SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
KARUNA MISHRA
DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
Which reference to Agni-IV Missile, which of the following statements is/are correct?
(1) It is a surface-to-surface missile.
(2) It is fuelled by liquid propellant only.
(3) It can deliver one-tonne nuclear warheads about 7500 km away.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
A BALLISTIC MISSILE: is a missile which has a ballistic
trajectory over most of its flight path, regardless of
whether or not it is a weapon delivery vehicle.
1) It is launched directly into high layers of earth's
atmosphere.
2) It travels well outside the atmosphere and then
warhead gets detached and falls down to earth. As it
depends on gravity to reach its target, it is known as
ballistic missile.
Ballistic missiles can be launched from ships and land
based facilities.
• Examples: Agni-I, Agni-II, Prithvi-I, Prithvi-II, Dhanush
Types of ballistic missiles based
on the range
•Short-range ballistic missile (SRBM): Range between 300 km and 1,000 km.
•Medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM): 1,000 km to 3,500 km.
•Intermediate-range (Long-Range) ballistic missile (IRBM or LRBM): 3,500 km and 5,500
km.
•Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM): 5,500 km +
A CRUISE MISSILE: is an unmanned self-propelled (till the time of impact)
guided vehicle that sustains flight through aerodynamic lift for most of its
flight path and whose primary mission is to place an ordnance or special
payload on a target. They fly within the earth’s atmosphere and use jet
engine technology.
1) Subsonic cruise missile - 0.8 Mach.
2) Supersonic cruise missile - 2-3 Mach
3) Hypersonic cruise missile- more than 5 Mach.
Differences between Ballistic Missile and
Cruise
Ballistic Missile Missile Cruise Missile
•It is propelled only for a brief duration after the
•Self-propelled till the end of its flight.
launch.
•Similar to a rocket engine. •Similar to a jet engine.
•Long-range missiles leave the earth’s atmosphere
•The flight path is within the earth’s atmosphere.
and reenter it.
•Low precision as it is unguided for most of its
•Hits targets with high precision as it is constantly
path and its trajectory depends on gravity, air
propelled.
resistance and Coriolis Force.
•Can have a very long range (300 km to 12,000 •The range is small (below 500 km) as it needs to
km) as there is no fuel requirement after its be constantly propelled to hit the target with
initial trajectory. high precision.
•Heavy payload carrying capacity. •Payload capacity is limited.
•Can carry multiple payloads (Multiple
•Usually carries a single payload.
Independently targetable Re-entry Vehicle)
•Developed primarily to carry conventional
•Developed primarily to carry nuclear warheads.
warheads.
•E.g. Prithvi, Agni and Dhanush missiles etc. •E.g. BrahMos missiles, Nirbhay missiles
Brahmos Missiles
•It is a supersonic cruise missile developed as a joint
venture between Indian and Russia.
•It is the fastest supersonic cruise missile in the world.
•It is the world’s fastest anti-ship cruise missile in
operation.
Shaurya Missile
India successfully test fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable
hypersonic missile ‘Shaurya’ with a strike range of around 1,000 km.
• Shaurya is a canister-based system, which means that it is stored and
operated from specially designed compartments.
• Shaurya is a land-based parallel of the submarine launched K-15
missile.
• The K family of missiles are primarily Submarine Launched Ballistic
Missiles, which have been indigenously developed by DRDO and are
named after Dr. Kalam.
India successfully test-fired Agni-P, also known as Agni Prime, the next generation nuclear-
capable ballistic missile in India’s nuclear arsenal, from Odisha’s Balasore.
Agni Prime:
•The Agni missile is a family of medium to intercontinental range ballistic missiles
developed by India, named after one of the five elements of nature.
•The ‘Agni Prime’ is the advanced version of the ‘Agni-1’ missile.
•The ‘Agni Prime’ is a short-range ballistic missile that will have a range of 1000 km to
1500 km and will have advanced features in agility and road mobility.
•It is a surface to a surface missile that can carry a payload of around 1,000 Kg or a nuclear
warhead.
Agni Missiles
• Medium to intercontinental range ballistic missiles developed by India.
• Long range nuclear weapons capable surface to surface ballistic missile.
Name Type Range Payload in kg
Agni-I MRBM 700 – 900 km 1,000
Agni-II MRBM 2,000 – 3,000 km 750 – 1,000
Agni-III IRBM 3,500 – 5,000 km 2,000 – 2,500
Agni-IV IRBM 3,000 – 4,000 km 800 – 1,000
Agni-V ICBM 5,000 – 8,000 km (Testing) 1,500 (3 – 10 MIRV)
8,000 – 10,000 km (Under
Agni-VI ICBM 1,000 (10 MIRV)
development)
Prithvi Missiles
•Prithvi is a surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) developed
by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
•It was developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development
Program (IGMDP) and is deployed by India’s Strategic Forces Command.
•Developed as a battlefield missile, Prithvi can carry a nuclear warhead in its
role as a tactical nuclear weapon.
Misssile Type Range Warhead Fuel Stages
PRITHVI I Surface-surface 150 KM 1000KG Single
PRITHVI II Surface-surface 350 KM 500-1000 kg Single
PRITHVI III Surface-surface 750 KM 1000 Kg 2 stages
On the basis of Launch Mode:
(i) Surface-to-Surface Missile: A surface-to-surface missile
is a guided projectile launched from a hand-held,
vehicle mounted, trailer mounted or fixed installation.
(ii)Surface-to-Air Missile: A surface-to-air missile is
designed for launch from the ground to destroy aerial
targets like aircrafts, helicopters and even ballistic
missiles. These missiles are generally called air defence
systems as they defend any aerial attacks by the
enemy.
Surface to Surface Missiles
[Link] series of missiles – Min Range 150 Km and Max
range is around 500 Km.
[Link] series of missiles – Min Range 700 km and max
range is around 5000 Km.
[Link] – Subsonic Cruise missile with a range of 1000
km
[Link] – Jointly Developed with Russia. It is the
fastest cruise missile in the world with a range of around
300 Km.
[Link] – This is a missile with a range of 150 km.
AIR DEFENCE SYSTEM OR MISSILE DEFENCE SYTEM
The use of IRON DOME by ISRAEL
Why do we need to have one!!
What is air defence system?
The Indian Air Force Is Right Now Struggling To
Any mechanism which can detect and then
Maintain Its Squadron Strength. In Such A
destroy a missile in the air before it can cause any
Scenario The Role Of Air Defence Systems
harm
Becomes Very Important.
COMPONENTS OF AIR DEFENCE SYSTEM
[Link] Range interception: Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme
[Link] Interception: S-400 Triumph (future induction)
[Link] Range interception: Akash Air Defence System, QRSAM and
Similar Systems
[Link] Short-range interception: MANPADS and Anti- Aircraft Guns.
Ballistic Missile
Ballistic Missile
Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Program: Long Range Interception
India’s ballistic missile defence system provides a Two-layered Shield – ‘Exo’ And ‘Endo‘.
Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) missile: - Exo
Advanced Air Defence (AAD) Missile: - Endo
Prithvi Air Defence System
i. It has an operational range of 300 km -2000 km.
ii. It has maximum interception altitude of 80 km.
iii. It is designed to intercept incoming ballistic missiles in their intermediate cruising
phase.
iv. With a maximum speed over Mach 5, PAD is fast enough to hit intermediate-range
ballistic missiles.
Advanced Air Defence (AAD) is an anti-
ballistic missile designed to intercept incoming
ballistic missiles in the endo-atmosphere at an
altitude of 30 km (19 mi).
i. AAD is a single-stage, solid-fueled missile.
ii. AAD has an operational range of 150 km to
200 km.
iii. It has a maximum speed of Mach 4.5.
The S-400 Triumf is a mobile,
surface-to-air missile system (SAM)
designed by Russia.
Max. target speed 4.8 km/s (17,000 km/h;
11,000 mph; Mach 14)
Target detection distance 600 km
The number of 160
simultaneously guided
missiles (full system)
Ready for operation on a 5 min;
signal from driving on the
march
Ready for operation on a 35 sec
signal from
standby ready and
enabled
Time between major 10,000
overhauls (hours)
The Aakash Air Defence System
It is a mid-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system
built by Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO).
War head 60 Kg
Solid booster and integral
Propulsion
rocket/ramjet sustainer motor
Operational Range 45 km
maximum Speed Mach 3.5
Mid-course: Command
Guidance system guidance with datalink
Terminal: Active radar homing
T-72 or BMP-2 chassis or Tata
Launch platform
Motors Heavy Mobility Trucks
Akash Missile system
• export of indigenously developed Akash missile systems to friendly countries.
• It is a mid-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system built by DRDO, under the
integrated guided-missile development programme (IGMDP).
• Two versions of the missile have been built for the Indian Air Force and the Indian
Army.
• Akash-NG is a new generation Surface to Air Missile meant for use by
Indian Air Force with an aim of intercepting high manoeuvring low RCS
(Radar Cross Section) aerial threats
Propellant Solid fuel
Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air
Missile: 3 km (1.9 mi) –
Missile (QRSAM) Operational range
30 km (19 mi)
30 m (98 ft) – 6 km
Flight altitude
• Developed by the DRDO + Bharat (3.7 mi)
Maximum speed 4.7 Mach
Electronics Limited
+ Bharat Dynamics Limited for the Indian
Army.
• All -weather, all-terrain SAM equipped
with electronic countermeasures against
jamming by aircraft radars.
• The missile can be mounted on a truck and
is stored in a canister.
The cabinet recently gave approval for trade of AKASH missiles and AKASH-NG missiles to
friendly nations.
With reference to AKASH missiles which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. These are indigenously built surface to air missiles.
2. They can carry payload up to 150 kg.
3. They have operational range of more than 200 km.
Choose the correct option using the code given below.
a) 1only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 3 only
d) 1,2 and 3
Barak 8 “LRSAM”
Barak 8 also known as LR-SAM or
as MR-SAM is an Indo-
Israeli surface-to-air missile (SAM).
Operational
0.5–100 km
range
Flight ceiling 16 km
Maximum speed Mach 2
MANPADS
Man-portable air defense systems
are surface-to-air missiles that can be
fired by an individual or a small team
of people against aircraft.
These weapon systems often are
described as shoulder-fired anti-
aircraft missiles
The Russian IGLA-S man-portable air defence missiles
The importance of Indigenisation of Defence Technology.