The induction of the Barak-8 medium-range surface-to-air missile (MRSAM) air defense system into the Indian Air Force is in line with the ‘Make in India’ mantra, aimed at self-reliance in defence production. The missile system can destroy aircraft from a distance of 70-110 kilometers and is capable of launching 24 missiles on 16 targets simultaneously.
There was a successful demonstration of emergency landings of IAF jets close to the Pakistan border has been indicative of New Delhi flexing its military muscle. In addition, the S-400 SAMs are scheduled to be delivered by Russia by the end of this year. So, the IAFs newfound air defense capabilities will be a nightmare for arch-rivals Pakistan and China in the days ahead.
The IAF formally inducted the Barak 8 air defense systems in Jaisalmer in the north-western state of Rajasthan on September 9. The same day, the service demonstrated emergency landings on National Highway-925 in Rajasthan’s Jalore district, 40 kilometers from the India-Pakistan border. IAF Su-30MKI and Jaguar fighter jets, and a Super Hercules transport plane carrying Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Roadways Minister Nitin Gadkari, and Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria completed the emergency landing exercise.
An IAF Su-30MKI performs an emergency landing exercise on a national highway in Rajasthan. Defence Minister Singh lauded this feat by the IAF before traveling to Jaisalmer district to inaugurate the Barak-8 medium-range surface-to-air missile (MRSAM).
The Barak-8 MRSAM Capabilities
1. The Barak-8 is capable of neutralizing aerial threats at ranges up to 70-110 km.
2. It's a product of a collaborative effort between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Israel Aerospace Industry (IAI). Other key stakeholders were Israeli company Rafael, India’s state-run Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bharat Dynamics Limited, and private entity Larsen and Toubro (L&T).
3. The system is supersonic, which means it can travel at a lightning pace exceeding the speed of sound. It is designed to intercept targets like aircraft, missiles, and other munitions.
4. The Barak-8 boasts sophisticated radars, command and control systems, and mobile launchers. The air defense system’s missiles are propelled by an indigenous rocket motor and control system for high maneuverability in the terminal phase.
5. The system can be transported in a short time, making it difficult for the adversary to mark its presence on the ground.
6. The missile is powered by an indigenously developed rocket motor and control system for achieving high maneuverability during the terminal phase.
7. The new MRSAM system comes to 2204 Squadron called the Invincibles which is based in Jaisalmer. It was resurrected in 2015 to come up with a new avatar with MRSAM. The squadron was originally raised in Bhatinda on October 3, 1975, when it was equipped with Surface to Air Missile ‘Pechora’. It was relocated to Pune in 1993 before getting resurrected in 2015.
“With the handing over of the MRSAM system to IAF, we have taken a giant leap towards achieving ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India). The MRSAM will prove to be a game-changer in air defense. The system is capable of hitting multiple targets simultaneously up to a range of 70 km, even in bad weather. Its success in a string of stringent tests is proof of its reliability,” said the Indian Defence Minister.
“Equations between countries are also changing rapidly according to their interests. Whether it is the South China Sea, Indian Ocean Region, Indo-Pacific, or Central Asia, uncertainty can be seen everywhere,” the minister said, adding, “In such a situation, strengthening our security and self-reliance has become a necessity, not an achievement.”
DRDO Chairman, G Satish Reddy presented the Barak 8’s first operational firing unit to Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria. India’s military experts have long maintained that MRSAM systems have been an operational necessity and believe that the induction of the Barak-8 along with the soon-to-be inducted Russian S-400 Triumf are steps towards that direction.
The five S-400 SAM systems New Delhi ordered in October 2018 are expected to be delivered by the end of this year. The S-400 can eliminate a host of aerial threats, including enemy fighter jets and missiles, at ranges as far as 400 km. Analysts have observed that India has been bolstering its air defense systems in recent years.
As India’s two main rivals have a lot of nuclear-capable missiles, India needs to develop its own defenses for protecting every layer of national airspace and territory. China has a huge arsenal of road-mobile tactical missiles under the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force coupled with a strategic bomber fleet and an upcoming generation of submarine-launched Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles (IRBM) and Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM).
The fact that makes the MRSAM significant is India now has the expertise to mass-produce air defenses at scale and this will lead to weapon systems tailored for protecting the republic. India has a mature aerospace R&D sector, and this makes the development of future weapon systems comparable to the S-400 and S-500 more likely.
