Air Defence-1: Ballistic Missile Defence Interceptor

AD-1: India’s BMD program has been in the works since the late1990s, with its first interceptor missile being tested in November 2006. Having conducted over a dozen tests of the BMD system since then.

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Air Defence-1: About Air Defence-1

The Air Defence-1, with a large kill altitude bracket, is an air defence system operated from the land and can also be mounted on Naval platforms.
It can target a weaponised flying object in the range of 1,500 km to 3,000 km.
This is capable of intercepting incoming long-range nuclear missiles as well as slow-moving aircraft.

Air Defence-1: Why in news?

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) recently conducted a successful maiden flight test of phase-II Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) interceptor AD-1 missile with a large kill altitude bracket.
The flight test was successfully carried out from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha, strengthening India’s deterrence capabilities.

Air Defence-1: Background

India’s BMD programme has been in the works since the late-1990s, with its first interceptor missile being tested in November 2006. Having conducted over a dozen tests of the BMD system since then.
Only a few countries like the US, Russia, Israel and China have fully-operational BMD systems, with an overlapping network of early-warning and tracking sensors, reliable command and control posts, land and sea-based batteries of advanced interceptor missiles.

Air Defence-1: Know about Air Defence-1

The AD-1 (Air Defence-1) system, which is capable of striking down incoming adversary missiles and aircraft, has been developed under the Ballistic Missile Defence programme.
The AD-1 (Air Defence-1) 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.
The missile is propelled by a two-stage solid motor and equipped with an indigenously developed advanced control system and a navigation and guidance algorithm to precisely guide the vehicle to the targets that move at very high speeds.

Air Defence-1: Phase 1 vs Phase 2 of the BMD System

Phase-I of the BMD system, with interceptors flying at 4.5 Mach supersonic speeds to intercept enemy missiles, was meant to tackle hostile missiles with a 2,000-km strike range.
The Phase II, in turn, is supposed to take on the 5,000-km range class of missiles.

What is the S-400 missile defence system?

India has inducted the Russian S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems that can detect, track and destroy incoming strategic bombers, jets, spy planes, drones and even some intermediate-range ballistic missiles.
The S-400 Triumph is a complex air defence missile system, consisting of radars, control systems and different types of missiles.
The S-400 air defence system is equipped with targeting systems, multifunction radar, autonomous detection, anti-aircraft missile systems, launchers and a command and control centre.
It is capable of engaging aerial targets, including aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), ballistic and cruise missiles, within the range of 400km at an altitude of up to 30km and can fire three types of missiles to create a layered defence.