India, on Sunday, 15th May successfully test-fired an indigenously developed Advanced Air Defence interceptor missile, Ashwin, from the launch complex of Abdul Kalam Island in Bhadrak district of Odisha. It is capable of destroying any incoming hostile ballistic missile.
This was the 12th test of interceptor missiles fired from a warship in the Bay of Bengal out of which 10 were successful, including this one. With this successful test, India became the fourth country in the world to have full-fledged multi-layer Ballistic Missile Defence system just after the United States, Russia and Israel. The successful test will also strengthen India’s position in the very exclusive and elite Ballistic Missile Defence club of the other three countries.
Here is all that you need to know about the AAD interceptor missile – Ashwin:
- The interceptor missile was test fired from the complex of Abdul Kalam Island in Balasore district off Odisha coast.
- Ashwin is the advanced version of the low altitude supersonic ballistic interceptor missile.
- It is indigenously developed by DRDO and is capable of destroying any incoming hostile ballistic missile.
- During the test, it hit the target which was another ballistic missile: a modified version of Prithvi weapon system. Long range radar and multifunction fire control radar located far away successfully detected the missile from take-off and tracked it through its entire path.
- The interceptor missile, Ashwin, is 5-meter in length.
- It weighs around 2 tonnes and has a diameter of fewer than 0.5 metres.
- It is single-stage solid rocket propelled guided missile.
- It comes with an inbuilt navigator, an advanced computer and an electro-mechanical activator.
- The missile also has its own mobile launcher, secure data link for interception, independent tracking and homing capabilities and sophisticated radars.
- The new supersonic missile interceptor will soon become a part of the Indian Army’s arsenal of world-class weaponry.
India is hurrying up the deployment of an advanced missile defence system to stave off threats from ballistic missiles at a time when China’s arsenal is growing in sophistication and numbers.
The test assumes significance as India plans to deploy a two-layered Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) shield to protect its important cities and vital installations from hostile attacks.
While the first phase seeks to destroy incoming enemy missiles in the exo-atmospheric region (outside the atmosphere), the second phase envisages to kill enemy missiles of more than 2,000 km range in the endo-atmospheric (inside the atmosphere) region.
