India successfully conducts missile-versus-missile test

Balasore (Orissa), Nov 27 (IANS) India Monday successfully test-fired two nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missiles against each other from different military test ranges on the Orissa coast to test their effectiveness, officials said.

While one missile was test fired from the shore-based Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea at 10.15 a.m. from a mobile launcher at launch complex No.3, the second one went off over a minute later from another mobile launcher at launch complex No.4 in the Inner Wheeler Island. Both ranges are located 150 km from state capital Bhubaneswar.

The missiles collided in the sky over the Bay of Bengal about 70 km from the Chandipur range, defence sources said. The impact created a 'boom like sound' with the remnants of the rockets falling into the Bay of Bengal, officials said.

The aim of the exercise is to test the missile's ability to provide an air-shield cover to important Indian metros against hostile attacks, the sources said.

'It is a great success. The missiles successfully collided against each other. It is a moment of pride for the people of the entire country,' ITR Director A.K. Checker told IANS. 'We are analysing the data.'

The exercise was undertaken under the Prithvi Air Defence Exercise (PADE), being undertaken for the first time to validate its operational effectiveness.

The exercise was earlier scheduled for Sunday but was put off after scientists wanted to do some additional checks.

'While the missile from ITR was the attacker, the one from Wheeler Island was to act as the defender,' an official said.

The Prithvi is one of the five missiles being developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

First tested in 1988, Prithvi-I has a range of 150 km and can carry conventional or low-yield nuclear warheads for use against troops or armoured formations. Its two variants, Prithvi-II and Prithvi-III, have a range of 250 km and 350 km respectively.

Prithvi-II was first tested in January 1996. It flew 250 km and is said to have accurately landed at a pre-determined point. The Indian Army has already inducted Prithvi- I and II.

Prithvi-III was successfully test fired for the first time in October 2004.

The air defence exercise is to be followed by a three-day national conference on range technology from Tuesday at ITR. To be inaugurated by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, it will be attended by 15 renowned defence scientists from the US, Britain, France, Germany and Denmark.