India is all set to deploy its first specialised research ship to track incoming nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles and aircraft at long ranges as well as monitor low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, in a major boost to the country’s early-warning military capabilities.
The indigenous 15,000-tonne missile range instrumentation ship, packed with long-range radars, dome-shaped tracking antennae and advanced electronics, will be commissioned as INS Dhruv in the presence of NSA Ajit Doval and Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh on September 10, said sources.
This comes at a time when a similar Chinese vessel is prowling the Indian Ocean Region on yet another surveillance mission. With INS Dhruv, India joins a select group of countries like the US, Russia, China and France to have such specialised vessels.
“INS Dhruv will act as an early-warning system to detect and track hostile ballistic missiles, with even multiple manoeuverable warheads,” said a source. Once such incoming missiles are detected, land-based ballistic missile defence systems can take over to track and shoot them down. INS Dhruv can also be used to monitor LEO satellites being used by an adversary for military reconnaissance, spying and communications if required, said the source.
