India to test Missile Defence

26 Nov 2007
In December 2007, India will be testing a ballistic missile defence (BMD) system. This will provide the country ability to intercept and kill an incoming enemy missile. The test wil be carried over the Bay of Bengal.

This Ballistic Missile Defence System will take on the "enemy" missile at an altitude of 15 km above the earth. This will be at par with the American Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) system.

A two teir defence system

On November 27, 2006, India had tested a hypersonic interceptor missile to successfully destroy an incoming Prithvi missile at an altitude of around 50 km. The capability was similar to the Israeli Arrow-2 BMD system.

This will create a two teir missile defence system. This will provide capability of tracking and destroying hostile missiles both inside (endo) and outside (exo) the earth’s atmosphere. The incoming enemy missile will be first engaged outside the eath's atmoshphere. The incoming missile may try to escape inside the earth's atmoshphere, at which stage, the second teir defence will come into play to destroy the incoming missile.