Bhubaneswar, Sep 26 (IANS): India Monday successfully test fired its indigenously developed, nuclear capable ballistic missile, Prithvi-II, from a test range in Orissa, an official said. It has a maximum range of 350 km.
The missile was blasted off from launch complex No III at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) of Chandipur in Balasore district, about 230 km from here.
"It was a fantastic launch," S.P. Dash, the director of the test range, told IANS.
Prithvi is India's first indigenously built ballistic missile. It is one of the five missiles being developed under the country's Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.
The medium-range missile, with flight duration of 483 seconds reaching a peak altitude of 43.5 km, has the capability to carry a 500 kg warhead. It has a maximum range of 350 km.
Prithvi, which has features to deceive anti-ballistic missiles, uses an advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring capabilities and reaches its target with a few metres of accuracy.
India had successfully test fired its surface-to-surface ballistic missile Shourya from the same test base Saturday.