India successfully test-fires interceptor missile

India on Friday successfully test-fired indigenously developed interceptor missile, capable of destroying any incoming hostile ballistic missile, from a test range off Odisha coast. 

"It was a fantastic launch. The trial, conducted from two launch sites of Integrated Test Range (ITR) for developing a fully fledged multi-layer Ballistic Missile Defence system, was fully successful," ITR Director S P Dash said.

The 'hostile' target ballistic missile, a modified surface-to-surface 'Prithvi', was first lifted from a mobile launcher around 1013hours from the launch complex-III of ITR at Chandipur-on-Sea, about 15 km from Balasore, Orissa.

After three minutes, the interceptor Advanced Air Defence (AAD) missile positioned at Wheeler Island, about 70 km from Chandipur, received signals from tracking radars installed along the coastline and travelled through the sky to destroy it, defense sources said.

The ITR director said the interceptor hit the 'target' missile at an altitude of about 15 km over the sea.

"Detailed results and the 'kill' effect of the interceptor are being ascertained by analysing data from multiple tracking sources," a Defence Research Development scientist said.

The interceptor is a 7.5-meter long single stage solid rocket propelled guided missile equipped with a navigation system, a hi-tech computer and an electro-mechanical activator, sources said.