DEFENCE INDIA-2010
Here is a List of all the successful and unsuccessful tests of 2010 collected from various newspapers for students appearing for civil service examinations and other competitive examinations.
On January 11 - India successfully tested its first beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) Astra from the integrated test range (ITR) off the Orissa coast.
What is ASTRA and its Features?
Astra, "Weapon", is an active radar homing beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), India. This is the first air-to-air missile developed by India. It is an advanced missile that enables fighter pilots to lock-on and shoot down enemy aircraft from a distance of more than 80 km away.
The maximum range of Astra is to be 80 km in head-on chase and 20 km in tail chase. It could be launched from different altitudes. The Missile can cover 110 km when launched from an altitude of 15 km, 44 km when fired from an altitude of 8 km and 21 km when the altitude is sea-level . It will have an active homing range of 25 km. The missile has a pre-fragmented warhead and is fitted with a proximity fuze. A radar fuse already exists for the Astra, but the DRDO is currently working on a new laser fuse. The Mark 2 version of Astra will have a maximum range of 150 km and tail chase range of up to 35 km.
On January 15 – DRDO tested submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM) K-4 from a Pontoon (replica of a submarine) off the Andhra Pradesh coast.
The K-4 missile is one of the series of missile developed under the K-X series. DRDO is working on a Submarine Launched Version of the Agni-III missile, which will provide India with a credible sea based second strike capability. The K-4 missile is expected to be test fired for the second time in Januaray 2011.
What is SLBM?
A submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead that can be launched from submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs) each of which carries a warhead and allows a single launched missile to strike several targets. Submarine-launched ballistic missiles should not be confused with submarine-launched cruise missiles, which operate in a different way.
On January 21 – India conducted flight trials of laser-guided bombs (LGBs) from the ITR(Integrated Test Range).
What is a LGB?
A laser-guided bomb (LGB) is a precision-guided munition (PGM) that uses semi-active laser homing to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than a free-fall bomb. These LGBs are one of the most common and widespread PGMs, used by a large number of the world's air forces.
On February 7 - India successfully tested its longest range ballistic missile Agni-III from Wheelers Island off the Orissa coast.
Agni-III is an Intermediate-Range Ballistic missile developed by India as the successor to Agni-II. The ballistic missile has a range of 3,500 km- 5500 km, which means that India is capable of engaging targets deep inside neighbouring countries. The missile’s Circular Error Probable (CEP) is within 40 meters range, which makes it one of the most sophisticated and accurate ballistic missiles of its range class in the world.
The Agni-III has two stages with an overall diameter of 2.0 m. The first stage mass is about 32 tonnes and 7.7 m long, the second stage mass is about 10 tonnes and 3.3 m long. The missile is likely to support a wide range of warhead configurations, with a 4,500 km range and a total payload weight of 2490 kg.
On March 14 - DRDO postponed a test of Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptor missile due to unforeseen technical obstacles occurred at the last minute.
On March 15 – AAD(Advanced Air Defence) interceptor missile couldn't take off as the target missile Prithvi deviated from its pre-coordinated trajectory.
The AAD missile was to intercept the target at an altitude of 15 to 20 km over the sea. The target, a Prithvi missile, fired at 10:02 am from a mobile launcher from the Integrated Test Range Complex-3 at Chandipur-on-Sea, 15 km from here, deviated from its trajectory after traveling about 11 km and fell into the sea.
On March 21 - India successfully test-fired supersonic cruise missile BrahMos from a warship in the Bay of Bengal to become the first and only country in the world to have a 'maneuverable' supersonic cruise missile in its inventory.
The vertical-launch version of missile was launched from Indian Navy ship INS Ranvir and it maneuvered successfully hitting the target ship. It was a perfect hit and a perfect mission. During the test, the missile hit a free-floating ship piercing it above the waterline and destroying it completely.
On March 27 - India for the first time successfully test-fires nuke-capable Dhanush and Prithvi-II missiles from two separate locations of the Orissa coast.
What is Prithvi?
Prithvi ("Earth") is a tactical surface-to-surface, short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) developed by DRDO of India under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program.
The Prithvi missile project encompassed developing 3 variants for use by the Indian Army,
- Prithvi I (SS-150) - Army Version (150 km range with a payload of 1,000 kg)
- Prithvi II (SS-250) - Air Force Version (250 km range with a payload of 500 kg)
- Prithvi III (SS-350) - Naval Version (350 km range with a payload of 500 kg)
What is Dhanush?
Dhanush is nothing but a naval version of Prithvi which can be launched from Ships. Some sources claim that Dhanush is a System consisting of stabilization platform and missiles, which has the capability to launch both Prithvi II and Prithvi III from Ships. Dhanush is a system consisting of a stabilization platform (Bow) and the Missile (Arrow).
On March 28 - Indian Army test-fired surface-to-surface Agni-I missile from the Wheelers Island.
The trial was conducted with a special Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of nuclear-capable Agni-I ballistic missile, with a range of 700kilometers from the Wheelers Island off Orissa coast thus making Agni-I missile operational by army.
The Agni I has a range of 700–900 km. It is a single stage, solid fuel, road and rail mobile, medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM). This shorter ranger missile specially designed for targets in Pakistan. The need for the Agni-I was felt after the Kargil war with Pakistan. It took DRDO 18 months to develop the Agni-I after having completed Agni-II development. It is propelled by solid fuel. Maneuvering RV body-lift aerodynamics give it the ability to correct trajectory errors and reduce thermal stresses. The MRV has a velocity correction package to correct launch trajectory variances. Some Agni RV versions use a set of solid fueled thruster cartridges of predetermined impulse, allowing the onboard guidance controller to trim velocity, using discrete combination of impulse quanta along the desired spatial orientation. The 15 metre tall Agni-1 missile, weighing about 12 tonnes, is capable of carrying both conventional as well as nuclear warheads of 1000 kg.
On May 17 - Indian army successfully launches the surface-to-surface nuclear capable ballistic missile Agni-II from the Wheelers Island.
The trial was conducted with a special strategic command force (SSC) of nuclear-capable Agni-II ballistic missile, with a range of 2,000 kilometers from the Wheelers Island off Orissa coast thus making Agni-II missile operational by army.
The Agni-II is a medium range ballistic missile (MRBM) with two solid fuel stages and a Post Boost Vehicle (PBV) integrated into the missile's Re-entry Vehicle (RV). The Agni's manoeuvring RV is made of a carbon-carbon composite material that is light and able to sustain high thermal stresses of re-entry, in a variety of trajectories. Agni-II, developed as part of medium and long range Agni series of missile systems, has already been inducted into the Armed Forces.
On June 18 - India successfully flight-tested nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile from the ITR at Chandipur.
On July 7 - Astra missile fails to deliver desired results during two consecutive trials.
On July 26 - AAD interceptor successfully test-fired to have a direct hit with the target missile.
The target missile, a modified indigenously built "Prithvi", was first lifted off from a mobile launcher from the ITR's launch complex-3 at Chandipur-on-sea. Minutes later, the interceptor missile getting signals from the hostile missile immediately reacted and swept in to action from the Wheeler's Island, to intercept it at an altitude of 30 km in mid-air over the Bay of Bengal off Orissa coast.
The AAD missile yet to get a formal name, the new hypersonic interceptor missile is only called 'AAD' (advance air defence) and is meant to be used in 'endo-atmospheric conditions' (with in 50 km altitude of earth's surface).
What is AAD?
The seven-metre long 'AAD' interceptor is a single stage solid rocket propelled guided missile equipped with an inertial navigation system, a hi-tech computer and an electro-mechanical activator totally under command by the data up-linked from the ground based radar. The missile has its own mobile launcher, secure data link for interception, independent tracking and homing capabilities and its own radar.
On September 5 - India created history by flight testing BrahMos cruise missile at a supersonic speed in a steep-dive mode from ITR
Defence scientists test fired BrahMos off the orissa coast and created a world record. It was for the first time that a cruise missile was tested at supersonic speeds in a steep-dive mode. The missile was test-fired from the integrated test range launching complex-3 (LC-3) at Chandipur around 11.35 am. With this launch, The army's requirement for land attacks with block-II advanced seeker software with target discriminating capabilities has been fully met. BrahMos is the only supersonic cruise missile possessing advanced capability of selection of a particular land target amongst a group of targets, providing an edge to the user with precise hit. The missile can travel at three times the speed of sound and carry a conventional warhead weighing 200–300 kg.
On September 24 – Prithvi-II missile falls down immediately after taking off from ITR and caught fire.
The missile, with a range of 350 km, was fired around 10 a.m. by personnel of the Strategic Forces Command as part of a training exercise. But the rocket engine stopped functioning a few seconds after the launch command was given and failed to provide the missile the necessary thrust to blast off.
The likely causes for the malfunctioning of the engine - a problem with the liquid propellant or an absence of free flow of the fuel in the pipelines or a snag during the command.
On November 25 - India test-fires nuclear capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile Agni-I from Wheelers Island.
This trial involved the test firing of upgraded version of Agni-I with better re-entry technology, manoeuvrability and range extension of up to 700–900 km.
On December 2 - India successfully flight-tests block III version of BrahMos cruise missile from ITR.
Block III version of BrahMos with advanced guidance and upgraded software, incorporating high manoeuvres at multiple points and steep dive from high altitude was flight tested successfully from Launch Complex III of ITR. The 8.4 meter missile which can fly at 2.8 times the speed of sound is capable of carrying conventional warheads of up to 300 kg for a range of 290 km.
It can effectively engage ground targets from an altitude as low as 10 meters for surgical strikes at terror training camps across the border without causing collateral damage. BrahMos is capable of being launched from multiple platforms like submarine, ship, aircraft and land based Mobile Autonomous Launchers (MAL).The Block III BrahMos , has the capability scaling Mountain Terrains & hence can play a vital role in precision strike in the northern territories. The advanced cruise missile can fly close to the rough geographies and kill the target.
On December 10 - The first experimental trial of the surface-to-surface 2750 km range ballistic missile (IRBM) Agni-II prime failed.
It is a massive failure after the missile dropped off ito the sea a few seconds after it was launched from Wheeler Island.
The DRDO had built Agni-II Prime, earlier called Agni-II+, to fill the gap in the range between Agni-II and Agni-III. While Agni-II has a range of more than 2,000 km, Agni-III can target places more than 3,000 km away. All the three were strategic missiles, capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
Agni-II Prime was an improved version of Agni-II, boasting several new technologies. While both stages of Agni-II were made of metal casing, the second stage of Agni-II Prime was made of fibre reinforced plastic (FRP), or composite casing. The FRP reduced the missile's structural weight, enabling it to carry more propellants, and to have a better range than Agni-II's.
Agni-II Prime also had a better stage separation system, efficient propulsion, high-energy propellants, more efficient batteries to provide better power supply and sophisticated retro rockets. It had a good configuration which meant the user (the Army) could move it around easily.
On December 22 – Indian armed forces successfully tests two nuclear capable Prithvi-II missiles from ITR capable Prithvi-II missiles from ITR.
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