Barak 8 - LR-SAM is an Indian-Israeli Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM)
- India (21.09.2016) successfully test-fired once again the most advanced surface-to-air “Barak-8” missile from defence base in the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur off the Odisha coast.
- The missile developed jointly with Israel was test fired at 14.02 hours this afternoon from a mobile launcher. Due to bad weather the missile could not be test fired at the previously scheduled time earlier. The 4.5 meter missile weighing around 3 tonnes can carry a nuclear payload of 70 kilograms.
- The local administration had temporarily displaced more than 3,600 people of seven villages residing nearby Integrated Test Range for security reasons ahead of the test.
About Barak 8 Missile:
- Barak 8 (the Hebrew word for Lightning) also known as LR-SAM is an Indian-Israeli surface-to-air missile (SAM), designed to defend against any type of airborne threat including aircraft, helicopters, anti-ship missiles, and UAVs as well as cruise missiles and combat jets out to a maximum range of 70 km, however, reports suggest the missile has been increased to a maximum range of 90 km following "range upgrade discussions" between India and Israel during November 2014. Some news agencies have referred to the missiles range at 100 km. Both maritime and land-based versions of the system exist.
- Barak 8 was jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), India's Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), Israel's Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, Elta Systems, Rafael and other companies. Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) will produce the missiles. The Israeli Navy has commenced equipping its Sa'ar 5 corvettes with the system, the first re-fitted vessel being the INS Lahav. The Sa'ar 4.5 flotilla will be next for the upgrade.[18] The first 32 missile array will be fitted on the Indian Navy stealth guided-missile destroyer INS Kolkata (D63).