India's own Iron Dome: Plan ready to deploy indigenous long-range air defence system by 2028-2029
air defence system and plans to deploy it by 2028-2029, a ToI report said on October 30. The system is being developed by DRDO under the ambitious Project Kusha.
According to the report, the system will be able to «detect and destroy incoming stealth fighters, aircraft, drones, cruise missiles and precision-guided munitions at ranges up to 350-km.»
The «interception capabilities» of the indigenous long-range surface-to-air missile (LR-SAM) system, will be “comparable” to the Russian S-400 Triumf air defence system, the report said.
It may be mentioned here that the Russian S-400 Triumf was recently inducted by the Indian Air Force.
The Cabinet Committee on Security had cleared development of the LR-SAM system as a “mission-mode” project in May 2022.
Last month, the defence ministry accorded the acceptance of necessity (AoN) for procurement of five of its squadrons for the IAF at a cost of Rs 21,700 crore.
The mobile LR-SAM will feature long-range surveillance and fire control radars. It will be equipped with different types of interceptor missiles that can hit hostile targets at 150-km, 250-km and 350-km ranges, the report said.
“It will be capable of reliable `area air defence’ with single-shot kill probability of not less than 80% for single missile launch and not less than 90% for salvo launch,” ToI reported citing a source.
The system is meant to provide comprehensive air defence cover to strategic and tactical vulnerable areas.
