Defence analysts are weighing a proposal to modify the AD‑1 interceptor for carriage and launch from combat aircraft, moving the system away from its traditional ground‑based launch sites. The concept envisions heavy fighters carrying the missile and releasing it mid‑air to engage ballistic threats.
If adopted, the air‑launched AD‑1 would give India’s heavy fighters a strategic missile‑defence role, fundamentally reshaping how interception missions are conducted. The shift could broaden the reach and responsiveness of the country’s ballistic missile defence architecture.
