India claims ABM capability

From Defense Aerospace

India Acquires Capability for Air Defence Against Incoming Ballistic Missile Threats

(Source: Indian Ministry of Defence; issued Nov. 27, 2006)

The country today achieved a significant milestone in missile defence system. It acquired the capability for air defence against incoming ballistic missile threats, at 1025 hrs this morning.

A Target Missile (modified Prithvi) simulating adversary's missile was launched from Interim Test Range, Balasore. The trajectory of the target missile was continuously tracked and the information was compiled in the Mission Control Centre (MCC) and transmitted to Launch Control Centre (LCC) for launching the interceptor missile.

The interceptor missile had Inertial Guidance in Mid Course and Active Seeker Guidance in terminal phase.

The target missile was successfully intercepted. Many technologies relevant to interceptor missile developed by the country got validated through this successful mission.

The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony has conveyed his heartiest congratulations to the entire DRDO Scientific Community and its Programme Director and Chief Controller of Research and Development Dr. VK Saraswat for the success of the mission. (ends)

DRDO Scientists Successfully Intercept Missile

(Source: ddi Indian Government news; issued Nov. 27, 2006) (Edited for accuracy)

For the first time, India's defence scientists successfully experimented with the coordinated launch of two missiles from two different test ranges on the Orissa coast.

The Prithvi-2, as a target missile, was first launched from the launch complex No. 3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, 15 km from Balasore, at around 1015 hours.

A second missile was fired from launch complex No. 4 located on the Wheeler's Island off the Bhadrak district coast in the Bay of Bengal about 60 seconds later to successfully intercept the first, the sources said adding all data were being analysed.

The interception occurred over the Bay of Bengal, the source said.

Confirming the success, a senior scientist at the ITR said: "It is a great success. It is a moment of pride for the people of the entire country".

The experiment, which was to be held on Sunday, was deferred till today.

[The interceptor missile is unspecified, and at first thought, I have no idea what SAM in the Indian arsenal would have been used. As always, any information you can dig up is appreciated.]