India Test-fires Nuclear Capable Prithvi II missile

India has test fired its home-made nuclear nuclear capable Prithvi-II Missile that has strike range of 350 km.

The test conducted today is part of a user trial by the army and was carried out from a mobile launcher from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Economic Times reported Thursday. 

The trial data of the missile that was conducted by the Strategic Force Command (SFC) shows positive results, according to a defense official.

The surface-to-surface Prithvi-II missile is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1,000 kg of warheads and is powered by liquid propulsion twine engines. It uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring trajectory to hit its target.

"The missile was randomly chosen from the production stock and the entire launch activities were carried out by the specially formed SFC and monitored by the scientists of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as part of training exercise," a defence scientist added.

"The missile trajectory was tracked by DRDO radars, electro-optical tracking systems and telemetry stations located along the coast of Odisha," the official source added.  The downrange teams on board a ship deployed near the designated impact point in the Bay of Bengal monitored the terminal events and splashdown.

Prithvi II is the first missile to be developed by DRDO under India's prestigious IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Program). It was inducted into India's armed forces in 2003. Such training launches clearly indicate India's operational readiness to meet any eventuality and also establishes the reliability of this deterrent component of the country's strategic arsenal, an official said.

The last user trial of Prithvi-II was successfully conducted on February 19, 2015 from the same test range in Odisha.