India successfully test fired Prithvi-II and Dhanush missiles

Dhanush and Prithvi-II Missile Image

India on Friday morning successfully test fired two nuclear-capable missiles, both of them are ballistic missiles. A similar exercise involving Dhanush and Prithvi-2 missile was successfully conducted in a "salvo mode" off Orissa coast on March 27 last year.Dhanush is also called as the naval version of Prithvi, is a single-stage missile with liquid propellant. It has a pay load capacity of 500 kg and is capable of carrying both nuclear as well as conventional warheads.

These missiles can hit both sea and shore-based targets with a very high accuracy. In term of dimensions, It is 10 meter long, one meter in diameter and weighs six tonnes.

The test-firing of the surface-to-surface missile was "a routine trial conducted by the personnel of Strategic Force Command (SFC)". Prithvi was the first missile developed under India's prestigious Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).

The surface-to-surface missile has proved its robustness and accuracy repeatedly during many trials earlier since the first test in 1988.Prithvi missile equipped with sophisticated guidance systems have hit the specified targets with a very high degree of accuracy.

"On Friday,First Dhanush was test fired from Indian naval ship, INS suvarana off the coast of orrisa at 10:30 am and then next missile Prithvi-II was successfully fired at 11 am from Integrated test range(ITR) at chandipur".