Interceptor missiles testfired

India achieved another defence milestone by successfully flight-testing one of its sophisticated interceptor missiles from Wheeler Island in Orissa’s Bhadrak district. The interceptor dubbed Advanced Air Defence (AAD), destroyed an incoming target missile at about 10.15am on Friday. Defence sources said the test was part of a coordinated air defence exercise, which featured two missiles – an interceptor and a target missile. While the target missile, mimicking an enemy missile, a modified version of Prithvi, was launched from the LC-III of integrated test range (ITR) at Chandipur at about 10.10am, the interceptor was fired from LC-IV a few minutes later. “It was fourth successful trial of AAD interceptor missile against incoming ballistic missile in endo-atmospheric regime at 15km altitude. The guidance computers continuously computed the trajectory of the incoming ballistic missile and launched AAD-05 interceptor missile at a precisely calculated time,” a defence release said.