Why in the News?
Recently, DRDO successfully conducted flight-tests of the Phase-2 Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) System.
Phase-II Air Defence (AD) Endo-atmospheric missile
- It was launched from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, post detection of target missiles by weapon system radars deployed on land and sea.
- Phase-II Air Defense Endo- atmospheric missile is an indigenously developed 2-stage solid propelled ground launched missile system.
- It is meant for neutralizing enemy ballistic missile threats in the altitude bracket of endo to low exo- atmospheric regions.
- Test has demonstrated India’s indigenous capability to defend against the Ballistic Missiles of 5000 km class.
About Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Systems
- BMD systems seek to defend against an aerial attack like drones, fighter jets, and ballistic and cruise missiles by launching interceptors that would hit incoming missiles and destroy them on impact.
- Other Important Missile Defence systems of the world include THAAD (USA), Iron Dome (Israel), Patriot (USA), etc.
| Cruise Missile | Ballistic Missile |
| Powered by jet engines for continuous flight throughout their journey | Rocket-powered for initial boost phase |
| Flies at relatively low altitudes | Follows a ballistic trajectory, arcing upward into the atmosphere before descending to their target. |
| Have shorter ranges | Have longer ranges |
| Often use a comb -ination of GPS, inertial guidance and terrain- contour matching for navigation | Mainly rely on inertial guidance and sometimes GPS |
| Usually carry smaller, single warheads (conventional or nuclear) | Can carry larger payloads, including multiple warheads |
| Harder to detect but easier to intercept after detection | Easier to detect but harder to intercept due to their speed |
| Eg: Brahmos Missiles | Eg: Prithvi and Agni series of Missiles |
Evolution of India’s BMD Program
- India’s BMD program was sanctioned in 2000 in the backdrop of growing threats from China and Pakistan and nuclearization of the sub-continent.
- Work for its development commenced in 2 phases:
- Phase-I: Designed to intercept missiles with a range of up to 2000 km.
- It includes 3 things – Prithvi Air Defence (PAD), Ashwin Advanced Air Defence (AAD), and Swordfish RADAR(long-range tracking radar developed for the BMD system).
- Phase 1 has been successfully tested and has been deployed.
- Phase-I: Designed to intercept missiles with a range of up to 2000 km.
- Phase-II: It is capable of intercepting missiles with range up to 5000 km.
- It consists of two missiles, AD-I and AD-2.
- AD-I is a long-range interceptor missile designed for both low exo-atmospheric and endo- atmospheric interception of long-range ballistic missiles as well as aircraft.
- AD-2 missile is meant to intercept intermediate-range ballistic missile targets with a range between 3000-5500 km.
