India on Monday successfully test-fired indigenously developed nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile -- with a strike range of 350 km -- from a test range at Chandipur near Balasore in Odisha.
The surface-to-surface missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher in salvo mode from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range at about 9.14 am, defence sources said.
"The mission has achieved 100 per cent success and it is a perfect launch," said M V K V Prasad, director of ITR.
The missile was randomly chosen from the production stock and the total launch activities were carried out by the specially formed SFC. It was monitored by the scientists of Defence Research and Development Organisation as part of a practice drill, the sources said.
Before announcing the success of the missile launch, its trajectory was tracked by the DRDO radars, electro-optical tracking systems and telemetry stations located along the coast of Odisha.
"The downrange teams onboard the ship deployed near the designated impact point in the Bay of Bengal monitored the terminal events and splashdown," they said.
Inducted into India's Strategic Forces Command in 2003, the Prithvi II missile, the first missile to be developed by DRDO under India’s prestigious Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, is now a proven technology, said a defence source, adding, "The launch was part of a regular training exercise of the SFC and was monitored by DRDO scientists."
This training launch clearly indicated India's operational readiness to meet any eventuality and also established the reliability of this deterrent component of India’s Strategic arsenal, the source said.
Prithvi is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1000 kg of warheads and is thrusted by liquid propulsion twine engines. It uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring trajectory.
The last trial of Prithvi-II was successfully carried out from the same base on August 12.
Image used for representational purpose only
