Navy successfully test fires surface-to-air missile Barak-8

The Indian Navy conducted twin tests of its latest most potent missile the LR-SAM (Long Range Surface to Air Missile), also known as the Barak-8, from the stealth destroyer INS Kolkata.

Once airborne, the missile continues to receive data from the radar system, which predicts the threat’s trajectory, and enables the missile to adjust its own path before destroying the target.

Two missiles were fired on Tuesday and Wednesday on high speed targets, during naval exercises being undertaken in the Arabian Sea, a Defence spokesperson said.

The success of the LR-SAM programme has the potential to pitchfork India-Israel defence cooperation nearly on a par with India-Russia ties as exemplified by the BrahMos cruise missile joint venture between New Delhi and Moscow.

The missile system is being jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Israel’s Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, Elta Systems, Rafael and other companies.

The system is to be deployed as the major missile system on the largest indigenously-built warship, INS Kolkata, which was inducted into the navy past year.

In November, Boaz Levi, IAI corporate vice president and general manager of the systems, missiles and space group, said the Barak 8 radar can detect threats at over 100 kilometers, adding that it could become fully operational in a matter of months.

This was the first test held aboard an Indian ship, after it was sent out twice from Israeli vessels.

Barak – 8 is a surface-to-air missile (SAM).