India-Israel Co-Developed Barak 8 Missile To Be Test Fired Soon

Indian Navy will be soon test firing the Barak 8, a long-range surface-to-air missile, co-developed by India and Israel.

The test fire is intended to enhance the missile capabilities against incoming missiles, planes and drones, PTI reported Friday.

The launchers and radars to track the missile are already in place. The test will be conducted against an incoming missile by the Navy. If the test fire succeeds, it further leads up for final installation of Barak 8 missile on board Indian warships.

 "The test will be held during the coming monsoon so that actual operating challenge is created," defense officials.  It would be held on INS Kolkata.

Barak 8 is an upgraded version of the Barak system that both the nations use. The missile is being jointly developed by India's Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), Israel's Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, Elta Systems, Rafael and other companies.

The state-run Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) will series-produce the 70 km-range Barak-8, with 32 missiles to be initially fitted onto INS Kolkata.

Israel-made MF-STAR radar system has made Barak 8 missile capable of intercepting incoming missiles. It is able to simultaneously track hundreds of airborne targets to a range of more than 250 kilometres.

The missile had undergone a successful test in Israel last November.