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India tests interceptor missile
Bhubaneswar, India (AFP) March 6, 2009 India staged a missile intercept test Friday as part of a plan to build a defence system against incoming ballistic missiles by 2010, officials said. Military engineers said the test was a success as a "hostile" missile was destroyed in mid-air over the Bay of Bengal off India's eastern Orissa state. Friday's test was the third successful trial since 2007 of an air defence system capable of detecting, intercepting and destroying medium- and long-range ballistic missiles, officials said in Orissa capital Bhubaneswar. The shield will be capable of high-speed interceptions of missiles launched 5,000 kilometres (3,000 miles) away, they added. On Wednesday, India also test-fired a supersonic cruise missile it has jointly developed with Russia since 2001. The latest test near rival Pakistan's borders involved a modified BrahMos with a range of 290 kilometres. The Indian army has already acquired the missile, which carries conventional warheads but can be fired from mobile launchers. India, which has also built an array of nuclear-capable missiles, hopes to test-fire an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) before the end of next year. The Agni-V will have an ICBM range in excess of 5,000 kilometres. The shorter range Agni-I and Agni-II ballistic missiles are being introduced into India's arsenal, although they are not fully operational. An Agni-III with a 1.5-tonne payload capacity and a range of 3,500 kilometres -- enabling it to strike targets deep inside China -- has been tested successfully three times. India has fought three wars with Pakistan and one with China since independence from British rule in 1947. Related Links Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
US to urge Russia not to sell missiles to Iran: Clinton
Brussels (AFP) March 5, 2009US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday that she would urge Russia to stop missile sales talks with Iran, during meetings in Geneva with her Russian counterpart. |
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