It is almost official. India’s integrated ballistic missile defence ensemble will be called either Prachi or Pratchi — it is learnt that both these names are on the shortlist prepared by DRDO Bhawan. The names, as is the custom, will shortly be forwarded by DRDO to the Defence Ministry, which will then possibly get the shortlist vetted by Rashtrapati Bhavan (somehow, I’m not keen to know what President Patil’s opinion on ballistic missile shields is).
There was a press conference this afternoon held by DRDO’s Dr VK Saraswat, Chief Controller R&D (Missiles & Strategic Systems) at which he announced that India would have a two-layered fully integrated ballistic missile defence system in place three years from now. This would arise from the full integration of the PAD and AAD systems through integrated trials that will begin this year of the endo and exo-atmospheric variants. Two tests (one simulated and the other with a live target) of the endo-atmospheric AAD happened recently and successfully. The first fully integrated test of the missiles and their subsystems will take place in June 2008, though this has already been reported before. About four trials each of the PAD and AAD will take place before the entire system is declared operational, hopefully by 2010.
Interestingly, Saraswat has revealed that the system has already been configured to intercept cruise missiles as well, though there is still a large amount of calibration work to be done before a credible test can be carried out towards demonstrating any interception of a cruise missile.
It was revealed today that the PAD/AAD interceptor is an independent surface-to-air missile programme that began in 1998. Significant scientific talent from the Akash, Prithvi and Trishul programmes were diverted towards the BMD system, and it has been a closely guarded system since then.
Post Script: More Agni-III tests in 2008, plus an interceptor against IC-range ballistic missiles, plus an Agni-IV test in 2009 (~ICBM range).
Mr. Aroor, in my view the Sanskrit name for the indigenous BMD should have been accorded a more “herculean” name, rather than the female name of Pratchi, given its potential for destruction (or rather potential saviour).
In BR forum, the name Brahma-astra was suggested, which is very apt for the BMD. Sudarshana may also be quite suitable.
Thank you.
how about the performance of the BMD system, if the incoming missile has a very low RCS and coated with radar absorbing paints and with some ECCM capabilities to counter the LRTR? As soon as BMD missiles were fired pakis tested their BABUR terrain hugging cruise missile. once this missile enters our territory, even if you can shoot down it with a phalanx gun,still the nuclear bomb will explode in our territory,causing colossal damage? Any deterrants against cruise missiles? it has to be shot down near its origin itself..
As per reports, the names of the PAD and AAD are Pradyumna and Ashwin, which are fine names.
Somebody in BR forum suggested that the services may name indigenous hardware. What may happen in such a case would be that the current ruling govt. under pressure from the communist allies, may choose Urdu or Persian-sounding names for minority community appeasement. Thus, missiles may be named as ‘Sarfaraz’ or ‘Akbar’ or such forth.
Seeing the minority appeasement agenda of this government and the Left allies, and how shamefully the service chiefs were frisked when the ruling party’s chief’s son-in-law was not, the govt. can very well pressurize the services to give names of their own choice.
Such a move would be appreciated by the English media, which has a “majority pounding” tone in their articles. Sanskrit’s “monopoly” would be denounced (never mind it is India’s Latin and on the verge of extinction), and the “poetic” Urdu names that “brought a fresh era into naming”, would be lauded.
It may be noted that sensing the possibility, PM Vajpayee was allowed to choose the name of Tejas. However, the present govt. was not consulted and DRDO named the missile itself.
Thank you.