ANS: India can now destroy incoming enemy ballistic missiles fired at it from 5,000 km with AD-1 missile.
Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has conducted a successful maiden flight-test of Phase-II Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) interceptor AD-1 missile from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha on Wednesday.
“We initially developed the phase 1 capability to destroy incoming missiles of 2,000 km. Wednesday’s test now helped us to intercept any missile of the 5,000 km strike range,” Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman Samir Kamat told ANI.
“If our enemies target from long range, we now have the capability to intercept. It is a significant jump in our capability against ballistic missiles,” he said.
The missile AD-1 is part of the phase 2 development programme of the Ballistic Missile Defence shield and can destroy both ballistic missiles and low-flying fighter aircraft.