The Hindu : National : Interceptor missile to be launched today from Wheeler Island

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Thursday, Dec 06, 2007
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Interceptor missile to be launched today from Wheeler Island

Test aimed at establishing capability for a BMD shield

— Photo: Courtesy DRDO

ALL SET: The interceptor missile ready for launch on Wheeler Island.

Wheeler Island (off Dhamra, Orissa): The tranquil Wheeler Island, off the Orissa coast, has turned into a beehive of pre-launch activity with a crucial, hypersonic interceptor missile test scheduled to take place on Thursday.

The 7.5- metre tall interceptor missile named Advanced Air Defence (AAD-02) stood on its mobile launcher on the beachfront on Wednesday afternoon. The missile, painted in white, carried the emblem of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on top and the legends “Programme AD (Area Defence), AAD-02” below.

This interceptor missile will lift off within seconds of an incoming, “target” missile, which will be launched from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea, about 70 km across the sea from Wheeler Island. The interception will take place in “endo-atmosphere,” at an altitude of 15 km.

This test, in which two live missiles will be launched as a target and an interceptor, is aimed at establishing India’s capability for a two-layered Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) shield for protecting vulnerable areas from an incoming enemy missile.

DRDO scientists were glued to their computer consoles at the Mission Control Centre (MCC) on Wheeler Island on Wednesday to complete the range integration checks.

Top missile scientist and Mission Director V.K. Saraswat told The Hindu that the target missile, a modified Prithvi, would be launched by the Army in an independent manner. The Army is the custodian of the Prithvi because it had already been inducted into it. The vehicle director for the interceptor missile is D.S. Reddy.

The interceptor is equipped with state-of-the-art inertial navigation system and electro-mechanical actuators to enable it perform critical manoeuvres required to engage the incoming missile during the latter’s terminal phase, Mr. Saraswat, who is also the Chief Controller, DRDO, R and D, (Missiles and Strategic Systems), said. The target missile would ‘mimic M-9 and M-11class of missiles in the world, which are with the adversaries,” he added.

The health of the interceptor missile and radar systems was checked as also the communication links between various elements of the weapon systems such as radars, MCC, Launch Control Centre.

Mr. Saraswat said both the target and the interceptor would be flying at a velocity of Mach 4.5. He called the single-stage AAD “a totally new missile.”

The DRDO conducted a successful interception test of a missile at an altitude of 50 km in exo-atmosphere on November 27, 2006.

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