New interceptor missile test successful

India on Sunday successfully tested a new anti-missile system, which is capable of neutralising a nuclear-tipped enemy ballistic missile high in the atmosphere within minutes.

Described as Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV), the new interceptor missile will be a part of India's missile defence shield, when it is fully ready.

The shield comprises two different missile systems —AAD (Advanced Air Defence) and PAD (Prithvi Air Defence) – for destroying enemy missiles within and outside the atmosphere. While the AAD (endo-atmospheric system) can kill an incoming missile within a range of 15-30 km, PAD could neutralise the target missile at a distance of 50-80 km.

“PVD has a range of 120 km and will eventually replace the PAD in our ballistic missile defence shield,” Ravi Kumar Gupta, spokesperson of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) told Deccan Herald. For the test, a target mimicking a hostile ballistic missile approaching from more than 2000 km away was launched at 0907 hours from a naval ship in the Bay of Bengal.