Dhanush, Prithvi-II test-fired successfully

Strengthening its missile prowess, India today successfully test-fired two indigenously developed, nuclear-capable ‘Dhanush’ and ‘Prithvi-II’ ballistic missiles, both having 350-km strike range, from separate locations off the Orissa coast.

While ‘Dhanush’ was flight tested from naval vessel INS Suvarna in the Bay of Bengal, surface-to-surface ‘Prithvi-II’ ballistic missile was test-fired within an hour from Launch Complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, about 15 km from here.

“The flight tests were in text-book fashion with the the missiles reaching the target points with high accuracy,” said ITR Director S P Dash. “All the radars and electro-optical systems located along the coast tracked the missiles and monitored the parameters. The final event was witnessed from a ship located near the impact point,” Dash said.

Defence Minister A K Antony congratulated all the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists, technicians and the armed forces for the successful tests. The tests were part of regular training exercise involving the missiles, which are under production after successful completion of developmental trials. They have already been inducted by the armed forces, said a DRDO scientist.

“Both Dhanush and Prithvi missiles were launched by the Strategic Force Command as part of the regular user training exercise. The missiles were taken from the storage depots and launched,” said a senior defence official.

The two missiles were test-fired within five days of the successful demonstration of Ballistic Air Defence Missile System on March 6, by DRDO. “The series of successful launches have boosted the morale of scientists and armed forces. The missiles have been integrated under the supervision of Missile Systems Quality Assurance Agency,” a DRDO release said.

Launch operations of both the missiles were monitored by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) Director P Venugopalan, Dash, Programme Director V L N Rao and a number of DRDO scientists. Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister and DRDO chief V K Saraswat was present at ITR, Balasore.