India to conduct Ballistic Missile Defence tests

India is preparing to conduct is third Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) tests. Test in February will be the first test after the Mumbai attack. Test will involve testing the indigenously developed with help from Israel “Swordfish" long-range tracking radar.

Earlier two tests were successfully held in November 2006 and December 2007 involving the use of Prithvi Air Defence (PAD Exo-Atmospheric) and the Advanced Air Defence (AAD Endo-Atmospheric) interceptor systems. It appears that the main purpose of the forthcoming tests is to validate the capabilities of the Long Range Tracking Radar (LRTR).It is also predicted that target missile will be fired from a longer distance than before to assess the capability of radar to track the incoming missile from long distance. Target missile will be intercepted by the PAD Exo-atmospheric interceptor missile at an altitude over 50 to 80 km from earth. Missile defense version of its Prithvi medium-range ballistic missile was first tested in 2006. Due to its liquid-fueled first stage of short range ballistic missile, the Prithvi Air Defense (PAD) is certainly nowhere near an ideal system.

Dr. VK Saraswat, distinguished scientist & chief controller of missiles and strategic Systems (CC-MSS) informed the media that "We have done some thinking on cooperation with countries such as Russia, United States and Israel in this programme and we have taken their help also in developing some of the technologies, such as the 'Swordfish' radar for the BMD with Israel".
The February tests will be followed by another round of tests before of the year aimed at using AAD Endo-atmospheric missiles to intercept missiles at altitudes up to 15 km. The configuration, according to DRDO, more than matches the capability of the American Patriot anti-missile system.

DRDO claims that the Indian BMD would be qualitatively a far superior missile to the PAC-III, considering the former's larger range and greater flexibility of deployment. Such claim have been rejected due to the fact that till now AAD was tested only once in very restrictive test environment from a fixed platform. On the other hand Patriot series have evolved from decades of testing, improvements and operational use in the real war time. Now the Patriot-3 is itself a fairly unconvinced system and high kill probability that Lockheed-Martin proclaims is definitely not accurate as it is at best achieved under very restricted and benevolent test environment. During the gulf war where USA had clear advantage of an enemy who could only deploy ancient Scud series missiles, Patriot missile system malfunctioned several times resulting in destruction of friendly forces and failed to engage and intercept several primitive cruise missiles fired on Kuwait City from Iraqi coastal missile batteries. Lt Gen Dennis Cavin(retired) who works in Lockheed's air defence technology division is of the view that the AAD's hit-to-kill capability is at best suspect, and it's kill probability is unproven due to the fact that AAD will need dozens of test before it can be compared with the missiles like Patriot-3.

DRDO has held a few rounds of preliminary discussions with officials from Lockheed-Martin to quickly bring the indigenous anti-ballistic missile systems to maturity .The Lockheed-Martin Missiles & Fire Control Division based at Dallas, TX has been asked to come forward with a roadmap on how to quickly mature the AAD program.

Two successful tests of a complex technology is only the beginning. Real work actually starts now. Therefore Lockheed-Martin’s team is currently holding technical level dialogue with DRDO to chart out a possible partnership that, if successful, will see an infusion of PAC-3’s advance technology into the AAD to help India operationalize its Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) by the second half of next decade. It will be many years before India has a moderately effective, indigenous missile defense shield. It is now being given to understand that if tests in 2009 and beyond are successful then the DRDO is looking at a possible initial deployment of the BMD system by 2015.

India’s task of Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) becomes more difficult given the fact that its principle foe Pakistan has wide verity of advance ballistic and cruise missiles. In response to India’s efforts of Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Pakistan is now developing MIRV for its Shaheen-II ballistic missiles and future Shaheen-III missiles. Currently both shaheen-I and Shaheen-II ballistic missiles are using radar correlation terminal seeker along with GPS updates to achieve extremely accurate CEP and carry re-entry vehicle that can fly evasive maneuvers, making it immensely problematic to intercept by anti-ballistic missile defence systems.

Posted in: ABM,India,Missile,Pakistan