Balasore (Odisha), May 18
India on Wednesday successfully
test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile as
part of a user trial by the Army from a test range at Chandipur in Odisha.
The trial of the surface-to-surface missile
was carried out from a mobile launcher from launch complex-3 of the Integrated
Test Range (ITR) at around 0940 hrs, defence sources said.
Sources said there was plan for two
trials of Prithvi-II in quick succession. However, after the successful trial
of the first one, the second trial was abandoned due to technical problem, they
said.
A similar twin trial was conducted
on October 12, 2009, from the same base, where both were successful.
With a strike range of 350 km, the
Prithvi-II is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1,000 kg of warheads and is
thrusted by liquid propulsion twin engines. It uses advanced inertial guidance
system with maneuvering trajectory to hit its target.
The missile was randomly chosen from
the production stock and the entire launch activities were carried out by the
specially formed strategic force command (SFC) and monitored by the scientists
of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as part of training
exercise, a defence scientist said.
“The missile trajectory was tracked
by DRDO radars, electro-optical tracking systems and telemetry stations located
along the coast of Odisha,” sources said.
The downrange teams on board the
ship deployed near the designated impact point in the Bay of Bengal monitored
the terminal events and splashdown, they said.
Inducted into Indian armed forces in
2003, the nine-metre-tall, single-stage liquid-fueled Prithvi II is the first
missile to be developed by DRDO under India’s prestigious IGMDP (Integrated
Guided Missile Development Program) and is now a proven technology, defence
sources said.
Such training launches clearly
indicate India’s operational readiness to meet any eventuality and also
establishes the reliability of this deterrent component of India’s Strategic
arsenal, they said.
The last user trial of Prithvi-II
was successfull
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