AAD Missile (an interceptor missile) tested successfully by destroying incoming attacking missile (A Modified Prithvi)

The test has been carried out as part of India’s plan to deploy a two-layered Ballistic Missile Defence shield to intercept and destroy incoming enemy missiles in endo- and exo-atmospheres.

In a successful interception test, an indigenously-developed Advanced Air Defence (AAD) missile destroyed an incoming target missile, a modified Prithvi, at an altitude of 16 km over the Bay of Bengal on 6th March, 2011.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) sources said, the modified Prithvi, which imitated an incoming enemy missile took off from Chandipur, while the interceptor was launched from Wheeler Island within a few moments. Soon the “attacker” missile reached a height of 120 km and began its downward trajectory, the AAD equipped with state-of-the-art guidance system zeroed in on to the target and destroyed it at 9.37 a.m. The falling debris was tracked by various radars and sensors. Both the missiles followed the pre-designated paths.

The Long Range radars and Multi Function Fire Control Radar tracked the target missile and passed on the information to the Mission Control Centre to launch the interceptor.

What is Ballistic Missile Defence Shield?

A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath which delivers one or more warheads to a predetermined target.

The Indian Ballistic Missile Defense Program is an initiative to develop and deploy a multi-layered ballistic missile defense system to protect India from ballistic missile attacks.

Introduced in light of the ballistic missile threat from Pakistan, it is a double-tiered system consisting of two interceptor missiles, namely the Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) missile for high altitude interception, and the Advanced Air Defence (AAD) Missile for lower altitude interception. The two-tiered shield should be able to intercept any incoming missile launched 5,000 kilometers away.