BMD successfully test-fired

A new feather to the cap of DRDO was added on February 10, 2012 when it successfully test-fired Ballistic Missile Defence(BMD) capability.

Indian BMD program was started to successfully foil any possible missile attack by Pakistan. It was launched in late 1990s when Pakistan test-fired Ghauri ballistic missiles.

Till date, DRDO has launched six BMD missions successfully.

On February 10, 2012, Prithvi missile took off from Integrated Test Range (ITR) off the Odisha coast at 10.10 am. It mimicked the trajectory of ‘attacker’ missile. The interceptor missile was launched from Wheeler insland off the Odisha coast and it successfully destroyed the ‘enemy Prithvi’ at 10.15 am at an altitude of 15 km. The interceptor is claimed to be of having capability to destroy missiles belonging upto 2000 km range. While the attacker, in this case, belonged merely to the range of 600 km.

DRDO says it needs ship-based platforms for launching interceptors far away from shores.