Tel Aviv. An Israeli made Barak-8 air defence missile operated by Azerbaijan intercepted a Russian made Iskandar ballistic missile launched by Armenia last November during the Nagorno–Karabakh war.
The Barak-8 was developed jointly by Israel and India which is the biggest operator of this missile in different versions.
Armenia launched at least one short-range Iskander ballistic missile at the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, in November during the Nagorno-Karabakh war, but sources say that Azerbaijan was able to intercept it.
Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed on a ceasefire mediated by Russia and Turkey after six weeks of heavy fighting in November, and after the Azerbaijani army captured the strategic city of Shusha.
Sources say that Russia had encouraged Armenia to use Iskander missiles and provided critical support for their launch, in order to force Azerbaijan, which had occupied territory at a rapid pace, to give the ceasefire a chance.
The Iskander ballistic missile was launched directly into the capital Baku days before the ceasefire.
he SS-26 Stone or “Iskander” is a road-mobile short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) with a range of up to 500 km.
Barak 8 can operate day and night, in all weather conditions, and successfully deals with simultaneous threats engagements, even in severe saturation scenarios.
The system has a very short reaction time and a fast missile vertical launch capability with 360 degree coverage. The system optimizes the coordination between the missile and batteries by using an advanced broadband communication network.
The missile deals with short, medium, and long range threats, where its interconnectivity among the various ships in the naval task force enables it to be a multi-layer air and missile defense System of Systems.
A source said that a typical ship installation includes four vertical launchers each carrying eight missiles.
The Barak-8 has an effective range of 70 km. IAI is developing an extended range version. This one will have an add on booster and it will give the missile a 150 km range.
Initially developed as a shipborne air defense missile system for the navy only, it subsequently evolved into a medium range SAM for land forces. The current version is called Barak-8, which has been jointly designed and developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Israel’s Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, Rafael, Elta Systems and other companies.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist
