Ballistic Missile Interceptor AAD Successfully Flight Tested
DRDO conducted the successful test of the Ballistic Missile Interceptor Advanced Area Defence (AAD) at 1130 hrs today from Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha. The endo-atmospheric missile, capable of intercepting incoming targets at an altitude of 15 to 25 kms was launched against multiple simulated targets of 1500 km class ballistic missile. One target among simultaneously incoming multiple targets was selected on real time, the weapon system radars tracked the target and the missile locked on to it and intercepted the target with a high degree of accuracy. The complete event including the engagement and interception was tracked by a number of electro-optical tracking systems, radars and telemetry stations. All the mission objectives were successfully met.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, witnessed the flight test along with other senior officials.
The Raksha Mantri Smt Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated DRDO on the successful flight test for further boosting the defence capabilities of the country.
NAo/Nampi/MKT
(Release ID :181451)
DRDO conducted the successful test of the Ballistic Missile Interceptor Advanced Area Defence (AAD) at 1130 hrs today from Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha. The endo-atmospheric missile, capable of intercepting incoming targets at an altitude of 15 to 25 kms was launched against multiple simulated targets of 1500 km class ballistic missile. One target among simultaneously incoming multiple targets was selected on real time, the weapon system radars tracked the target and the missile locked on to it and intercepted the target with a high degree of accuracy. The complete event including the engagement and interception was tracked by a number of electro-optical tracking systems, radars and telemetry stations. All the mission objectives were successfully met.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, witnessed the flight test along with other senior officials.
The Raksha Mantri Smt Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated DRDO on the successful flight test for further boosting the defence capabilities of the country.
NAo/Nampi/MKT
(Release ID :181451)
So we did the successful interception of MIRV missile.
I don't have an answer for this yet. But the explanation of the test seems to be designed against MIRVs.
India successfully test-fires Advanced Air Defence interceptor missile off Odisha coast
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) test-fired the AAD interceptor from a canister against multiple simulated targets. The missile shoots down one after choosing from a number of targets, said the sources.
If that is true, then it is an anti-MIRV test.
Saurav Jha (@SJha1618) Tweeted:
A single interceptor was launched to engage a target randomly chosen from multiple incoming tracks (simulated), which it did successfully.
DRDO Successfully Tests AAD Endoatmospheric Interceptor Against Multiple Incoming Simulated Ballistic Targets DRDO Successfully Tests AAD Endoatmospheric Interceptor Against Multiple Incoming Simulated Ballistic Targets | Delhi Defence Review
Saurav Jha (@SJha1618) Tweeted:
According to @DRDO_India, the test was 'fully' successful and electronically simulated targets were used for the multi-interception scenario.
Completely agree .This test was completed in presence of air chief that tells about expectations and it’s getting closer to induction.Main objective of this test may be to identify the actual warheads of a MIRV simulated missile .
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The identification of the real warhead is done on ground by the radar and the computer associated with it. If more than one real warhead is estimated, more AADs will be fired and guided to each of them.
I don't think firing 3 missiles will be a problem but objective is to identify the actual missile/ warhead from dummies or decoys and that's what command center did successfully. They completed their task by tracking, identifying and destroying the missile successfully.if they found 3 missile threat they should fire 3 missiles, It will be a multilayered system. As we know none of the missile defense systems is full proof but rigorous testing with complex scenarios make the system more reliable.
It is not anti-MIRV. MIRV works differently. One warhead is deployed in middle stage of boost while other in the last. So, the warheads fall n different targets. For example, with MIRV, one warhead will strike Delhi, other Chandigarh and Third to Agra.
This identification is for MRV only where there are many re-entries at the same spot with several decoys like chaffs, inflatable balloon fired
Yes. For MIRV with decoys is the aim of this exercise. MIRV without decoys will have each warhead being fired at. MIRV with decoys is bigger problem than the MIRV itself.
Are we sure it is to check MIRV capable missiles? To me what DRDO is trying to achieve is the capability to counter Ababeel missile which is supposed to have multiple small warheads as PAK does not actually have MIRV capability but just enough tech to integrate 2-3 small warheads (supposedly 5-10 kt nuclear). MIRV tech with just 2000+ km is hard to digest as an actual MIRV missile which uses terminal velocity to go at targets far in distance.
What you are referring to is MRV. The concept is pretty much the same if your target is Delhi.
But we don't know enough about Ababeel. Let's see when they actually start testing multiple warheads.
Did Pakistan ever test Ababeel properly? How can Pakistan declare a missile as operational just by firing one missile? Why can't India have such capability to operationalise missiles in one single test? Either Pakistan is on steroids or doing something seriously wrong.
They tested one system than can chose between multiple, further development would be a networked interception which would eliminate multiple threats being defeated by multiple kill vehicles. In effect it could track multiple targets and chose the one with highest kill probability. For a mirv attack layered defence would use the same logic, with two kill vehicles per independent target.