In a leap forward to fortify its skies, India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed interceptor missile which destroyed a 'hostile' target ballistic missile, a modified Prithvi, at an altitude of 16 km over the Bay of Bengal.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation is all set to conduct a trial of the new indigenously developed quick reaction, short-range Prahaar missile on Thursday from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea.
The multi-target missile with a range of 25 km was test-fired at 1430 IST, they added.
The unguided rocket system is meant to neutralise bigger geographical area with rapid salvo of rockets. With a range of 40 km, 'Pinaka' can fire salvo of 12 rockets in 44 seconds. One salvo each (12 rockets) from the battery of six launchers can neutralise at a time a target area of 3.9 sq km.
Two medium-range surface-to-air missiles 'Akash' were successfully test-fired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, about 15 km from Balasore.
Defence sources said two rounds of 'Pinaka' were test fired between 1215 IST and 1245 IST.
India successfully tested the advanced version of Lakhsya, the indigenously built Pilotless Target Aircraft from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea, about 15 km from Balasore, for the third consecutive day on Wednesday.
The 5.6-m-long missile, weighing about 700 kg, was blasted off at 1410 IST from the ITR. It targeted a flying "para barrel" released from a fighter aircraft.
Defence sources said the missile, which was launched from a mobile launcher at 3.15 pm, successfully hit a target attached to a pilotless target aircraft.
With a launch weight of 4.6 tonne which included payload of one tonne, Prithvi can use both solid as well as liquid propellant.
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Trishul has triple battlefield role for the army, air force and navy and can engage targets like aircraft and helicopters by using its radar command-to-line-of-sight guidance.
The missile, which has a launch weight of 700 kg, can carry a warhead of 60 kg and operated in conjunction with a Rajendra surveillance and engagement radar being developed by the Electronic Research and Development Establishment.
Akash was aimed at a target attached to Lakshya, the pilotless target aircraft.
The missile, weighing 650kg, can carry a 50kg payload over a distance of 25km.
It hit a target dropped from an AN-32 aircraft.
The indigenously built multi-target missile can carry a 50kg payload.
After achieving the precision guidance capability from a fixed launcher in its fourth trial on October 29 last, the missile was on Sunday test-fired from a mobile launcher.
The DRDO has so far conducted 16 trials of the army version of the missile since its first trial on February 22, 1988.
The medium range surface-to-air missile was on Monday fired from a mobile launcher.
India's indigenously developed Pinaka rockets were on Thursday successfully test-fired thrice from a multi-barrel rocket launcher at an armament base in Chandipur-on-sea, about 15 km from Balasore in Odisha.
The prompt approval to set up a radar station on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands signalled the Modi government's intent to deal with China on its own terms.
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