IAF inducts Barak 8 air defence system
- Indian Air Force inducted a medium range surface-to-air-missile (MRSAM) system capable of knocking out aerial threats such as enemy fighter jets, missiles, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles at a range of 70 km.
- India and Israel have jointly developed MRSAM which includes advanced radar, command and control systems, and mobile launchers.
- The missile is powered by a locally-developed rocket motor and control system for high manoeuvrability in the terminal phase.
Barak-8 missile
- Barak-8 is a Surface-to-Air Missile Defence System providing a 360° protection against various airborne threats.
- Exploring the technological depth, Barak-8 or LRSAM is equipped with the capability to target enemy aircraft at a 50-70 km range.
- The weapon can engage multiple targets simultaneously, day and night, in all weather conditions.
- Barak-8 is employed with advanced phased-array radar, flexible command system, two-way data link, and mobile launchers.
- It can provide protection against any Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), helicopters and aircraft, anti-ship missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and fighter jets.
Different Variants of the Barak-8 system:
- Barak-8 system consists of three different variants:
Barak 8 AMD/LRSAM
- It is the naval air defence system.
- It was originally designed for the Israeli Navy and is now being used in other countries including India.
MRSAM
- Medium-range missile which comes with mobile launchers, tracking radar, command and control system.
Barak MX
- Third variant comes with a flexible configuration option.
- It can be used in land and naval missions.