Article Posted on : - Oct 08, 2013

Prithvi-II Missile takes off during its launch from the Chandipur Range in Odisha on Monday. PTI Photo.

BALASORE, ODISHA (PTI): India on Tuesday successfully test-fired for the second time in two days its indigenously developed nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile, which has a strike range of 350 km, from a test range at Chandipur near Balasore, 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 (ITR) at about 12.20 pm.

"Tuesday's test fire of Prithvi-II missile is also successful and achieved all its targets," Director of ITR, MVKV Prasad told PTI.

He said Tuesday's test fire was as accurate as Monday's exercise.

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 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 of the missile.

"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 IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme) is now a proven technology, they said.

"The series of Prithvi-II launch was part of a regular training exercise of the SFC and was monitored by DRDO scientists," they said.

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 500kg to 1000kg of warheads and thrusted by liquid propulsion twine engines. It uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring trajectory.