India successfully tests missile defense system developed with Israel

The Indian military on Thursday successfully test fired the Barak 8, a surface-to-air missile defense system it developed jointly with Israel, reports in Indian media said.

The system, made up of a radar array and missile launcher, successfully detected and downed an unmanned aerial vehicle, an official from India’s Defense Research and Development Organization said.

“The test launch was a grand success and it met all the targets,” he told the local NDTV News.

Developed jointly by the DRDL and Israel Aerospace Industries, the Barak 8 system can identify and destroy airborne threats like UAVs, jets, missiles and rockets, including projectiles launched simultaneously.

Unlike other defense systems, Barak 8 can be installed on naval ships as well as on the ground, giving it a mobility advantage.

Israel in November also carried out its first successful launch of the new maritime missile defense system, and has already been installed on one of its Sa’ar 5-class warships.

Though senior Israeli officials have not revealed the maximum range of the Barak 8 system, an executive vice president of IAI revealed to Jane’s Defense News last year that some of its missiles could shoot down targets at a range of 150 kilometers (93 miles).

The radar acquiring targets for the Barak 8 system is code-named Adir (Hebrew for “Tremendous”), or MF-STAR (Multi-Function Surveillance and Threat Alert Radar).

This newest iteration (“8”) is intended to defend against advanced weaponry believed to be in the hands of Hezbollah, including the Russian-made Yakhont P-800 anti-ship missile.