The Barak surface-to-air missile system was designed to replace or complement gun-based close-in-weapon system platforms, such as the Phalanx. The missiles are mounted in an eight-cell container, which requires less maintenance and are launched vertically.

The advent of various types of surface ships acquiring the surface-to-surface missiles launch capability as also the conventional threat from the incoming low level strike from aircraft at sea, severely exposed the surface ships’ primary defence envelope. The close-inweapon system (CIWS) had to be evolved to counter such threats in the form of a fastreaction, rapid fire gun system as a terminal defence against anti-ship missiles. CIWS was designed to engage anti-ship cruise missiles and fixed-wing aircraft at shortrange to automatically search, detect, evaluate threat, acquire and track, fire and destroy target.

In the early years of development, Phalanx emerged as a point defence, total weapon system consisting of two 20mm gun mounts which provided a terminal defence against incoming airborne targets. CIWS as a total system is capable of automatically engaging incoming anti-ship missiles and high-speed, low-level aircraft without assistance from other systems on board. Each gun mount houses a fire control assembly and a gun sub-system. The fire control assembly comprises search radar for surveillance and detection of hostile targets and track radar for aiming the gun while tracking a target.

The gun sub-system employs a Gatling gun consisting of a rotating cluster of six barrels. The Gatling gun fires 20mm ammunition at either 3,000 or 4,500 rounds per minute with a continuous burst of 60 or 100 rounds. CIWS has emerged as a mainstay self-defence system, practically for every class of ships to counter low-altitude anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs). As warfare areas moved from open oceans to littoral waters, CIWS has evolved to meet the increasing dynamics of ASCMs and potentials of threat faced by the surface ships. The development phase of CIWS has transited, beginning with Block 0 to Block 1, Block 1A, and Block 1B Phalanx surface Mode, and finally Baseline 2C improvements provide integrated multi-weapon operations capability.

Barak Systems in Indian Context

Despite the most optimistic projections and claims on India’s indigenous Integrated Guided Missiles Development Programme, Akash and Trishul programmes for surfaceto-air missiles had failed to inspire full confidence, even after often extended project timelines. Trishul was eventually cancelled entirely. Post-Kargil operations, lack of an effective anti-missile defence (AMD) system with the only aircraft carrier and most of the frontline Indian Navy warships prompted India to procure Barak-I system worth $300 million ( Rs. 1,350 crore) in a phased manner. Barak’s quick response time, effectiveness against incoming missile attack and its compact size makes it a formidable AMD system. Conversely though, its current short-range is being viewed as a tactical limitation, to serve the Indian Navy only as an interim AMD solution.

The Barak surface-to-air missile (SAM) system was designed to replace or complement gun-based CIWS platforms, such as the Phalanx with a flexible and longer range SAM. The missiles are mounted in an eightcell container, which requires less maintenance and are launched vertically. The radar system provides 360-degree coverage and the missiles can bring down an incoming missile as close as 500 metres away from the ship. Barak is a supersonic, vertically launched short-range air defence system, with an operational range of about 10 km/6 miles. That pushes it past the standard ranges of shoulder-launched options with naval counterparts, like the MBDA Mistral/Simbad or Saab Bofors’ RBS-70, but short of other small vertical launch options like the RIM-162 evolved Sea Sparrow. Its closest western competitors on the international market are Raytheon’s horizontally launched Amero-German RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile, and MBDA’s flexible Crotale VT-1/NG. Main features of the system comprise a compact eight cell vertical launching system that weighs just 1,700 kg, along with an equally compact 1,300 kg fire control system. This makes it easier to install in small ships and to retrofit into older warships.

Between 2002 and 2006, Indian Navy conducted 14 tests of the Barak-I AMD system installed on its frontline warships. while 12 were successful, two were unsuccessful. The two test firings which failed were due to human error and technical malfunction, but not due to any systems failure. So far Barak-I has emerged as the best AMD system for Indian Navy ships for protection against sea skimming missiles like Exocet and Harpoon acquired by Pakistan and others. Barak-I has been successfully installed and proven on 11 Indian Navy ships so far, including INS Viraat, destroyer INS Mysore, Brahmaputra class frigates and guided missile frigate INS Ganga. In addition, Mazagon Dock Ltd has also contracted three Barak-I systems for Shivalik class stealth frigates being built by them.

Barak-II

Encouraged by the success and proven track record of Barak-I, yet mindful of its tactical limitations, India has decided to launch two different programmes to induct the new long-range Barak missiles. Indian Navy has taken a long-term policy decision to install only medium-long-range SAM systems on future warships. This was necessitated due to limitations of short-range Barak-I system which is capable of providing effective AMD to a ship, but does not offer the same commensurate layered defence to battle group or the fleet. This doctrine blends well with Indian Navy’s long-term capability build up plan to operate three carrier battle groups beginning with induction of INS Vikramaditya (ex Admiral Gorshkov). Hence, the 2006 Barak-Next Generation (NG) agreement to provide a range of 60-70 km was conceived as an upgraded version of a familiar Barak-I system to augment India’s technological capabilities and to meet Indian Navy ships’ requirements of long-range advanced SAMs.

In January 2007, after several rounds of long and protracted negotiations, India and Israel signed a $330 million ( Rs. 1,485 crore) deal to jointly develop an all new generation of the Barak SAM, which has come to be known as Barak-II or Barak (NG). It was decided to replicate the successful model of joint venture which yielded the excellent Indo-Russian PJ-10 BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. Accordingly, an agreement was reached to jointly develop and produce the long-range Barak AMD for both the Indian and the Israeli defence forces. The initial corpus estimated for the project was about $350 million ( Rs. 1,575 crore), of which, IaI will finance 50 per cent. This joint venture is steered between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Indian Navy and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The project has been designated as the long-range surface-to-airmissile (LRSAM) to have a range of 70 km/43 miles.

The LRSAM will be based on the original Barak-I and is expected to feature a more advanced seeker, alongside range extensions (up to 70 km) that will move it closer to medium-range naval systems like the RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow or even the SM-2 standard. Israel successfully tested its improved Barak-II missile on July 30, 2009. The radar system provides 360-degree coverage and the missiles could bring down an incoming missile as close as 500 metres away from the ship. The estimated cost of each Barak system, comprising a missile container, radar, computers and installation charges would be approximately $24 million (Rs. 108 crore). In May 2010, the Barak-II missile was successfully test fired at an electronic target and met its initial objectives. The second test of the missile was to be held in India. DRDO Chief V.K. Saraswat has claimed that more than 70 per cent of the content in the missile being developed with Israel would be indigenous. The Barak-NG/ LR-SAM project is designed to give the missiles a much longer reach, with the ultimate objective of making it Indian Navy’s primary SAM system.