Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme
[1] Testing was carried out and continuing as of 2006[update], and the system was expected to be operational within four years according to the head of the country's missiles development programme, Vijay Kumar Saraswat.
[4] The system also includes an overlapping network of early warning and tracking radars, as well as command and control posts.
[7] Since the early 90s, India has faced the threat of ballistic missile attacks from Pakistan against which it has fought multiple wars in the past and also from China.
[citation needed] In 1999, the Kargil War between India and Pakistan became the first direct conflict between two declared nuclear powers.
[8] This was immediately interpreted as an obvious threat of a nuclear retaliation by Pakistan in the event of an extended war.
[10] Development of an anti-ballistic missile system began in late 1999,[11] suggesting that India initiated the programme in light of Pakistan's eschewing of a nuclear No first use policy and heightened tensions during the Kargil War including a possibility of full-scale nuclear war.
Research Centre Imarat (RCI) developed navigation, electromechanical actuation systems and the active radar seeker.
Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL) provided the motors, jet vanes and structures for the AAD and PAD.
These missiles will travel at hypersonic speeds and will require radars with scan capability of over 1,500 km (930 mi) to successfully intercept the target.
[19] India is also planning to develop a laser-based weapon system as part of its defence to intercept and destroy missiles soon after they are launched towards the country.
DRDO's Air Defence Programme Director V. K. Saraswat says its ideal to destroy a ballistic missile carrying nuclear or conventional warheads in its boost phase.
Saraswat further added that it will take another 10–15 years for the premier defence research institute to make it usable on the ground.
It receives information from various sources such as radars and satellites which is then processed by ten computers which run simultaneously.
The LCC prepares the missile for launch in real time and carries out ground guidance computation.
Guidance is provided by an internal navigation system with mid-course updates from LRTR and active radar homing in the terminal phase.
[11] PAD has capability to engage the 3,000 km (1,900 mi) class of ballistic missiles at a speed of Mach 5.
It is an active phased array radar having the capability to track 200 targets at a range of 1,500 km (930 mi).
[citation needed] Prithvi Air Defence Exercise The PADE (Prithvi Air Defence Exercise) was conducted in November 2006 in which a PAD missile successfully intercepted a modified Prithvi-II Missile at an altitude of 50 km (31 mi).
The target was tracked by Swordfish (LRTR) radar and destroyed by the PAD at 75 km (47 mi) altitude.
The Advanced Air Defence (AAD) missile positioned at Abdul Kalam Island, about 70 km across sea from Chandipur, received signals from tracking radars installed along the coastline and travelled through the sky at a speed of Mach 4.5 to destroy it.
The PDV will replace the PAD with a far more capable missile and will complete Phase 1 of the BMD system, allowing it to be operational by 2013.
[63] On 24 July 2024, DRDO conducted another successful flight test of the Phase-II Ballistic Missile Defence System.
[82] As per Ministry of Defence (MoD), two units of VLRTR systems were accorded by the Union Government under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) and Indian Air Force for Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme.
[82][83] According to scientist V K Saraswat of DRDO the missiles will work in tandem to ensure a hit probability of 99.8 percent.
On 6 May 2012, Dr V K Saraswat confirmed that Phase-I was complete and can be deployed to protect two Indian cities at a short notice.
When the Phase II is completed and PDV is developed, the two anti-ballistic missiles can intercept targets from up to 5,000 km (3,100 mi) both at exo and endo-atmospheric (inside the atmosphere) regions.
[90] DRDO Chief, Dr V K Saraswat stated in an Interview "Our studies have indicated that this AAD will be able to handle a cruise missile intercept".
[90] Furthermore, India is acquiring airborne radars like EL/W-2090 AWACS to ensure detection of cruise missiles in order to stay on top of the threat.
On 17 November 2010, an interview with Rafael's Vice President Lova Drori confirmed that the David's Sling system has been offered to the Indian Armed Forces.
[96][97] "That is an important potential area for our future cooperation", Carter said while on his visit to India in July 2012.
