BHUBANESWAR: India successfully flight-tested the indigenously developed surface-to-surface tactical missile ‘Pralay’ from a defence facility off the Odisha coast on Tuesday. The successful user-associate launch of the missile will pave the way for its early induction in the armed forces.
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the short range ballistic missile (SRBM), an amalgamation of technologies used in the Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) interceptor missile and Prahaar tactical missile, was test-fired in full operational configuration from Abdul Kalam Island at about 10 am.
Defence sources said the test conducted as part of pre-induction trial met all its mission objectives. The missile followed the desired ballistic trajectory and reached the designated target with a high degree of accuracy, validating the control, guidance and mission algorithms.
"All the systems and sub-systems including state-of-the-art navigation and integrated avionics performed as expected. It was a fantastic mission. The missile demonstrated mid air manoeuvres and hit-to-kill accuracy perfectly, indicating that it is now ready for induction," said a defence official.
This was the third test of the missile. It was conducted two years after two consecutive successful trials in 2021.
The canisterised missile powered with solid propellant rocket motor and many new technologies has a strike range upto 500 km. The missile performs mid-air manoeuvres using manoeuvrable reentry vehicle (MaRV) to defeat anti-ballistic missile interceptors.
The much faster and accurate Pralay weighs around five tonnes. With a payload of 1000 kg, it can travel a distance of 350 km and if the payload is halved, the missile can hit a target as far as 500 km.
Fuelled by composite propellant, developed by Pune-based High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), the missile uses inertial navigation system for mid-course guidance.
Since most of India's SRBMs are for strategic strike purposes, development of the tactical missile Pralay was necessitated after the army sought a 500-km range SRBM that can carry a sizable payload.
Recently, the Ministry of Defence had approved the procurement of a regiment of 'Pralay' ballistic missiles for the Indian Army for deployment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Line of Control (LoC). The army would be deploying these missiles with conventional warheads.