Why is it in news?

India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile as part of a user trial by the Army from a test range in Odisha.

Details

• The trial of the surface-to-surface missile, which has a strike range of 350 km, was carried out from a mobile launcher from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur near Balasore
• The perfect test launch came after successful trial of Agni-5 on January 18 and Agni-1 missile conducted from Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast.
• The missile trajectory was tracked by radars, electro- optical tracking systems and telemetry stations by the DRDO along the coast of Odisha.
• The downrange teams onboard the ship deployed near the designated impact point in the Bay of Bengal monitored the terminal events and splashdown.

About Prithvi-II missile

• Prithvi is a tactical surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile
• Inducted into the Armed forces of the country in 2003, the nine-metre-tall, single-stage liquid-fuelled Prithvi-II is the first missile to have been developed by the DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
• It has a strike range of 350 km.
• Prithvi-II is capable of carrying 500-1,000 kilogram of warheads and is propelled by single stage liquid propulsion twin engines.
• The state-of-the-art missile uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring trajectory to hit its target.
• The Prithvi missile project encompassed developing three variants for use by the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy. The initial project framework of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program outlines the variants in the following manner
• Prithvi I (SS-150) – Army version (150 km (93 mi) range with a payload of 1,000 kg (2,200 lb))
• Prithvi II (SS-250) – Air Force version (350 km (220 mi)^[3] range with a payload of 500 kg (1,100 lb))
• Prithvi III (SS-350) – Naval version (350 km (220 mi) range with a payload of 1,000 kg (2,200 lb))

Source

The Hindu