Ballistic Missile Defence Program
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| PAD and AAD Ballistic Missile Interceptors |
Faced with ballistic missile threats from China and Pakistan, India has for long felt a need for a Ballistic Missile Defence program. Accomplishing this demanding yet crucial task was assigned to the tech pioneering agency, DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization of India). The development of the ballistic missile defence system began in 1998. The development under this program was extremely challenging courtesy of the complex technologies and indigenous mission systems which were planned to be designed and deployed under the program. The program was code named Prithvi Air Defence (PAD). PAD is a two stage, exo-atmospheric interceptor missile program that was based on the successful Prithvi missiles, which were developed by DRDO indigenously. DRDO plans to develop two baalstic missiles under the program code named the AD-1 and AD-2. AD-2 would be effectively developed in the planned phase-2 of the PAD program. The Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) program involves a Prithvi missile which is used for exo-atmospheric interceptions and an Advanced Air Defence (AAD) Missile which is used for lower altitude interceptions. The PAD system was developed as a two-tiered shield which is capable of intercepting incoming missiles at claimed range of about 5000 kms and hence neutralizing the imminent threat. The PAD system is capable of intercepting intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) or intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and neutralizing them.
The system is based on a Prithvi missile which is a two-stage missile and can intercept targets within the designated 80 kms range. The first stage of the missile is powered by Solid fuelled motor which is fuelled by Solid propellants. The second stage of the missile is powered by a liquid fuelled motor. The missile under the program has been equipped with state of the art manoeuvre thrusters which are capable of generating lateral acceleration of more than 5 gs at 50 km altitude. The critical guidance for the system is provided by inertial navigation system which can be updated mid-course thanks to the Swordfish active electronically scanned array long-range tracking radar which was developed specifically to be integrated in the PAD program. Swordfish is claimed to developed under the Israeli Green Pine long range radar design which was an critical part of the Arrow missile defence system. The missile can be updated in the terminal phase using the active radar homing. The indigenously developed Swordfish Long Range Tracking Radar will act as the primary target acquisition and fire control radar for the PAD missiles. The LRTR can guide Exo-atmospheric interceptor missile PAD to hit its target in space at an altitude over 80 km from earth. Swordfish LRTR currently has a range of 600 km – 800 km can spot objects as small as a cricket ball. DRDO is currently updating the LRTR to an range of about 1500 km. LRTR is claimed to have capabilities of tracking 200 targets at a range of 600 km simultaneously.
DRDO successfully developed the PAD system and the first launch test was successfully conducted on 27th November 2006 under which a Prithvi-II missile was successfully intercepted by the PAD in the endo-atmosphere at an altitude of about 48km. In March 2009 DRDO successfully tested the missile defence shield under which an incoming hostile missile was intercepted and neutralized at an altitude of 75 km. Thus DRDO made India only the fourth nation after United States, Russia and Israel to have successfully developed an Anti-ballistic missile system. DRDO yet again test fired the AAD missile of the system from its facility at Wheelers Island in July 2010.Till date DRDO has conducted about nine tests which have involved both endo and exo atmospheric interception, eight of these missions were successful and intercepted the simulated target, while only one test failed to intercept the threat .
The PAD is equipped with a single missile which may not be a very effective means of idea to interception against a Ballistic missile which maybe tipped with a nuclear warhead. The other systems which were offered to India, the American Patriot, Israel’s Arrow and the Russians SAM were all equipped with six or eight VLS systems. The THAAD ,S 400 and the Arrow systems are equipped with multiple launch features which can simultaneously track and launch missiles against warheads themselves. PAD systems developed under the second phase will be equipped with four or six cell launcher which can improve the probability of the Interception rate of the system.
DRDO has plans for testing the system yet again in April, 2015. DRDO plans to check the operational preparedness of the ballistic missile defence. The tests till date were designated tests during the Launch phase the whole organisation would be put to work for the mission under a single window. But checking for the preparedness of the systems the system is based on a Prithvi missile which is a two-stage missile and can intercept targets within the designated 80 kms range. The first stage of the missile is powered by Solid fuelled motor which is fuelled by Solid propellants. The second stage of the missile is powered by a liquid fuelled motor. The missile under the program has been equipped with state of the art manoeuvre thrusters which are capable of generating lateral acceleration of more than 5 gs at 50 km altitude. The critical guidance for the system is provided by inertial navigation system which can be updated mid-course thanks to the Swordfish active electronically scanned array long-range tracking radar which was developed specifically to be integrated in the PAD program.
Swordfish is claimed to developed under the Israeli Green Pine long range radar design which was an critical part of the Arrow missile defence system. The missile can be updated in the terminal phase using the active radar homing. The indigenously developed Swordfish Long Range Tracking Radar will act as the primary target acquisition and fire control radar for the PAD missiles. The LRTR can guide Exo-atmospheric interceptor missile PAD to hit its target in space at an altitude over 80 km from earth. Swordfish LRTR currently has a range of 600 km – 800 km can spot objects as small as a cricket ball. DRDO is currently updating the LRTR to an range of about 1500 km. LRTR is claimed to have capabilities of tracking 200 targets at a range of 600 km simultaneously. A DRDO team will launch a ballistic missile from an undisclosed location and unknown time depicting the launch of a hostile missile headed towards Indian main land. Charged with protecting India against any ballistic missile threats the PAD teams have to immediately neutralize the threat there by proving the operational readiness of the systems.
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