Abdul Kalam Island

Abdul Kalam Island
Abdul Kalam Island, India
Geography
Coordinates 20°45′29″N 87°05′08″E / 20.75804°N 87.085533°E / 20.75804; 87.085533Coordinates: 20°45′29″N 87°05′08″E / 20.75804°N 87.085533°E / 20.75804; 87.085533
Area 390 acres (160 ha)
Length 2 km (1.2 mi)
Administration

Abdul Kalam Island, formerly known as Wheeler Island,[1] is an island off the coast of Odisha, India, approximately 150 kilometres (93 mi) from the state capital Bhubaneshwar. The Integrated Test Range maintaining a missile testing facility is located in the island.

Abdul Kalam Island is located approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) off the eastern coast of India on the Bay of Bengal and about 70 kilometres (43 mi) south of Chandipur in Odisha. The island is about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) in length and 390 acres (1.6 km2). The nearest port is Dhamra Port.

Abdul Kalam Island is the missile test facility for most missiles of India; Akash Missiles, Agni Missiles, Astra Missile, BrahMos, Nirbhay, Prahaar Missile, Prithvi Missiles, Shaurya Missile, Advanced Air Defence (AAD), and Prithvi Air Defence. Access to the test facility is by ship, as there is no bridge or airport connecting the island to the mainland. There is a small helipad, but missile airframes and all supplies, construction materials and heavy equipment arrive by ship.[2]

In May 2013, increasing concern has been drawn to the change of the island's topography, owing to sand erosion. Since the island is technically a shoal, seawater frequently causes sand-shifting. The situation is being monitored by geological experts from National Institute of Ocean Technology and the DRDO. [3]

In September 2015, it was declared that the island would be renamed to honour the late Indian president, APJ Abdul Kalam. [4][5]

Gallery

Wheeler Island Launches

Launch Date Origin Missile Type Operator Range
Akash
24 May 2012
26 May 2012
6 June 2012
21 February 2014
24 February 2014
26 February 2014
2 May 2014
19 June 2014
18 November 2014		 India India Akash Surface to Air Missile (SAM) Indian Army
Indian Air Force
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) 		25 – 50 km
Agni
28 March 2010
25 November 2010
1 December 2011
13 July 2012
12 December 2012
8 November 2013
11 April 2014
11 September 2014		 India India Agni-I Medium Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM) Indian Army
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) 		700 – 1,250 km
23 November 2009
17 May 2010
10 December 2010
15 November 2011
30 September 2011
9 August 2012
7 April 2013
9 November 2014		 India India Agni-II Medium Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM) Indian Army
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) 		2,000 – 3,000 km
12 April 2007
7 February 2010
23 July 2011
19 August 2012
21 September 2012
23 December 2013
16 April 2015		 India India Agni-III Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) Strategic Forces Command
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) 		3,500 – 5,000 km
19 September 2012
20 January 2014
2 December 2014		 India India Agni-IV Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) Indian Army
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) 		3,000 – 4,000 km
19 April 2012
15 September 2013
31 January 2015		 India India Agni-V Inter Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Strategic Forces Command
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) 		5,000 – 8,000 km
Astra
6 July 2010
21 May 2011
21 December 2012
19 March 2015		 India India Astra Beyond Visual Range Air to Air Missile (BVRAAM) Indian Air Force
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) 		50 - 100 km
BrahMos
30 March 2012
29 July 2012
8 July 2014 		India India
Russia Russia 		BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile Indian Army
Indian Navy
Indian Air Force
NPO Mashinostroeyenia
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) 		300 – 500 km
Nirbhay
12 March 2013
17 October 2014		 India India Nirbhay Long Range All Weather Subsonic Cruise Missile Indian Army
Indian Navy
Indian Air Force
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) 		1,000 - 1,500 km
Prahar
21 July 2011 India India Prahaar Tactical Ballistic Missile Indian Army
Indian Air Force
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) 		150 - 200 km
Prithvi
15 March 2010
6 March 2011 		India India Prithvi I Short Range Ballistic Missile (SRBM) Indian Army
Indian Navy
Indian Air Force
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) 		150 - 200 km
12 October 2009
13 December 2009
27 March 2010
18 June 2010
24 September 2010
10 February 2011
26 September 2011
4 October 2012
5 October 2012
20 December 2012
12 August 2013
7 October 2013
3 December 2013
7 January 2014
14 November 2014
19 February 2015		 India India Prithvi II/Dhanush Short Range Ballistic Missile (SRBM) Indian Army
Indian Navy
Indian Air Force
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) 		250 - 350 km
Shaurya
12 November 2008
24 September 2011 		India India Shaurya Tactical Ballistic Missile Indian Army
Indian Navy
Indian Air Force
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) 		700 - 2,000 km
Advanced Air Defence
15 March 2010
26 July 2010
6 December 2007
6 March 2011
23 November 2012		 India India Advanced Air Defence (AAD)
Ashwin Ballistic Missile Interceptor 		Exo-Atmospheric Anti Ballistic Missile Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) 150 – 200 km
Prithvi Air Defence
27 April 2014 India India Prithvi Air Defence (PAD)
Pradyumna Ballistic Missile Interceptor 		Endo-Atmospheric Anti Ballistic Missile Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) 2000 km

See also

References

External links

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