Prithvi II test-fired successfully

India on Tuesday successfully test-fired indigenously built nuclear-capable Prithvi II missile from a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) facility at Chandipur in the Balasore district of north Odisha.

The surface-to-surface medium range missile was fired from a mobile launcher parked on launch pad number three of the Interim Test Range around 9:48 am, sources in the Balasore district administration said.

The test launch of the 8.5-metre-long slick missile, which can hit a target at a distance of 350 km carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads up to 1,000 kg, was an user trial conducted by the Indian Army with support of trained jawans of the strategic force command of the Indian armed forces. DRDO scientists were present to provide technical assistance and monitor the operation.

After the take-off, the missile was tracked by DRDO radars, elector-optical tracking systems and telemetry stations located at various places along the Odisha coastline.

Prithvi II was the first missile developed by the DRDO scientists under the country’s prestigious Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme. The missile had its maiden test flight in the 1990s. Its last successful test-firing was in December last year.