India successfully tests upgraded interceptor missile

Successful launch of missile’s upgraded version provides boost to India’s ballistic missile defence capability

India successfully launched on Sunday an upgraded version of the interceptor missile against an electronically simulated target missile over the Bay of Bengal.

“The anti-ballistic missile, called AAD (Advanced Air Defence), took off at 9:40am from the APJ Abdul Kalam Wheeler Island soon after it received the command to waylay and destroy an incoming target missile in the endo-atmosphere (below 40 km altitude) after the conditions for the latter were electronically simulated without the actual launch of the missile,” The Hindu reported.



Indian authorities have claimed that the successful launch of the interceptor missile’s upgraded version has provided a boost to India’s ballistic missile defence capability.

The newspaper further claimed that the conditions similar to the launch of a target missile from the Indian city of Balasore were electronically simulated and upon receiving its coordinates, the interceptor missile, travelling at a supersonic speed, engaged and reportedly destroyed the ‘virtual target’ in mid-flight.

India plans to deploy a two-tiered ballistic missile defence system to protect its important cities and vital military installations in case of an enemy attack.



“The first phase seeks to destroy incoming enemy missiles of 2,000km range while the second phase envisages targeting the incoming missiles of more than 2,000km,” it said.

Of a total 11 interceptor missile tests conducted by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), nine of the missions are said to have been successful.

This article originally appeared on The Hindu.