Indigenous Advanced Air Defence interceptor missile, Ashwin successfully test fired

Indigenously developed Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptor missile, Ashwin was successfully test fired.
The test was the twelfth test of interceptor missiles fired from a warship in the Bay of Bengal. Of the 11 tests held earlier, 9 were successful.
Test: The interceptor missile was test fired from the complex of Abdul Kalam Island (formerly known as Wheeler Island) in Balasore district off Odisha coast.
It hit the target which another ballistic missile i.e. a modified version of Prithvi weapon system. The missile also validated various parameters of the interceptor in flight mode.
Key facts

• AAD interceptor missile Ashwin is the advanced version of low altitude supersonic ballistic interceptor missile.
• It is indigenously developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and is capable of destroying any incoming hostile ballistic missile.
• Features: It is capable of destroying any incoming hostile ballistic missile is 7.5-meter long and weighs around 1.2 tonnes. It has a diameter of less than 0.5 meter.
• It is single-stage solid rocket propelled guided missile. It is equipped with a hi-tech computer, a navigation system and an electro-mechanical activator.
• The missile also has its own mobile launcher, secure data link for interception, independent tracking and homing capabilities and sophisticated radars

Comment

• With this successful test India became the fourth country in the world to have full-fledged multi-layer Ballistic Missile Defence system. Other three countries are United States, Russia and Israel.
• The successful test will also pave the way for the induction of the supersonic interceptor missiles in the Indian armed forces.
• It will also strengthen India’s position in the very exclusive and elite Ballistic Missile Defence club of the other three countries.

Month: Current Affairs - May, 2016