NEW DELHI - India conducted a successful test of its homegrown Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) system on March 6, but the military is looking for an interim solution because PAD likely will not be operational for at least three to five years, said a senior Ministry of Defence official.
In the sixth test of PAD, being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), an incoming ballistic missile was destroyed at a range of 600 kilometers and an altitude of 16 kilometers, in what scientists described as an endo-atmospheric test. PAD also has passed an exo-atmospheric test in which an incoming missile was destroyed at an altitude of more than 70 kilometers.
However, DRDO scientists said many more tests are needed before the system is inducted, and the military needs an anti-missile system immediately, said a senior Army official.
Nuclear-capable rivals China and Pakistan make such a system a priority, said Rahul Bhonsle, a retired Indian Army brigadier general and a defense analyst based here.
"My reading is that this [PAD system] is at a technology-demonstration stage, and there would be many more trials and tests required for the system to be operationalized, which may take anything from three to five years," Bhonsle said.
"Testing in a controlled environment is different from a real-time one, and there is much that would be required to be done to gain this confidence."
No Induction Date As there is no set date for the induction of PAD, analysts are not sure when the system would go into production.
"If there are adequate investments in technology and testing with rapid productionalizing, PAD should meet Indian air defense needs," Bhonsle said.
"However, at present, this is not seen to be happening, so one can clearly say that this would remain a black hole unless the DRDO, the services and the MoD treat this as a priority area, given that this would give a major leap to Indian deterrence," he said.
The Army official said there is room for more than one variety of anti-missile system, and that while work on PAD proceeds, an advanced anti-missile system could be purchased overseas. "Lockheed Martin is claiming an improved [Patriot Advanced Capability-3 system] with longer range, which may meet part of the needs, given that this is also reportedly selected as the primary interceptor for the multinational Medium Extended Air Defense System in Europe," Bhonsle said.
"The Israelis have Arrow 2; these systems may meet part of the challenge," he added.
Another Army officer said that although there are many anti-missile systems available overseas, India might be better served by producing more warheads and more advanced missiles to deter nuclear aggression. DRDO, meanwhile, is working to extend PAD's range so that it can destroy ballistic missiles at a range of 5,000 kilometers, a DRDO scientist said.
Currently, PAD is a three-layered missile defense configuration that can engage at the exo-atmospheric layer - the layer in which an enemy missile enters the atmosphere - and the endo-atmospheric layer, in which the atmosphere is thermally sensitive.
In the sixth test of PAD, being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), an incoming ballistic missile was destroyed at a range of 600 kilometers and an altitude of 16 kilometers, in what scientists described as an endo-atmospheric test. PAD also has passed an exo-atmospheric test in which an incoming missile was destroyed at an altitude of more than 70 kilometers.
However, DRDO scientists said many more tests are needed before the system is inducted, and the military needs an anti-missile system immediately, said a senior Army official.
Nuclear-capable rivals China and Pakistan make such a system a priority, said Rahul Bhonsle, a retired Indian Army brigadier general and a defense analyst based here.
"My reading is that this [PAD system] is at a technology-demonstration stage, and there would be many more trials and tests required for the system to be operationalized, which may take anything from three to five years," Bhonsle said.
"Testing in a controlled environment is different from a real-time one, and there is much that would be required to be done to gain this confidence."
No Induction Date As there is no set date for the induction of PAD, analysts are not sure when the system would go into production.
"If there are adequate investments in technology and testing with rapid productionalizing, PAD should meet Indian air defense needs," Bhonsle said.
"However, at present, this is not seen to be happening, so one can clearly say that this would remain a black hole unless the DRDO, the services and the MoD treat this as a priority area, given that this would give a major leap to Indian deterrence," he said.
The Army official said there is room for more than one variety of anti-missile system, and that while work on PAD proceeds, an advanced anti-missile system could be purchased overseas. "Lockheed Martin is claiming an improved [Patriot Advanced Capability-3 system] with longer range, which may meet part of the needs, given that this is also reportedly selected as the primary interceptor for the multinational Medium Extended Air Defense System in Europe," Bhonsle said.
"The Israelis have Arrow 2; these systems may meet part of the challenge," he added.
Another Army officer said that although there are many anti-missile systems available overseas, India might be better served by producing more warheads and more advanced missiles to deter nuclear aggression. DRDO, meanwhile, is working to extend PAD's range so that it can destroy ballistic missiles at a range of 5,000 kilometers, a DRDO scientist said.
Currently, PAD is a three-layered missile defense configuration that can engage at the exo-atmospheric layer - the layer in which an enemy missile enters the atmosphere - and the endo-atmospheric layer, in which the atmosphere is thermally sensitive.
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