Two Prithvi-II missiles successfully flight-tested

Y. Mallikarjun

Thursday, Dec 23, 2010
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version
— Photo: Courtesy DRDO 

A Prithvi-II missile being launched from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Orissa on Wednesday.

HYDERABAD: Two nuclear weapons-capable Prithvi-II missiles were successfully flight-tested within an hour of each other from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, Orissa, on Wednesday.

Taken from the production lot, the short-range ballistic missiles were tested for the full range (350 km) and fired at 8.15 a.m. and 9.15 a.m. respectively by personnel of the Strategic Force Command (SFC) as part of a regular exercise. After a flight of about eight minutes, the missiles zeroed in on pre-designated targets with a high degree of accuracy.

According to a top Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) official, the CEP (circular error probable) of both the missiles was around 20 metres. The advanced inertial navigation guidance system enabled the missiles to achieve precision, he added. All the radars, electro-optical tracking systems and telemetry stations along the coast monitored the trajectory parameters of the vehicle. A ship anchored near the target witnessed the splash down.

This was the second mission in which two Prithvi-II missiles were successfully flight-tested. Earlier, they were fired in salvo mode on October 12, 2009. However, the launch of a single missile failed in September this year when it did not take off.

The nine-metre tall, twin-engine liquid propelled missile has already been inducted into service by the armed forces.

The launch operations were guided by the DRDO scientists. P. Venugopalan, Director, Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL); S.P. Dash, Director, Integrated Test Range; V.L.N. Rao, Programme Director; D.S. Reddy and Adalat Ali, project directors, oversaw the operations.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister V.K. Saraswat congratulated the scientists and the armed forces for the success.

==============================================