The test flight of indigenously designed and manufactured Nirbhay subsonic cruise missile capable of hitting a target at 1,000 km failed on Friday as the mission had to be aborted after 12 minutes of flight due to technical malfunctioning. The missile was launched from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, Balasore, Odisha.
This was the third test of the missile with the first flight also getting aborted midflight in 2013 while the second test last year was partially successful.
Defence Ministry spokesman Sitanshu Kar said Nirbhay was launched at 11:38 am on Friday. All initial critical operations such as booster ignition, booster separation, wing deployment and engine start were successfully executed and Nirbhay reached the desired cruise altitude. During 700 seconds of flight all the subsystems of Nirbhay functioned satisfactorily and met all the desired functions. The mission was aborted after 700 seconds of flight, he said.
Powered by a solid rocket motor booster, the missile can carry nuclear and conventional warhead. Driven by a turbofan engine, the missile is guided by a highly-advanced inertial navigation system.
Defence Research and Development Authority (DRDO) designed this missile at its aeronautics R&D laboratory Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru.
The missile tested on Friday was a land version and fired from a road-mobile launcher. There are plans to develop the Nirbhay for naval and air platforms as well. Flying at tree top level to avoid detection by enemy radar, the missile can travel at speeds of 900-1,000 kilometres per hour. If future tests are successful, this missile will complement the Brahmos cruise missile now used by the Army and Navy. Brahmos is a joint venture between India and Russia.