India successfully tests missile system developed with Israel
Delhi hails ‘significant milestone’ as Barak 8 surface-to-air defense system destroys targets
The Indian Navy overnight Tuesday successfully tested the Barak 8 missile defense system, which was developed jointly with Israel.
The Indian Defense Ministry hailed the “significant milestone in enhancing its anti missile defense capability,” which it said represents a “quantum jump in air defense capability.”
Israel in November also carried out its first successful launch of the new maritime missile defense system, which would be used under battlefield conditions.
In Israel, the system has been installed on one of the navy’s Sa’ar 5-class warships. In previous tests, the missiles had been fired from land.
Photos of test firing of LR-SAMs. pic.twitter.com/kHOFsOVJ3K
— Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) December 30, 2015
The radar that acquires targets for the Barak 8 system is code-named Adir (Hebrew for “Tremendous”), or MF-STAR (Multi Function Surveillance And Threat Alert Radar).
The 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..”
The system is intended to be mounted either on naval vessels or on the ground, in a battery formation. It can identify and destroy airborne threats like UAVs, jets, missiles and rockets — including projectiles launched simultaneously.
Though a senior Israeli officer said he could not reveal the maximum range of the Barak 8 system, an executive vice president of Israel Aerospace Industries, which helped develop the defense system, revealed to Jane’s Defense News last summer that some of the missiles being used can shoot down targets at a range of 150 kilometers (93 miles).
The system is also intended to defend the Israeli coastline and reportedly can tackle missiles larger than those within the capabilities of the Iron Dome system.
The Times of Israel Community.