Bhubaneshwar: Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested the Phase-II Ballistic Missile Defence System on 24 July 2024. The Target Missile was launched from LC-IV Dhamra at 1620 hrs, mimicking an adversary Ballistic Missile, which was detected by weapon system radars deployed on land and sea, activating the AD Interceptor system.

The Phase-II AD Endo-atmospheric missile was launched from LC-III at ITR, Chandipur, at 1624 hrs. The flight test fully met all the trial objectives, validating the complete network-centric warfare weapon system consisting of Long Range Sensors, low latency communication system, MCC, and Advanced Interceptor missiles.

The test has demonstrated the Nation’s indigenous capability to defend against Ballistic Missiles of the 5000 km class. The performance of the missile was monitored from the flight data captured by range tracking instruments like Electro-Optical Systems, Radar, and Telemetry Stations deployed by ITR, Chandipur, at various locations, including on-board a ship.

The Phase-II AD Endo-atmospheric missile is an indigenously developed two-stage, solid-propelled, ground-launched missile system meant for neutralising many types of enemy ballistic missile threats in the altitude bracket of endo to low exo-atmospheric regions. A number of state-of-the-art indigenous technologies developed by various DRDO laboratories have been incorporated into the missile system.

Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh complimented DRDO for today’s successful flight test and stated that it has again demonstrated the Ballistic Missiles Defence capability.

Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO, Dr Samir V Kamat, congratulated the entire DRDO team for their untiring effort and contribution, culminating in today’s successful flight test. /BI