25.6.12

Of a Ballistic Missile Defence system....



Delhi and Mumbai, two of the most vital metros, have been chosen for DRDO’s ballistic missile defence (BMD) system that can be put in place at a short notice. The proposal is being prepared for final clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Security. The strategic planning has already begun to install the BMD system in these cities and the final proposal will be sent for government approval after detailed analysis, sources said. 
The sites for installing radars to track enemy missiles and storing counter-attack projectiles will be determined during the planning stage, they said, adding that these locations must have adequate stealth feature and protection against sabotage. To ensure maximum protection against air-borne threats, the DRDO will put a mix of counter-attack missiles, which will be able to shoot down enemy missiles both within the atmosphere and outside it. 
The BMD system will require minimum human intervention due to the complete automation of tracking devices and counter-measures. 
Human intervention will be required only to abort the mission, the sources said. The system will later be used to cover other major cities. The system, which has undergone successful tests, can destroy an incoming missile with a range of up to 2,000 km. DRDO had used variants of Prithvi missiles as simulated targets and successfully intercepted them. It is all set to be upgraded to the range of 5,000 km by 2016. 
The BMD was first testfired in 2006, elevating India into the elite club of countries to have successfully developed an anti-ballistic missile system after the US, Russia and Israel. 

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