Then we can send air raids into Pakistan without fearing nuclear blowout in response...

@Manas Just pray That This Missile Hit to incoming Enemy Missile not any Satellite. Because we have to see Darma (Ashiqa Mamno)


Regards

 

[kurup]

Important Part of Article

The PDV will be a solid-fuel missile that will be powered by a sophisticated new “pulse motor”. This will provide surges of propulsion during the missile’s later stage, increasing its manoeuvrability when it is very close to the target.

That is a very good adaptation by DRDO.

Is still remember when PAD was tested last time pakistanis were making fun of us becuuse the missile was liquid fuelled .

Some comments like " we will inform you prior to launch of our nuke so that you can fuel your PAD " and likes.

Now look who the joke is on .

Good work DRDO.

 

[nair]

Yes when one develops missile they do fail during tests and we accept that and report that, but that understanding and courage is not expected from you. On the other hand, when an operational missile fails like the recent Ghauri did, one should worry and stop bragging about launching 100 missiles at India because you dont know how many of them will fall back mid way.

And I dont need to educate you about how good/or bad ISI is, that is evident from what has happened in Pakistan in the past recent years and stil going on. You should be concerned about that not about launching 100 nuke capable missiles at india.

If some one starts a missile from scratch and it is expected to fail... But how come some of the missiles fails even after being copied and changed the name????

 

[Gessler]

That is a very good adaptation by DRDO.

Is still remember when PAD was tested last time pakistanis were making fun of us becuuse the missile was liquid fuelled .

Some comments like " we will inform you prior to launch of our nuke so that you can fuel your PAD " and likes.

Now look who the joke is on .

Good work DRDO.

Pak is pretty much full of trolls and otherwise grown-up kids.

The problem with their own country is that there is no defence even for Islamabad state buildings
against Indian missiles.

 

[KS]

Perhaps India must be banned from purchasing rifles abroad..then only we will develop that.

 

[nair]

^^ I agree wit you... If we can develop such a complex technology Why cant we make a (reliable & lethal) rifle which can be used by all the special forces and army?????

 

[Kloitra]

Perhaps India must be banned from purchasing rifles abroad..then only we will develop that.

^^ I agree wit you... If we can develop such a complex technology Why cant we make a (reliable & lethal) rifle which can be used by all the special forces and army?????

Give them budget. The annual budget of DRDO is only 10000 crore. In that they have to develop everything, from pin to plane. Maintain a staff of 30000 and numerous labs.
Akash was developed in 200 million $, LCA in 1.2 billion when we were starting from scratch. Compare that to Gripen, almost 5 billion when company was already experienced. The budget for PAD is equally small. How would you expect them to develop anything good, and in time?!

 

[indiatester]

Perhaps India must be banned from purchasing rifles abroad..then only we will develop that.

Even now, if some country offers us Agni equivalent, I guess folks will find reasons to buy them instead of developing what we have.

 

[Kinetic]

Give them budget. The annual budget of DRDO is only 10000 crore. In that they have to develop everything, from pin to plane. Maintain a staff of 30000 and numerous labs.
Akash was developed in 200 million $, LCA in 1.2 billion when we were starting from scratch. Compare that to Gripen, almost 5 billion when company was already experienced. The budget for PAD is equally small. How would you expect them to develop anything good, and in time?!

Well said. This entire ABM technology is very complex, very few countries can develop them. I think when India tests PDV next month, it will be the second country after US to destroy a missile in space.