Strategic Forces Command tests nuclear-capable Prithvi-II

Balasore, Orissa: India test-fired it's indigenously developed, nuclear-capable, Prithvi-II ballistic missile from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur as part of user trials by the army component of the country's Strategic Forces Command (SFC).

"The missile mounted on a mobile launcher was test-fired from the launch complex-3 in the ITR at around 0905 hours", defence officials said.

With a maximum striking range of 350 km, different versions of the missile are capable of carrying pay-loads in the range of 500-1000 kg warhead.

"Prithvi-II missile had proved its robustness and accuracy during many trials earlier," an official of the Defence Research and development Organisation (DRDO) said.

"Taken from a routine production lot during earlier user trials by the Army, the missile had achieved single digit accuracy reaching close to zero circular error probability (CEP)," they said.

The missile, which has features to deceive any anti-ballistic missiles, had demonstrated flight duration of 483 seconds reaching a peak altitude of 43.5 km in 2008 user's trial.