India successfully test fires nuclear, says capable ballistic missile

Bhubaneswar, May 18: India on Wednesday (May 18) successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile that can carry up to 1000 kg of warhead and hit targets 350 km away, officials said.

The surface-to-surface ballistic missile was fired from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur off the Odisha coast, defence sources said. The test was part of a user trial by the army.

The trial was carried out successfully by the Strategic Force Command (SFC) and monitored by the scientists of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the sources said.

The medium range missile is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1000 kg of warheads and is thrusted by liquid propulsion twin engines, they added.

Prithvi is India's first indigenously-built ballistic missile. It is one of the five missiles under the country's Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.

Prithvi-II was inducted into India's armed forces in 2003. The last user trial of Prithvi-II was successfully conducted on February 16 this year from Chandipur. It uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring trajectory to hit its target.

IANS