'Trishul' missile testfired from ITR in Orissa

Balasore (Orissa), July 23: Indigenously built India's most sophisticated short range surface-to-air missile 'Trishul' was successfully testfired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, about 15 km from here today.

The missile, especially designed for sea skimming exercise for the Indian Navy, was testfired from a mobile launch pad at 1150 hours, ITR sources said.

''Trishul'' is one of the five missiles under various stages of development by the Defence Research Development Organisation and a part of the integrated guided missile development programme.

Launched in 1983, the missile has a triple role for the three wings of the defence.

ITR sources said solid fuel propelled missile has a battle role for all the three wings of the defence forces with a range from 300 mt to 9 km. The three-mt-long missile moves at a supersonic speed and has a command line of flight guidance system. It also has a very sensitive radar altimeter and can skim over the sea at a very low altitude, sources said.

ITR sources said the missile was testfired to prove its accuracy and other parameters.

UNI