India Tests Another Missiles Which Is Powerful, Short-Range, Nuclear-Capable & Specifically Meant For China

India recently carried out the successful test-firing of the indigenously developed nuclear-capable Prithvi-II ballistic missile off the coast of Balasore in Odisha on Friday (October 17).

The state-of-the-art surface-to-surface missile which has a strike range of over 250 kilometres was tested as part of a night trial by the Indian Army and blasted off around 7.30 pm (GMT 01.30) from launch complex 3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur.

Developed by India’s premier research organization, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the missile is already a part of the Strategic Forces Command.

According to DRDO officials – “The missile trajectory was tracked by radars, electro-optical tracking systems and telemetry stations by the DRDO along the coast of Odisha,”

The test-firing comes a week after the successful launching of a new generation anti-radiation missile, ‘Rudram 1’ from a Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft belonging to the Indian Air Force (IAF).

According to defence sources, the Prithvi-2 ballistic missile boasts the ability to carry 500-1,000 kg of warheads and is powered by liquid propulsion twin engines. The sophisticated missile hits its targets by utilizing an advanced inertial guidance system with a manoeuvring trajectory.

Prithvi II class is also a single-stage liquid-fueled missile having a maximum warhead mounting capability of 500 kg, but with an extended range of 250 km (160 mi). It was developed with the Indian Air Force being the primary user. It was first test-fired on 27 January 1996 and the development stages were completed in 2004. This variant has been inducted into the army as well. In a test, the missile was launched with an extended range of 350 km (220 mi) and had improved navigation due to an inertial navigation system. The missile features measures to deceive anti-ballistic missiles.

A Prithvi III is in development. This is the Prithvi II modified to be operated from ships. This missile can carry a half ton warhead 600 kilometers. The increase in range and warhead weight for the Prithvi III was achieved by using a solid fuel rocket motor and adding a second stage with a liquid fuel motor. The Prithvi II uses a liquid fuel rocket. The navy has not installed the Prithvi III on any of its ships because it was discovered that the liquid fuel was too dangerous to handle aboard a ship at sea.

The Prithvi is a ballistic missile that reaches its target within 5-10 minutes of launch and was originally developed as a shorter range (150 kilometers) missile. Prithvi uses liquid fuel, meaning it takes up to an hour to ready for launch. In 2013, India announced that it is replacing over a hundred Prithvi I ballistic missiles with the solid fuel Prahar. While the air force controls long range ballistic missiles, the army has long been supplied with some shorter range Prithvi Is. This is a single stage, road mobile, liquid fuel battlefield support missile that weighs 4.4 tons and is 9 meters (27.3 feet) long, 110cm in diameter and costing about a million dollars each. Introduced in 1994, the army version has a 150 kilometer range and carries a one ton warhead.

The first missile to be developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), the nine-metre tall ‘Prithvi’ was inducted into the armoury of the Indian defence forces 17 years ago.

Source:- EurasianTimes, StrategyPage