The Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) is an Indian anti-ballistic missile developed to intercept incoming ballistic missiles outside of the atmosphere (exo-atmospheric). Based on the Prithvi missile, PAD is a two stage missile with a maximum interception altitude of 80 km (50 mi). The first stage is a liquid fuelled motor while the second stage is solid fuelled. It has maneuver thrusters which can generate a lateral acceleration of more than 5 gs at 50 km (31 mi) altitude. Guidance is provided by an intertial navigation system with mid-course updates from LRTR and active radar homing in the terminal phase. PAD has capability to engage the 300 to 2,000 km (190 to 1,200 mi) class of ballistic missiles at a speed of Mach 5.
LRTR is the target acquisition and fire control radar for the PAD missile. It is an active phased array radar having capability to track 200 targets at a range of 600 km (370 mi). The PAD missile has also been called Pradyumna.
Further development led to the improvement of the interception range to the 80 to 50 km (50 to 31 mi) range. The improved missile will utilize a gimbaled directional warhead, a technology that until now has only been used by the US and Russia. This technology allows for a smaller warhead to destroy the target missile.
Prithvi Air Defense Exercise
The PADE (Prithvi Air Defence Exercise) was conducted on November 2006 in which a PAD missile successfully intercepted a modified Prithvi-II Missile at an altitude of 50 km (31 mi). The Prithvi-II ballistic missile was modified successfully to mimic the trajectory of M-11 missiles.
DRDO plans to test the anti-ballistic shield against missiles with a range of 1,500 km (930 mi). The test will be conducted with a modified Prithvi missile launched from a naval ship and the anti-ballistic missile launched from Wheeler Island. The interception of the target missile will take place at approximately 80 km (50 mi) altitude.
On March 6, 2009 DRDO carried out a second successful test of the PAD interceptor missile. The target used was ship launched Dhanush missile which followed the trajectory of a missile with range of a 1,500 km (930 mi). The target was tracked by Swordfish (LRTR) radar and destroyed by the PAD at 75 km (47 mi) altitude.
On March 6,2011 DRDO successfully test-fired interceptor missile from Advanced Air Defence(AAD) which destroyed a 'hostile' target ballistic missile, a modified Prithvi, at an altitude of 16 km over the Bay of Bengal.Advanced Air Defence (AAD) missile positioned at Wheeler Island, about 70 km across sea from Chandipur, received signals from tracking radars installed along the coastline and travelled through the sky at a speed of 4.5 Mach to destroy it.| Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) | |
|---|---|
| Type | Exo-atmospheric Anti-ballistic missile |
| Place of origin | India |
| Service history | |
| In service | Under development |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | DRDO |
| Produced | 26 November 2006 |
| Specifications | |
| Detonation mechanism | Proximity |
| | |
| Engine | Two Stage |
| Propellant | Liquid fuel propelled first stage with two propellants and oxidizers, solid fuel propelled second stage with gas thruster. |
| Flight altitude | 80 km |
| Speed | >Mach 5 |
| Guidance system | Inertial Navigation System Ground-based mid-course correction Active radar homing (Terminal phase) |
| Launch platform | 8 x 8 Tatra TEL (Transporter erector launcher) |
