India will test fire an advanced version of its indigenous Ballistic Missile Defence system next month. DRDO sources told reporters in New Delhi on Tuesday, the updated version will destroy enemy rockets at a much higher altitude.The DRDO-developed missile shield will intercept missiles at exo-atmospheric altitudes of 150 km and endo-atmospheric height of 80 km. Sources said, with India facing a theatre-based threat and not a global one from an Inter Continental Ballistic Missile, such a capability would also give it an advantage in terms of the area covered by the missile defence system.Our correspondent reports, the system was first test-fired in November 2006 elevating India into the elite club of four countries to have successfully developed an Anti-ballistic missile system, after United States, Russia and Israel. Last year, DRDO conducted the fourth in a row successful test of the endo-atmospheric interceptor missile at an altitude of 15 kms. Sources said if the tests prove successful, the DRDO will go ahead with the deployment of the BMD by 2015.
News On AIR | January 18, 2011 8:54 PM
India to test fire indigenous Ballistic Missile Defence System