Wrote this for The Indian Express in January. Thought I’d re-post, ahead of the next ABM test next month:
As part of the newly unveiled programme to equip the country’s armed forces with a full-fledged family of anti-missile systems, DRDO plans to conduct an anti-ballistic missile (ABM) test of a new missile codenamed AAD, early in June, at the Integrated Test Range off the Orissa coast. The configuration, according to DRDO, more than matches the capability of the American Patriot anti-missile system.
On November 27, 2006, at the inaugural test under indigenous ABM programme, the interceptor missile, codenamed PAD, successfully destroyed a Prithvi tactical ballistic missile at an “exo-atmospheric” altitude of 50-km over the Bay of Bengal. Formal names for the PAD and AAD will be chosen in 2009.
The November test came as a huge relief to DRDO, which has been under pressure since 1998 to deliver on its promise of a cost-effective missile defence system.
New Delhi’s efforts to acquire the Israeli Arrow anti-missile system were extinguished by the US in 2002, though Washington has since directly engaged India in bilateral missile defence talks, which includes an offer of the Patriot system to the Indian armed forces.
The June test will involve a surface launched AAD interceptor missile homing in on and destroying an incoming ballistic missile at an “endo-atmospheric” altitude of 30-km. Unlike the first test, the AAD missile will be powered by a single-stage solid fuel rocket.
The November test used the guidance of an Israeli EL/M-2080 Green Pine long-range acquisition radar, which guided both the target missile and the interceptor, while the upcoming test in June will use a French Thales Master-A multifunction 3D radar. Three tests each in endo and exo-atmospheric modes will be conducted at the ITR in Phase-I of the programme, which ends in 2009. Tests will be more frequent thereafter until operational clearance scheduled for 2012.
DRDO’s ABM programme is scheduled to be complete in two phases by 2012-13. By this time the organisation hopes to replace both foreign radars currently in use, with medium and long-range radars being developed in-house by the Electronics Research & Development Organisation in Bangalore.
“DRDO’s ABM programme is scheduled to be complete in two phases by 2012-13. By this time the organisation hopes to replace both foreign radars currently in use, with medium and long-range radars being developed in-house by the Electronics Research & Development Organisation in Bangalore.”
The Radar for the PAD was not the Greenpine. It was a modified version (highly modified in fact) of the greenpine, which had been developed by DRDO and ELTA together for the past few years (Source: Dr Saraswat’s interview after PAD). Obviously, productionizing it would not be so tough.
Same seems to be the situation with the French radar.
“The November test came as a huge relief to DRDO, which has been under pressure since 1998 to deliver on its promise of a cost-effective missile defence system.”
didnt get you over here. Did the drdo promise that there would be an indigenous MD system in place at that time. In the public domain atleast, that India was working on this field was in itself a great surprise. The successful interception showed (actually they told before hand that there would be an intercept, which shows the confidence which they had in the system) the prior testing under bluffs was made.
The thing is according to me, this MD system was never promised but was suddenly unvieled to the public as a kheer.
Ravi
P.S: My last statement in its meaning is completely supportive of drdo and does not have sinister motives behind it.
>> Shiv
The November test used the guidance of an Israeli EL/M-2080 Green Pine long-range acquisition radar, which guided both the target missile and the interceptor
>> Curious about this statement, all other reports indicate that the target was tracked by the Green Pine, this information was used to develop an intercept solution for the interceptor which used its own sensors in the terminal mode of its flight. I havent heard if the target was also guided by the Radar.
Sudeep
Shiv
As usual you are a full three years behind whats known publically
The ABM test used the DRDO LRTR not the GreenPine. DRDO has also openly displayed its Transmit receive modules for AESA as well as it prototype arrays and published details about their performance
Both L Band and S Band modules are in production
Israel gave us help with consultancy and the overall architecture of the radar, the Greenpine.
But the rest was done by us
Why dont u go to Bangalore, CV Raman Nagar and LRDE will show u the other DRDO radars as well, inclduing the Master A replacement