India successfully conducted night trial of its indigenously developed surface-to-surface nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile off Odisha coast. The Strategic Forces Command of the Indian Army conducted the user trial of the 350 km range missile from a mobile launcher from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur near Balasore in Odisha at 8: 30 pm. Defence sources said the missile weighs about 4,600 kg, is capable of carrying 500 to one thousand kilogram of warheads.
Scientists of the DRDO said all parameters within the stipulated time period were achieved.The perfect test launch of Prithvi-II came after successful trial of the Agni-5, Agni-1I and Agni I just little over a month from the Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast.
Inducted into the 333-missile regiment of the Indian Army in 2003, the nine-metre-tall, single-stage liquid-fuelled Prithvi-II is the first missile to have been developed by the DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme. Yesterday’s trial was a part of randomly selected regular training exercise by the armed forces which reconfirms the Army’s readiness to fire it at short notice.
Developed under the joint collaboration of Defence Research and Development Organization and Bharat Dynamics Limited, the missile was first test-fired on 27 January 1996.