Barak 8


Barak 8, also known as LR-SAM or MR-SAM, is an Indian-Israeli jointly developed surface-to-air missile system, designed to defend against any type of airborne threat including aircraft, helicopters, anti-ship missiles, and UAVs as well as ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and combat jets. Both maritime and land-based variants of the system exist.
Barak 8 was jointly developed by India's Defence Research & Development Organisation and Israel Aerospace Industries. It is produced by Israel's Directorate of Research and Development, Elta Systems, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and India's Bharat Dynamics limited, Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems and Tata Advanced Systems.

Background

Barak 8 is loosely based on the original Barak 1 missile and is expected to feature a more advanced seeker, alongside range extensions that will move it closer to medium range naval systems like the RIM-162 ESSM or even the SM-2 Standard. Israel successfully tested the improved Barak II missile on 30 July 2009. The radar system provides 360 degree coverage and the missiles can take down an incoming missile as close as 500 meters away from the ship. Each Barak system costs about $24 million. Parallel to the Barak-8, IAI has completed development and is manufacturing the Barak MX system that broadens the Barak into a multi-layered air defense system employing unified smart launchers carrying Short, Medium, and Extended-Range interceptors. The Smart Launcher supports flexible deployment architecture for land and naval applications. Unlike the Barak-8 system, the interceptors, and sensors were developed exclusively by IAI to meet specific requirements from domestic and foreign customers.

Development

The joint development of the LR-SAM missile began in 2006 with an investment of. The missile is meant to be deployed on Project 15A destroyers which would enter service from 2012 onwards. The missile could be delivered to the Indian Armed Forces by 2013.
As reported in late May 2010, another contract, worth, was signed that year for the development of another variant – Medium Range SAM for the Indian Air Force to replace their in-service Pechora missiles. Another variant planned was 100-km range theatre defence version called the Extended Range SAM for the Project 15B destroyers.
As per a report on 1 July 2010, replying to a query on the Indo-Israeli joint venture to develop a medium range surface-to-air missile, DRDO chief V. K. Saraswat told The Economic Times, "More than 70 per cent of the content in the missile being developed with Israel would be indigenous." As the Times of Israel reported in 2017, the development of the missile is taking place in India, including the development of the homing system. Some components and Inflight subsystems are manufactured by TASL.
On 3 October 2024, Bharat Electronics and Israel Aerospace Industries announced the formation of joint venture BEL IAI AeroSystems. It will serve as the exclusive point of contact for technical and maintenance related life cycle support of MR-SAM in Indian Armed Forces.

Design (LR-SAM)

The Barak 8 has a length of about 4.5 meters, a diameter of 0.225 meters at missile body, and 0.54 meters at the booster stage, a wingspan of 0.94 meters and weighs 275 kg including a 60 kg warhead which detonates at proximity. The missile has maximum speed of Mach 2 with a maximum operational range of 70 km, which was later increased to ~90 km, which was later further increased to 100 km. Barak 8 features a dual pulse rocket motor as well as thrust vector control, and possesses high degrees of maneuverability at target interception range. A second motor is fired during the terminal phase, at which stage the active radar seeker is activated to home in on to the enemy track. Barak 8 has been designed to counter a wide variety of airborne threats, such as anti-ship missiles, aircraft, UAVs drones and supersonic missiles. When coupled with a modern air-defence system and multi-function surveillance track and guidance radars, such as the EL/M-2248 MF-STAR AESA on board Kolkata-class destroyers, Barak 8 enables the capability to simultaneously engage multiple targets during saturation attacks. The aerodynamic characterization research was conducted at the National Aerospace Laboratories' 1.2m Trisonic Wind Tunnel Facility.
Israel Aerospace Industries describe Barak 8 as "an advanced, long-range missile defense and air defense system" with its main features being:
A land-based Firing Unit or a Battery consists of 1 Combat Management System, 1 Mobile Power System, 1 Advanced Long Range Radar, 1 Radar Power System, 3 Mobile Launcher Systems, 3 Reloader Vehicles, Field Service Vehicle and missiles. Each launcher will have eight such missiles in two stacks and are launched in a canister configuration. As for ship-based launchers, the missiles are similarly stored in a 2×4 vertical launching system modules.

Variants

  • Medium Range-Surface to Air Missile : The land-based configuration of the missile used by the Indian Air Force and Indian Army. It consists of a command and control system, tracking radar, missile and mobile launcher systems. The system is also fitted with an advanced radio frequency Seeker. It has a range of 70 km according to the manufacturer IAI.
  • Long Range-Surface to Air Missile : The ship launched version used by the Indian Navy with an enhanced range of 100 km capable of engaging targets like missiles, fighter aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft, helicopter and sea-skimming missile. The LRSAM system includes multiple systems like advanced phased-array radars, command and control systems, launchers, and missiles with advanced radio-frequency seekers.
  • Barak-8ER: An ER variant of the Barak 8 is under development, which will see the missiles maximum range increased to 150 km. Designed to engage multiple beyond visual range threats, the low launch signature Barak-8ER is understood to retain the same autopilot/inertial navigation system and active radar seeker guidance as the Barak-8, although some modifications to the software and to the missile control surfaces are likely. The booster increases the length of the missile at launch from its current 4.5 m to nearly 6 m, although the length in flight after the booster has been jettisoned may be slightly less than the base Barak-8 missile, if a TVC is not present. The missile diameter and fin spans are thought to be the same as the base Barak-8. The booster weight is currently unknown, although the missile's weight after the booster has been jettisoned is the same as that for the current Barak-8 configuration. Levy said that initial operational capability for Barak-8ER will first be declared for the naval variant, followed by IOC for the land variant. He declined to comment on a launch customer for Barak-8ER, but noted "existing Barak-8 customers will be interested in this configuration because it offers additional capability to their current system".

    Barak MX

manufactures the BARAK MX as the cornerstone of its Integrated Air and Missile Defence Portfolio.
The BARAK MX is a "fully network-centric solution", and according to the company, features an open system architecture and modular design, seamlessly integrating various sensors, battle management, and interceptors into a unified system. The connectivity of BARAK MX allows for the expansion of defended areas by interconnecting multiple units, enabling fire units to rely on each other's assets to engage targets beyond the individual reach of each unit. It also enables the integration of Ground-Based Air Defences and Naval Air Defences under a joint multi-layered network, enhancing them and denying enemy access or missile attacks.
The BARAK MX's different interceptors share the same components and can engage threats from
Unlike air-to-air missiles converted to surface-to-air use, the BARAK MX interceptors were originally designed as surface-to-air missiles with an optimal size and diameter, which is larger than the airborne restricted air-to-air missiles.
The BARAK MX's family of interceptors are:
  • BARAK MR: 35 km-ranged version using a single-pulse rocket motor.
  • BARAK LR : 70 km-ranged version using a dual-pulse rocket motor.
  • BARAK ER: 150 km-ranged version with a booster in addition to the existing dual-pulse motor. With enhanced anti-tactical ballistic missiles capabilities.

    Flight tests

  • On 14 May 2010, the LR-SAM was successfully test fired in Israel at an electronic target and met its initial objectives. The second test of the missile was planned to be held in India sometime later that same year.
  • On 10 November 2014, the Barak 8 was successfully test fired in Israel with all integrated operational components for both marine and land systems. "The current test validated all components of the weapon system to the satisfaction of the customer representatives". It was the first involving a full operational scenario. The scenario began with launching the target. After being detected by the system's radar, the weapon system calculated the optimal interception point, launched the Barak 8 missile into its operational trajectory that acquired the target, and successfully intercepted it. All the weapon system's components met the test's goals successfully.
  • On 26 November 2015, a successful test was conducted against a fast-moving jet-powered drone by the Israeli Sa'ar 5-class corvette. This was also the first test done from a naval ship, and also confirmed the range extension from the previous 70 km to ~100 km.
  • On 29 and 30 December 2015, the Indian Navy' successfully test-fired Barak 8 LRSAM from. Two missiles were fired at high speed targets, during naval exercises undertaken in the Arabian Sea.
  • On 30 June 2016, India test-fired a land based version of the Barak 8 surface-to-air missile for the first time from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha, successfully hitting the target pilotless target aircraft at 8:15 AM IST. the missile was again test fired for second time around noon where it again successfully hit a pilotless target aircraft over the Bay of Bengal. The test-firing of the missile was jointly carried out by Indian defence personnel, DRDO and IAI.
  • On 1 July 2016, the MR-SAM was tested for the third time from the ITR at Chandipur in India, at 10:26 AM IST and the missile successfully hit a pilotless target aircraft, proving its reliability.
  • On 20 and 21 September 2016, India successfully test fired the LRSAM for the first time against two pilotless target aircraft. The long range missile was launched from a mobile launcher at the ITR in Chandipur at around 10:10 and 14:25 IST on both the days respectively.
  • On 25 December 2016, Azerbaijan successfully tested the missile.
  • On 10 February 2017, Israel Aerospace Industries test fired the missile at sea to verify its capabilities.
  • On 16 May 2017, the Indian Navy successfully test fired the MRSAM variant from. According to a report, the course of the test was described as, "launch and engagement of the target, MFSTAR radar aboard the Indian naval ship identified the airborne threat and tracked it over its flying course, data was sent to the command center of the weapon system which launched the intercepting missile into orbit, having been successfully launched, the missile navigated itself to the target during flight it engaged the target, aligned its course, hit it and destroyed it, successfully demonstrating all the goals assigned to each component".
  • On 29 November 2017, the Indian Navy test fired again the MRSAM from INS Kochi.
  • On 25 January 2019, the Indian Navy test fired the LRSAM from against an incoming aerial target flying at a low altitude.
  • On 15 May 2019, the MRSAM variant was first operated in their full Joint Taskforce Coordinating mode by the Indian Navy via their two : INS Kochi and INS Chennai. The JTC mode implements the Cooperative Engagement Capability of the Barak-8 MRSAM system. Both ships launched the missiles but only one was doing the actual engagement role. The demonstration was done on India's western seaboard.
  • On 23 November 2020, the missile was successfully tested by India from ITR at Chandipur when a Banshee unmanned air vehicle was hit mid-air. The entire mission trajectory from the launch to plunging into the sea was monitored by various radars and electro-optico instruments.
  • On 22 March 2021, Israel Aerospace Industries successfully test fired the BARAK MX's ER interceptor with 150 km range and 30 km altitude.
  • On 27 March 2022, DRDO conducted two successful flight tests of the Indian Army version of MRSAM at Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. The first launch was to intercept a medium altitude long range target and second launch was for proving the capability of a low altitude short range target.
  • On 30 March 2022, DRDO again conducted two successful flight tests of the Indian Army version of MRSAM at ITR, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha within three days. The launches were carried out establishing the accuracy and reliability of the weapon system against targets covering the sea skimming and high-altitude functionality within the envelope. With the conclusion of flight trials for different ranges and scenarios, the system has completed its development trials.
  • In November 2022 the first successful test of the BARAK MX from an Israeli Sa'ar 6-class corvette was made.
  • On 3 and 4 April 2025, DRDO and the Indian Army conducted four successful flight tests of the Army version of MRSAM from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha. The operational trials targeted high-speed aerial threats, with the missiles achieving direct hits at long-range, short-range, high altitude, and low altitude, proving the system's operational capability. The tests were conducted under operational conditions, with performance validated through data from radars and electro-optical tracking systems. These trials demonstrated the capabilities of both Eastern and Southern Commands and set the stage for the deployment of the weapon systems in two regiments.
  • On 24 April 2025, conducted a missile test of MRSAM which intercepted a sea-skimming target in the Arabian Sea through precision cooperative engagement.