CHANDIPUR-ON-SEA(ORISSA) : Thursday was a red letter day for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Adding yet another feather to its cap, the defence scientists successfully conducted the maiden test of newly developed surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missile Prahaar from Orissa coast.Mounted on a rail mobile launcher, the indigenously-developed missile was testfired from the launching complex-III of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur in Balasore district at 8.20 am. Terming the mission a copy-book success, scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister and DRDO chief V K Saraswat said ‘equipped with state-of-the-art high accuracy navigation, guidance and electro-mechanical actuation systems with latest onboard computer, the missile achieved terminal accuracy of less than 10 m.’“The missile went to a height of 35 km before reaching the targets at a range of 150 km in about 250 seconds. There was not a single degree deviation during the entire flight path. It was launched from a road mobile system which can carry six missiles at a time and can be fired in salvo mode in all directions covering the entire azimuth plane,” he told Express.Fired at an angle of 89 degree from a canister, the missile, which has no parallel in the world in its range category, went up vertically and then manoeuvred. Having a strike range of 150 km, Prahaar is comparable to ATACMS missile of the US.It fills the vital gap between multi-barrel rocket Pinaka and medium-range ballistic missile Prithvi. The missile, capable of carrying different types of warheads, will operate as battle field support system to the Army. “It will be inducted in the Army after a few more tests,” Saraswat said.
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