New Delhi: India has successfully test-fired a Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) interceptor missile off the Odisha coast. This system is capable of shooting down missiles and aircraft over a long range. Actually, the threat of drones equipped with killer missiles, fighter jets and explosives of China and Pakistan is increasing. To deal with this, India is now getting an impenetrable security cover and is building its ‘Iron Dome’ like Israel. India is advancing its BMD system with the S-400 air defence system received from Russia. In the latest test, BMD’s AD-1 interceptor missile successfully achieved its target. The BMD system is designed in such a way that even a nuclear attack can be thwarted. Let us know what is AD-1 missile and how India is preparing its indigenous Iron Dome for a protective cover.

The AD-1 interceptor missile of BMD system made by DRDO is a long range missile. This missile has been designed to shoot down ballistic missiles and fighter jets both within and outside the atmosphere. The missile is driven by a two-stage solid motor. It is fitted with a state-of-the-art control and navigation system developed in India. This navigation system helps the AD-1 missile to move towards its target at a very high speed. DRDO said that during this missile test, all the subsystems worked well and the sensors deployed along the way have confirmed this. Scientists said that a fully active ballistic missile defence system consists of high power radars.

DRDO scientists said that with the help of this system, a large area can be protected from enemy missiles or other air attacks. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that only a few countries in the world have this state-of-the-art technology. India was in dire need of this system in the year 1999 during the Kargil war. Pakistan was continuously increasing its missile capability. China was also continuously giving aid to Pakistan in its missile program. The first phase of India’s BMD system is believed to have been completed around 2010. This air defence system has been prepared with the help of Prithvi missile. With its help, missiles that can hit the enemy up to 2000 km can be destroyed in the air.

According to sources, the second phase of India’s BMD program is focused on building an impenetrable anti-ballistic missile system. India’s this system can be in the same way as America’s is. America has deployed Thad air defence system in many countries of the world and it is capable of shooting down ballistic missiles with a range of 5,000 km. Not only this, India has now started making AD-II interceptor missile which can hunt its enemy for a long distance. The air defence system built on the basis of Prithvi missiles can destroy missiles in the air from 50 to 80 km. The Pradyumna ballistic missile interceptor is being made in its place. The second phase of this system is called Advanced Air Defence or AAD. AAD is capable of shooting down low-flying missiles. It has a range of 15 to 40 km. India’s Akash missile has been made a part of AAD.

India has also bought the S-400 system called Russian Brahmastra to beef up its air security. The S-400 is also being inducted into the Indian Air Force. Russia’s S-400 system is included in the world’s most modern air defence system. This Russian system is capable of shooting down all types of air threats such as missiles, UAVs and fighter jets. Its extremely powerful radar is adept at sniffing any air threat coming from Pakistan and China. According to experts, the S-400 is a game changer weapon in the Indian subcontinent. With both these systems, India’s air capacity has now increased manifold. According to DRDO, the probability of hitting the enemy of the Indian BMD system is about 99.8. India has not yet fully operationalized this system in view of the huge expenditure involved in this and the threat of Pakistan taking retaliatory measures and increasing the number of nuclear missiles. America, Russia, China and Israel have their own BMD. India is very close to acquiring this capability very soon.