The Hindu:
India on Wednesday successfully carried out an interceptor missile test, validating the reliability of its two layered Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) still under development .
Defence sources said that the endo-atmospheric missile which can intercept missiles at ranges of 15-30 km was launched at 1015 hrs from Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast in response to an incoming enemy missile which was launched from Integrated Test
Range (ITR), Chandipur.
The missile intercepted the incoming missile at an altitude of 15 km scoring a direct hit, a source said.
Last month, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) had carried out a successful test of exo-atmospheric interceptor missile destroying the target outside the earth’s atmosphere at an altitude of 85 km.
The BMD consists of two interceptor missiles, the Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) for exo-atmospheric ranges and the Advanced Area Defence (AAD) missile for endo-atmosphere or lower altitudes.
The BMD is critical to protect the country from the long range ballistic missiles proliferating in the neighbourhood. The DRDO expects to have shield ready for deployment by 2022.
