India Test Fires Indigenous Interceptor Missile

India has successfully test-fired an indigenously developed interceptor missile, the advanced air defence (AAD) missile, from the integrated test range (ITR) at Wheeler Island off the Orissa coast.

The test fire, carried out from two launch sites, aimed to develop a fully fledged multilayer ballistic missile defence (BMD) system, defence sources said.

The AAD destroyed a hostile target ballistic missile, a modified surface-to-surface Prithvi, at an altitude of 16km over the Bay of Bengal, India.

The interceptor is a 7m-long single-stage solid rocket-propelled guided missile, designed for endo-atmospheric conditions (up to 30km altitude).

The missile is equipped with an inertial navigation system, a high-tech computer, an electro-mechanical activator and sophisticated ground based radars, according to DD India News.