EXCLUSIVE: The Indo-Israeli Barak-8

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The Barak-8, the next generation long-range surface-to-air missile that India and Israel are currently developing as part of a co-development contract signed in 2007. Not that it matters, but I broke the story about India and Israel signing up to co-develop the next-generation Barak in early 2007 when I was with the Express. IAI has published very little about the missile in the past, and continues to keep its specs under wraps. Here’s some stuff, hot of the IAI press:

The new generation Barak-8 Air and Missile Defense weapon system currently provides a complete solution to every type of airborne threat, whether that threat be from aircraft, tactical missiles, helicopters, or unmanned aerial vehicles. The system has two versions – maritime and land-based – each relying on an advanced, phased-array radar integrated with an advanced launch system containing “smart” missile interceptors, and a state-of-the-art command and control (C2) system, altogether providing full 360° coverage.

Barak-8 is unique in that it has a built-in ‘intelligence’ within the missile battery’s C2 system. The C2 system can ‘talk’ with other missile batteries, with external radars, and with air traffic control systems, creating an optimized scenario for detecting, engaging, and destroying the target. It is manifested by the threat being automatically neutralized through the most appropriate missile battery launching the missile. Especially impressive is that a radar connected to a given missile battery that may have detected the threat may not necessarily be part of the same battery that will respond to the threat. This allows us to maximize the system’s capabilities and create the most optimal interception scenario. It should be noted that the advanced, digital, phased-array radar was specifically developed by IAI Elta Systems, Ltd.

The system is designed from the start to intercept planes and tactical missiles such as air-to-ground missiles and naval anti-ship missiles. The Barak-8 is based on advanced concepts of defense system architecture, including advanced seekers, warheads, high performance maneuvering capabilities, and the ability to be optimally controlled. The missile can receive and process continuous updates on the position and flight trajectory of the target, and use these updates to adjust its own flight to best intercept and destroy the target. The unique missile propulsion system allows the missile to maintain energy, even after it has been airborne for an extended time, and reserve sufficient energy for the end-game or the target’s final engagement and hit. It must be remembered that the enemy missile is also trying to maneuver and evade the Barak-8.

The battlefield does not only have one or two threats that the Barak-8 must neutralize; in fact, there are a wide range of threats, coming from all directions and creating a number of potential targets, including our own forces’ airplanes.

Everything that was mentioned up until this point applies to any number of threats. Of course, no one battery, no matter how sophisticated, will be able to deal with dozens of missiles simultaneously. Integration and network coordination of resources creates synergy among the batteries and helps to successfully deal with a battlefield saturated with targets. For instance, within a given formation or fleet of naval ships, each equipped with a Barak-8, they communicate with one another through the secure communication channels and data link within the integrated system. In an automated manner, the system knows how to optimally allocate targets throughout various batteries of the naval formation, and among the various batteries of the network; and eliminate every threat, be it missiles, planes, or helicopters.

Similarly, land-based versions of the Barak-8 system can be easily and quickly deployed across tens of kilometers between the individually deployed batteries, and provide 360° coverage over the widest possible protected area against cruise missiles, airborne munitions launched from planes or ships, and other threats.

The system has the ability to interconnect with other systems and can thereby receive information on the threat from a wide variety of sources. It’s in its final stages of development, to be completed in 2010-2011. IAI already has customers for both the maritime and the land-based defense systems (Read India!).

Photos Copyright IAI

14 thoughts on “EXCLUSIVE: The Indo-Israeli Barak-8”

  1. What is the Indian part in the Indo-Israeli missile. My assumption is that the only contribution that India made was in giving the $$ nothing much else. And will this be manufactured in India or we will just import this.

  2. In this specific Indo-israeli air-defence missile project India's DRDO's main contribution is to develop missile's solid fuel based propulsion system which is a improved one derived from the Akash SAM project.

  3. to AK

    you are right,india could buy better systems than this MRSAM it meets israel requirements only,israel is not going to give TOT for seekers,

    all other MFSTAR missiles controls will be produced with tech transfer but seekers will come directly from israel and this is called codevelopment.

    but on the other hand if someone start license production of better SAM system one will get all tech transfer except seeker.

  4. India is supplying the dual pulse rocket motor for Barak 8….the one among many inputs…info is in public domain.

  5. India is only making the plastic stickers for this missile system, using imported ???? machines. Bit like Hero Honda, who launch "all new" motorcycles by 'developing' stickers.

    Israel is doing all the real work. They also own and control the I.P. (this point is meaningless since even with IP our "engineers" won't know what to do with the missile anyway).

  6. India's scientists are very advanced in math and software tech; also they are EXTREMELY focused and objective. With these abilities, I am sure they contributed much to barak-8. But I do admit that they are about 10 yrs. behind the best on hardware tech.

  7. Although this SAM is an Indo-Israeli project, why doesn't India fast track the indigenous Akash SAM to reduce its dependence on imports? It already knows how to build a SAM system, why not finish the Akash and set a timetable for IOC?

    Or is it because the Indo-Israeli Barak-8 is a navalized SAM?

  8. There is another buyer for the system (land based) besides India. The buyer is classified do to propriety guidelines.

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