Test fire of interceptor missile postponed

After being put off on Sunday, the test-fire of India's indigenously built Advanced Air Defence (ADD) interceptor missile, capable of destroying hostile in-coming ballistic missiles, is likely to be held at Integrated Test Range Island off the Orissa coast on Monday.

The trial, scheduled for the day at the Wheeler Island was postponed due to some technical snag in the sub-system, official sources said. After sorting out the problem and thorough examination of all systems, it was decided to make the test tomorrow as part of efforts to develop a full fledged multi-layer Ballistic Missile Defence System, defence sources said.

As planned earlier, the test-fire is proposed to be carried out from two different launch sites of ITR, they said. The target missile, a modified indigenously built Prithvi would first lift off from a mobile launcher from the ITR's launch complex at Chandipur-on-sea, 15 km from Balasore.

Minutes later the interceptor missile would blast off from the Wheeler's Island, about 70 km across the sea from Chandipur, to intercept it at an altitude of 15 to 20 km in mid-air over the waters. The new hypersonic interceptor missile is only called 'AAD' and is meant to be used in 'endo-atmospheric conditions'.