Missile defense systems are a type of missile defense intended to shield a country against incoming missiles, such as intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) or other ballistic missiles. The United States, Russia, India, France, Israel, Italy, United Kingdom, China and Iran have all developed missile defense systems.
Definitions
The term "Missile defense system" broadly means a system that provides any defense against any missile type (conventional or nuclear) by any country. Any mechanism which can detect and then destroy a missile before it can cause any harm is called a missile defence system (MDS).
The role of defense against nuclear missiles has been a heated military and political topic for several decades. However, missile defense is no longer limited to interception of strategic nuclear weapons. The gradual development and proliferation of missile technology has blurred the line between the technologies for the interception of tactical missiles (usually short to intermediate range with non-nuclear payloads) and the interception of strategic missiles (usually long ranged with nuclear payloads). High-performance tactical ballistic missiles carrying non-nuclear payloads now have the ability to affect strategic balance in conflict zones. Likewise, high-performance tactical missile defense systems can now influence force deployment strategies.
Europe
France, Italy, and UK
The UK, France and Italy developed a programme called PAAMS (also known as Sea Viper in the UK) in the late 1990s. It was developed to arm the Horizon-class frigate (a joint programme between the UK, France and Italy). The UK dropped out of the frigate programme after collective differences remained unsolved, and instead decided to design and build its own Type 45 destroyer which would still use the PAAMS missile system. France and Italy, following this departure, incorporated a ground-launched anti-ballistic missile system into the plans, and developed SAMPT – a truck-launched anti-ballistic missile system which used PAAMS technology.
Germany and other countries
In October 2022, fifteen European states joined the German-led European Sky Shield Initiative.
India
Two systems are in planning and testing stages. The air defence network has two principal components – the ‘Air Defence Ground Environment System’ (ADGES) and the ‘Base Air Defence Zones’ (BADZ). The ADGES network provides for wide area radar coverage and permits the detection and interception of most aerial incursions into Indian airspace. The BADZ system is considerably more concentrated with radars, interceptors, SAMs and AAA units working together to provide an intense defensive barrier to attacks on vital targets.
Ballistic missile defence
The Ballistic Missile Defence Program is an initiative to develop and deploy a multi-layered ballistic missile defense system to protect India from ballistic missile attacks.
Introduced in light of the ballistic missile threat from Pakistan, it is a double-tiered system consisting of two interceptor missiles, namely the Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) missile for high-altitude interception, and the Advanced Air Defence (AAD) Missile for lower altitude interception. The two-tiered shield should be able to intercept an incoming missile having a range of up to 5,000 kilometers.
PAD was tested in November 2006, followed by AAD in December 2007. With the test of the PAD missile, India became the fourth country to have successfully developed an Anti-ballistic missile system, after United States, Russia and Israel. On 6 March 2009, India again successfully tested its missile defense shield, during which a test "enemy" missile was intercepted at an altitude of 75 km.
On 6 May 2012, it was announced that Phase-I is complete and can be deployed to protect two Indian cities at a short notice. New Delhi, the national capital, and Mumbai, have been selected for the ballistic missile defence shield. After successful implementation in Delhi and Mumbai, the system will be used to cover other major cities in the country. This shield can destroy incoming ballistic missiles with range up to 2,000 km. When the Phase II is completed and PDV is developed, the two anti-ballistic missiles can intercept targets up to range 5,000 km both at exo and endo-atmospheric (inside the atmosphere) regions.
Apart from DRDO's endeavour to develop a potent missile defense, India is reportedly examining the Israeli Arrow, the Almaz design bureau's S-300 PMU-1/-2 and S-400 and the Antey design bureau's Antey 2500/S-300VM. India has procured a squadron of S-300V systems which are in use as an 'anti-tactical ballistic missile screen'.