For the second time in two days, India successfully test-fired its indigenously-developed nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile, which has a strike range of 350 km, from Chandipur test range near here on Tuesday.
The surface-to-surface missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher in salvo mode from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at about 12:20 pm. The test was as accurate as Monday’s, ITR Director MVKV Prasad said.
The scientists randomly chose a missile from the production stock and put it on test. The total launch activities were carried out by the specially-formed SFC and monitored by the scientists of the DRDO as part of practice drill.
The trajectory of the missile was tracked by the DRDO radars, electro-optical tracking systems and telemetry stations located along the coast of Odisha. The experts were deployed at Paradip, Puri and Andaman to monitor the trajectory.
The downrange teams onboard the ship deployed near the designated impact point in the Bay of Bengal monitored the terminal events and splashdown.
Inducted into India’s Strategic Forces Command in 2003, the Prithvi II missile, the first one to be developed by the DRDO under India’s prestigious IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme) is now a proven technology, experts said. The series of Prithvi-II launch was part of a regular training exercise of the SFC and was monitored by DRDO scientists, they added.
This training launch clearly indicated India’s operational readiness to meet any eventuality and also established the reliability of this deterrent component of the country’s strategic arsenal, source said.
Prithvi-11 is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1,000 kg of warheads and thrusted by liquid propulsion twine engines. It uses advanced inertial guidance system with a manoeuvring trajectory.