Prithvi-II tested successfully off Odisha coast

Balasore (Odisha): India today successfully test-fired its nuclear capable Prithvi-II ballistic missile, with a range of 350 kms, as part of user trial by the armed forces from Chandipur off Odisha coast, about 15 km from Balasore. “The indigenously developed surface-to-surface missile was flight tested at around 8.50 AM from a mobile launcher from the Integrated Test Range launch complex-III,” ITR Director S P Dash said.[caption id=“attachment_92180” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“The surface to surface Prithvi (P-II) Missile successfully flight tested from Launch Complex-III, at the Interim Test Range (ITR), Chandipur on 9 June 2011. Image courtesy PIB”]  [/caption] The trial, conducted as part of operational exercise, was “fully successful”, he said. The test firing of the short-range ballistic missile, which has already been inducted into the armed forces, was a ‘user trial’, defence sources said. The sleek missile is “handled by the specially raised strategic force command”, they said, adding the missile has a length of 9 metres and is one metre in diameter. It is propelled by two engines than run on liquid fuel. Prithvi, the first ballistic missile developed under the country’s prestigious Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), has the capability of carrying 500 kg of warhead. The missile uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring trajectory. PTI