By IANS,
Bhubaneswar : India Monday successfully test fired the nuclear-capable surface-to-surface Prithvi-II missile twice from a test range in Orissa, officials said.
The missiles were fired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur in Balasore district, some 230 km from state capital Bhubaneswar — first at 10.30 a.m. and then again three minutes later.
The tests were described as part of an “user trial”.
“It was basically tested by army people. It was an user trial. The test was fantastic. It was a text book launch,” ITR director S.P. Dash told IANS by phone.
The missiles have a striking range of about 350 km, he said.
Prithvi is India’s first indigenously built ballistic missile. It is one of five missiles being developed under India’s Integrated Missile Development Programme.
Two versions of the missiles have already been deployed with the army and air force. Monday’s test was conducted in the presence of several scientists including senior DRDO official V.K. Saraswat who is also scientific adviser to India’s defence minister.