Prithvi-II Nuclear-Capable Missile Successfully Test-Fired

India: Prithvi-II Missile

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed three Prithvi variants: Prithvi-I for the Army; Prithvi-II for the Indian Air Force; and the Dhanush for the Navy. All the three have been inducted into service. Prithvi-II, a single-stage missile using liquid propellants, can carry a 500-kg warhead and is meant for deep interdiction.

                                  India on Saturday August 25, 2012, test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear-capable Prithvi-II' ballistic missile from the Integrated Test Range off Odisha coast as part of a user trial by the Army. The missile, with a flight duration of 483 seconds reaching a peak altitude of 43.5 km, has the capability to carry a 500 kg warhead. Prithvi, which has features to deceive anti-ballistic missiles, uses an advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring capabilities and reaches its target within a few metres of accuracy. The state-of-the-art missile is 9 metre-long and is one metre in diameter with liquid propulsion twin engine.