Successful test-firing of Prithvi-II Missile
Context
India successfully test-fired it’s indigenously developed nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile.
About Prithvi-II
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Prithvi-II, first tested in 1996, was inducted into Indian armed forces in 2003. It was one of the first missiles developed under Government of India's IGMDP. |
- Prithvi II is a single-stage missile that falls under the liquid fuelling category.
- It is capable of carrying 500-1,000 kilogram of warheads and is powered by liquid propulsion twin engines.
- It was developed by DRDO and was first used by the Indian Air Force.
- The Prithvi Missile is an indigenously developed missile by DRDO (Defence Research & Development Organization) under the flagship of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP).
- The missile is a proven system and is capable of striking targets with a very high degree of precision.
- The state-of-the-art missile uses an advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvering trajectory to hit its target.
Types of missilesThere are different classifications of missiles –
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About Prithvi I
- Prithvi I: Launched in February 1988, Prithvi I is a single-stage, liquid-fuelled missile.
- It is a surface-to-surface missile.
- It was inducted into the Indian Army in 1994.
Other variants of Prithvi
- The Prithvi missile project involved developing three variants for use by the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.
- Prithvi I (SS-150) – Army version, 150 km range with a payload of 1,000 kg.
- Prithvi II (SS-250) – Air Force version, 350 km range with a payload of 500 kg.
- Prithvi III (SS-350) – Naval version, 350 km range with a payload of 1,000 kg.
About Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP)
- It was conceived by Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
- It was started in 1983 and completed in March 2012.
- Its aim was to enable India to attain self-sufficiency in the field of missile technology.
- The 5 missiles developed under this program-
- Prithvi, Agni, Trishul, Nag, Akash.
