ITR conduct test fire prelude to ADE exercise of Prithvi missile

Balasore, Dec 2 (UNI) India today carried out a ''dummy'' test exercise prelude to the real Air Defence Exercise (ADE) of surface to surface Prithvi-II missile from both the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur on Sea and Wheeler Island inside the Bay of Bengal, close to Dhamra coast, to be carried out on December 6 next.

ITR sources said while one electronic target was test fired from the launch complex-3 of the ITR, Chandipur at 1043 hours as ''attacker'', minutes later a dummy missile was test fired from the launch complex 4 of the Inner Wheeler Island as ''interceptor''.

As per the ADE, while one Prithvi missile of the version (P-II) would be fired from Launch Complex-III at ITR, Chandipur as ''attacker'' to check the air defence capabilities, another Prithvi missile would be test fired from the board as ''interceptor'', few seconds later from Launch Complex IV from the Wheeler Island to have an alignment with a pre-designated point.

The real ADE would be carried out from both the complex on December six next.

ITR sources said if the missile alignment would be up to the desired level under the trial, the test would be considered as successful.

Last year on November 27, the ITR had conducted ADE of the Prithvi missile from both Chandipur and Inner Wheeler Island.

Scientists of the ITR and the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) were present at both the sites to witness the interception exercise programme today.

Meanwhile, the ITR authority had approached the Bhadrak and Balasore district authorities to identify the area located within two kms radius of the range so that the evacuation of the people and the livestock would be carried out before the air defence exercise.

Sources said at least five villages under two Panchayats such as Jaydevkasaba and Rasalpur would be mainly affected. The district authority had already started the enumeration work in Kusmuli, Bhimpur, Jaydevkasabapahi, Kusumulipahi and Shajanagarpahi villages.

UNI