Bhubaneswar:The nuclear capable Prithvi-II ballistic missile failed to take off during a user trial from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur on sea, off the Orissa coast today. The test-fire was held
as a part of user's trial by the armed forces. According to defence sources, the
failure to lift Prithvi-II was due to a snag either in the main missile or the
sub-system, including the launcher. The last four user's trials of the surface-to-surface
missile were successfully conducted during the about one year period, from the
same site in the ITR. The last trial was conducted on June 18. The Prithvi -II
has a strike range of 350 km and a two stage engine. It is nine metres long and
a metre wide and can carry a payload of 500 kilograms. It has already been inducted
into Indian armed forces It is equipped with an advanced inertial navigation system
and has features to deceive anti-ballistic missiles.
