Floating Test Range (FTR) is a

ship A ship is a large watercraft that travels the world's oceans and other sufficiently deep waterways, carrying cargo or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research, and fishing. Ships are generally distinguished ...

Defence Research and Development Organisation The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) (IAST: ''Raksā Anūsandhān Evam Vikās Sangaṭhan'') is the premier agency under the Department of Defence Research and Development in Ministry of Defence of the Government of India ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

which will serve as a missile testing range.

Description

Characteristics

The Floating Test Range (FTR) is a ship designed by the

which is expected to serve as a testing range for missiles. It has a displacement of and a length of with a width of . The ship is equipped with an Electro-optical missile tracking system, a

S-Band The S band is a designation by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for a part of the microwave band of the electromagnetic spectrum covering frequencies from 2 to 4 gigahertz (GHz). Thus it crosses the conventional ...

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...

, and tracking and telemetry systems. Facilities such as a

Launch pad A launch pad is an above-ground facility from which a rocket-powered missile or space vehicle is vertically launched. The term ''launch pad'' can be used to describe just the central launch platform (mobile launcher platform), or the entire ...

, a Mission control center and a Launch control centre are also present. The FTR will capable of launching missiles with ranges up to around .

Purpose

The FTR will enable

DRDO The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) (IAST: ''Raksā Anūsandhān Evam Vikās Sangaṭhan'') is the premier agency under the Department of Defence Research and Development in Ministry of Defence of the Government of India, ...

to overcome some of the disadvantages of testing missiles from the Wheeler Island. It will enable testing of missiles at different trajectories and altitudes and various ranges by avoiding

landmass A landmass, or land mass, is a large region or area of land. The term is often used to refer to lands surrounded by an ocean or sea, such as a continent or a large island. In the field of geology, a landmass is a defined section of continental ...

and sea-lanes related constraints. Since missile testing from the FTR can be performed in the ocean, minimal safety precautions will be required. This will facilitate faster development of missile projects since advanced warnings and notices to ships and planes would not be required, and will minimise the risk of civilian damage. The FTR is expected to facilitate the development of the Phase-II of the

Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme The Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Program is an initiative to develop and deploy a multi-layered ballistic missile defence system to protect India from ballistic missile attacks. It was launched in 2000 after Kargil War by the Atal Bihari Vaj ...

Construction

Construction work on the ship started in 2015 and was initially expected to be completed within 3–4 years. As of October 2019, the ship is expected to be fully ready by 2020.

References

{{Reflist Defence Research and Development Organisation

Description

Characteristics

Purpose

Construction

See also

References