February 2, 2013

INDIA’S MISSILE PROGRAMME


Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has started India’s Integrated Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) in 1982-1983 under the chairmanship of Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

Prithvi : is a Surface-to-surface battlefield missile and has a range of 150km-250km. It was first launched on February 25, 1988 from Rocket Launching Centre, Sriharikota. It was successfully test fired from the Interiem Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea, March 27, 2003.

Agni : is a Surface-to-surface ballistic missile. It has a range of 1200km-2000km. On May 22,1989 it was first launched from Chandipur (Orissa).


Agni-1 : was successfully test fired from the launch complex at the Wheeler's island located in the Bay of Bengal of the Orissa coast.

Trishul : is a low-level and quick reaction surface-tosurface missile and has a range of 500 m to 9 km (short range). It is developed for all the three defence services namely army, navy and air force. It was first launched in 1985.

Nag : is a Anti-tank guided missile. Its range is 4 km. Its first test flight was made in 1988.

Anti-Missile System : India has embarked upon the developmnt of an anti-missile system capable of detecting and destroying enemy’s long-range missiles similar to the US made ‘Patriot’ which was effectively used against Iraqi scud missiles in the 1991 gulf war.

Nag Fire and Target System : Indian defence Scientists, in a technological breakthrough, have successfully tested the "fire and forget guidance system" using imaging infra-red seeker for mounting on Nag, making it the first third generation anti-tank missile in the world.

Akash : Akash was successfully test fired from Chandipur-on-Sea, in Balasore district, Orissa on September 19, 2000. It is a medium range surface-to air missile. It has a range of 25 km. It was again successfully test fired on January 21, 2003.

BrahMos : The supersonic anti-ship cruise missile BrahMos, jointly developed by India and Russia, was
successfully test fired for the 2nd time in February 12, 2003. For the first time missile was the test fired from the ship (INS-Rajput) stationed in the Bay of Bengal.

The Arjun Tank : The state of the art flagship of Indian armour and can move in a battlefield at 72 kmph. It has laser range finder, computer-based firing system, 12.7 mm machine gun and thermal sighting equipment.

Pinaka : Pinaka is a multi-barrel rocket system characterised by the capability to deliver saturation fire over targets not engagable by guns. It has a range of 40 km and can deliver a variety of warheads.

LCA : LCA is an eight tonne state of the art multi-role combat aircraft. It would be capable of engaging air battle in a 600 km combat zone. It would carry laser-guided bombs, IR and radar guided missiles, anti-ship missiles, cluster bomb dispensers etc.