An Indian ABM system designed around the Prithvi missile and the Israeli Green Pine radar being tested. Photo Credit: CNN-IBN15 September 2007 - The widely reported ballistic missile test on Tuesday, 11 Sep 2007 turned out to be a test of an anti ballistic missile system designed around the Prithvi missile.
Please indulge me for a few moments.
As a cadet in Air Force Academy, Hyderabad in 1973, I had gone to the DRDO missile development complex in the city along with my colleagues on a familiarization visit.
The scientists there proudly showed us how they were reverse engineering a Russian SAM - 2 missile to make an Indian missile called Devil.
The Devil missile never saw the light of the day. The creatively challenged DRDO scientists however used the liquid propellant technology that they imbibed during the Devil project in the Prithvi.
In perhaps the most dangerous strategic folly the world has ever seen the short range liquid propellant Prithvi missile was rammed down the throats of the Air Force and the Army. Before inducting the missile no one apparently dwelt on the consequences of putting a nuclear capable missile right on the Pakistani border!
That wasn't the only DRDO folly with the Prithvi system. Since then it has come up with quixotic schemes like equipping IN ships with a naval version of Prithvi and even putting the Prithvi in submarines. What submarines? Who makes submarines in this world that can be equipped to carry the Prithvi.
However, Prithvi as the mainstay ABM system tipped the scales as far as I was concerned and I decided to emerge from a self imposed hiatus to voice my serious concern on the blog.
Someone, please tell me that at least the ABM version of the Prithvi is not liquid propelled. And if it isn't why is it called Pritvi?
Hopefully the Earth will be there for ever but if DRDO has its way so will Prithvi. It is their perfect leech to suck the blood of this nation.
News Copyright © Sawf News. May not be reproduced without explicit written permission