Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:22, 10 November 2024

Revision as of 23:05, 10 November 2024

Line 1:

''''''Bold text'''''''''Bold text'''''''''{{Short description|Indian Ministry of Defence programme}}

{{more citations needed|date= March 2016}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2013}}

Line 36:

*# Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (SAM) ‘Akash’

*# Short Range Surface to Air Missile (SAM) ‘Trishul’

*# Anti-tank Guided Missile (ATGM) ‘Nag’ (<ref>[https://www.itworkss.in/best-indian-guided-missiles-part-1/ Read More] )</ref>

The [[Agni (missile)|Agni missile]] was initially conceived in the IGMDP as a technology demonstrator project in the form of a re-entry vehicle, and was later upgraded to a ballistic missile with different ranges.<ref name="brahmos-site-igmdp" /> As part of this program, the Interim Test Range at Balasore in Odisha was also developed for missile testing.<ref name="fl-missile-shield">{{cite news

Line 59:

{{Main|Pakistani missile research and development program|l1=Hatf Program}}

StartingThe starting of India's missile program influenced Pakistan to scramble its resources to meet the challenge. Like India, Pakistan too faced hurdles to operationalize its program since education on space sciences was never sought. It took Pakistan decades and years of expensive trial errors before their program became feasible for military deployment.

== Prithvi ==

{{main|Prithvi missile}}

The '''Prithvi missile''' (from [[Sanskrit language|Sanskrit]] पृथ्वी ''[[prithvi|{{IAST|pṛthvī}}]]'' "Earth") is a family of tactical [[Surface-to-surface missile|surface-to-surface]] short-range [[ballistic missile]]s (SRBM) and is India's first indigenously developed ballistic missile. Development of the Prithvi began in 1983, and it was first test-fired on 25 February 1988 from Sriharikota, SHAR Centre, Pottisreeramulu Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh. It has a range of up to 150 to 300&nbsp;km. The land variant is called '''Prithvi''' while the naval operational variant of Prithvi I and Prithvi III class missiles are code named '''Dhanush''' (meaning '''"Bow'''"). Both variants are used for surface targets.

The Prithvi is said to have its propulsion technology derived from the Soviet [[SA-2]] surface-to-air missile.<ref>{{cite web|author=John Pike |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/india/prithvi.htm |title=Prithvi – India Missile Special Weapons Delivery Systems |publisher=GlobalSecurity.org |access-date=2010-10-08}}</ref> Variants make use of either liquid or both liquid and solid fuels. Developed as a battlefield missile, it could carry a nuclear warhead in its role as a tactical [[nuclear weapon]].

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! Missile !! Type !! Warhead !! Payload (kg) !! Range (km) !! Dimension (m) !! Fuel/Stagesstages !! Weight (kg) !! In service !! CEP (m)

|-

| Prithvi-I || Tactical || Nuclear, HE, submunitions, FAE, chemical || 1,000 || 150 || 8.55X1.1 || Single stage liquid || 4,400 || 1988 || 30–50

Line 80:

The initial project framework of the IGMDP envisioned the Prithvi missile as a short-range ballistic missile with variants for the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.<ref>[http://cns.miis.edu/research/india/indiach2.htm Centre for Non Proliferation Studies Archive] {{webarchive|url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20011202044243/http://cns.miis.edu/research/india/indiach2.htm |date=2 December 2001 }} ''accessed'' 18 October 2006.</ref> Over the years the ''Prithvi'' missile specifications have undergone a number of changes. The Prithvi I class of missiles were inducted into the Indian Army in 1994, and it is reported that Prithvi I missiles are being withdrawn from service, being replaced with Prahar missiles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://defense-update.com/20130701_prahar_to_replace_privthi.html |title=After 17 years in service, the Prithvi I missile will give way to smaller and better Prahar |date=July 2013 |publisher=defense-update.com |access-date=2013-07-01}}</ref> Prithvi II missiles were inducted in 1996. ''Prithvi III'' class has a longer-range of 350&nbsp;km, and was successfully test fired in 2004.<ref name=janes-dhanush>{{cite web|url=http://www.janes.com/articles/Janes-Naval-Weapon-Systems/Dhanush-Sagarika-Project-K-15-India.html |title=Dhanush/Sagarika (Project K-15) (India) – Jane's Naval Weapon Systems |publisher=Janes.com |access-date=2012-12-24}}</ref>

== Agni Rere-entry Technologytechnology ==

A technology demonstrator for re-entry technology called Agni was added to IGMDP as Prithvi was unable to be converted to a longer ranged missile. The first flight of Agni with re-entry technology took place in 1989.<ref name="frontline-13feb09">{{cite magazine|author=T. S. Subramanian|date=31 January – 13 February 2009|title=Missile shield|url=http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl2603/stories/20090213260309700.htm|magazine=Frontline|volume=26|issue=3|publisher=Kasturi|issn=0970-1710}}</ref> The re-entry system used resins and carbon fibres in its construction and was able to withstand a temperature of up to 3000&nbsp;°C.<ref name="frontline-13feb09"/><ref>{{cite magazine|author=T. S. Subramanian|date=21 August 2015|title=Technologist to the core|url=http://www.frontline.in/other/obituary/technologist-to-the-core/article7499055.ece|magazine=Frontline|publisher=Kasturi|issn=0970-1710}}</ref> The technologies developed in this project were eventually used in the [[Agni (missile)|Agni series]] of missiles.<ref>{{cite web|author1=PIB Delhi|title=Missile Development Programme|url=http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=85986|date=13 August 2012}}</ref>

Line 89:

== Akash ==

{{main|Akash missile}}

[[File:Akash SAM.jpg|thumb|200px|An Akash missile being test fired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, Orissa. The launch platform is a BMP-2 vehicle.]]

'''Akash''' (Sanskrit: आकाश meaning ''Sky'') is a medium-range surface-to-air missile developed as part of India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme to achieve self-sufficiency in the area of surface-to-air missiles. It is the most expensive missile project ever undertaken by the Union government in the 20th century. Development costs skyrocketed to almost {{USD}}120 million, which is far more than other similar systems.<ref name=trishul_shut>[http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/feb/27trishul.htm "India Shuts Down Trishul Missile Project" ] ''[[Rediff.com]]'' 27 February 2008</ref>

Line 117 ⟶ 118:

Separate versions for the Army and the Air Force are being developed. For the Army, the missiles will be carried by specialist carrier vehicles (NAMICA-Nag Missile Carrier) equipped with a [[thermographic camera]] for target acquisition. NAMICA is a modified [[BMP-2]] [[infantry fighting vehicle]] licence produced as "Sarath" in India. The carriers are capable of carrying four ready-to-fire missiles in the observation/launch platform which can be elevated with more missiles available for reload within the carrier. For the Air Force, a nose-mounted thermal imaging system has been developed for guiding the missile's trajectory "Helina". The missile has a completely [[fiberglass]] structure and weighs around 42&nbsp;kg.

Nag was test fired for the 45th time on 19 March 2005 from the Test Range at [[Ahmednagar]] ([[Maharashtra]]), signalling the completion of the developmental phase. It will now enter the production phase, subject to user trials and acceptance by the [[Indian Army]].

Further versions of the missile may make use of an all-weather [[Extremely high frequency|Milli-metre Wave]] (mmW) seeker as an additional option. This seeker has reportedly been developed and efforts are on to integrate it into the missile.