NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday performed a crucial check to validate and showcase its ballistic missile defence (BMD) capabilities to intercept long-range missiles, the defence ministry stated.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) efficiently examined for the primary time a long-range interceptor missile, referred to as AD-1, designed for each low exo-atmospheric and endo-atmospheric interception of ballistic missiles and fighter planes, officers aware of the matter stated.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh described the missile as a “unique type of interceptor” outfitted with superior applied sciences accessible solely with a couple of nations.

India has made vital advances in creating endo-atmospheric and exo-atmospheric intercept programs to destroy incoming hostile missiles inside and out of doors the atmospheric limits, respectively. The two programs have been built-in for a multi-layered defence towards ballistic missiles, the officers stated.

The phase-II BMD interceptor AD-1 missile with a “large kill altitude bracket” was examined from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast. “The flight test was carried out with participation of all BMD weapon system elements located at different geographical locations,” the ministry stated in a press release.

India is pursuing its BMD programme in two phases – the primary part has been accomplished whereas the second is underway, the officers stated. The second part is for validating intercept programs in a brand new vary class, they stated.

The AD-1 missile is propelled by a two-stage stable motor and outfitted with an indigenously-developed superior management system, and navigation and steerage algorithm to exactly information the automobile to the goal, the ministry stated.

“During the flight test, all the sub-systems performed as per expectations and were validated by the data captured by a number of range sensors including radar, telemetry and electro-optical tracking stations deployed to capture the flight data.”

The defence minister stated the brand new missile will additional strengthen the nation’s BMD functionality to the subsequent stage, whilst DRDO chief Samir V Kamat stated the interceptor will present immense operational flexibility to the customers to interact several types of targets.

The built-in exo and endo-atmospheric programs supply a hit-to-kill chance of 99.8 per cent, as beforehand reported.