Hello, Warriors! In a boost to India’s maritime prowess, the Navy on December 30th, successfully test-fired the nearly 70 KM range Surface to Air Missile Barak 8 from INS Kolkata, paving the way for installation of the system, developed jointly by India and Israel, on board country’s frontline warships.
The interceptors were fired from the heart of the Indian Ocean from an Indian Navy ship, striking their targets successfully.
Here are the 10 things you need to keep yourself updated about this advancement:
- The missile system is designed to protect naval ships and offshore gas rigs from hostile aircraft, missiles and rockets. The system’s advanced digital phased-array radar, dubbed Barak Adir by the navy, is produced by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the primary contractor.
- IAI also makes the system’s fire control station, while the interceptor missile is produced by Rafael.
- The Barak 8 radar can detect threats at over 100 km, that it could become fully operational in a matter of months.
- Once airborne, the missile continues to receive data from the radar system, which predicts the threat’s trajectory, and enables the missile to adjust its own path before destroying the target.
- The missile deploys its own electromagnetic sensor as it approaches the target, guiding it on its last phase.
- The Barak 8 radar can track multiple targets simultaneously, dividing its energy to cover half a sphere around a naval ship.
- The system is already installed on at least one Israel Navy ship, and on an Indian Navy ship.
- Apart from the missile, the system includes a Multi-Functional Surveillance and Threat Alert Radar (MF STAR) for detection, tracking and guidance of the missile.
- Israel made MF-STAR radar system is capable of simultaneously tracking hundreds of airborne targets to a range of more than 250 KM. DRDL, Hyderabad, a DRDO Lab, has jointly developed this missile in collaboration with Israel Aerospace Industries.
- These Surface-to-Air Missiles are fitted onboard the Kolkata Class Destroyers and would also be fitted on all future major warships of the Navy.
Designed to defend against a variety of short-to-long -range airborne threats, including fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, drones and projectiles, Barak-8 incorporates phased array multi-mission radar, two-way data link, and a flexible command and control system, enabling users to simultaneously engage multiple targets day and night.
With the successful proving of these systems, the Indian Navy has become part of a select group of Navies that have this niche capability, which would provide a fillip to India’s maritime operations.
