DRDO conducted a successful test launch of the interceptor missile. DRDO’s Air Defence Missile AAD-05 has successfully hit the ballistic missile and destroyed it at a height of 15 kms off the Coast of Orissa near the Wheelers Island. A modified Prithvi missile mimicking the ballistic missile was launched at 1010hrs from ITR Chandipur.  Radars located at different locations tracked the incoming ballistic missile.  Interceptor missile was ready to take-off at Wheelers Island. Guidance computers continuously computed the trajectory of the ballistic missile and launched AAD-05 Interceptor Missile at a precisely calculated time. The onboard radio frequency seeker identified the target missile, guided the AAD-05 Interceptor Missile close to the target missile, hit the target missile directly and destroyed it.  Radar and Electro Optic Tracking Systems (EOTS) have tracked the missile and also recorded the fragments of target missile falling into the Bay of Bengal.

Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri Dr. Vijay Kumar Saraswat reviewed the total configuration and mission and also witnessed the launch.  Shri AvinashChander Chief Controller R&D (Missiles) and Shri P Venugopalan, Director DRDL carried out the flight readiness review of both the Target Missile and Interceptor Missile.

The Defence Minister Shri Ak Antony has congratulated all the scientists for the successful demonstration of ballistic missile defence.