Strategic Forces Command test Prithvi and Dhanush missiles

Above and right: Photographs of the two short-range ballistic missile tests that were conducted today by the Strategic Forces Command.

The official DRDO press release after today's tests is reproduced below:

SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF DHANUSH AND PRITHVI MISSILES

Ship launched Dhanush Missile was successfully test fired from the Indian Naval Ship “INS SUVARNA” off the coast of Orissa. The event took place at 10.03 A.M on 11th March 2011. Dhanush is a ship launched Missile against surface and sea targets. All the Radars and Electro optical systems located along the coast have tracked the vehicle and monitored all the parameters. Ship located near the impact point has witnessed the final event. The flight test was perfect like a text book trajectory with the missile reaching the target point with a very high accuracy of less than few meters.

The surface to surface Prithvi (P-II) Missile was successfully flight tested at 11 A.M from LC-III, ITR, Chandipur within one hour of Dhanush Missile test. The trajectory of the Missile was also monitored by all the Telemetry, Radars and Electro Optical Systems all through the flight. Prithvi(P-II) reached the designated target with accuracy of few meters, which can be achieved by very few Missiles in the World. The down range Ship at the impact location witnessed the final event.

Both Dhanush and Prithvi Missiles were launched by the Strategic Force Command as part of the regular user training exercise. The Missiles were taken from the Depot and launched from both the locations within one hour duration by two independent teams.

The two Missiles were test fired within five days of the successful demonstration of Ballistic Air Defence Missile System on 6th March 2011, by DRDO. The series of successful launches boosted the morale of the Scientists and Armed Forces. The Missiles have been integrated with a very high level of quality under the supervision of Missile Systems Quality Assurance Agency MSQAA.

All the launch operations of both the Missiles were monitored by Director, DRDL, Shri P. Venugopalan, Director, ITR, Shri SP Dash, Programme Director, Shri VLN Rao and number of Scientists of DRDO. Scientific Advisior to Raksha Mantri and DRDO chief Dr. VK Saraswat witnessed both the launches from ITR, Balasore. Raksha Mantri Shri AK Antony congratulated all the DRDO Scientists, Technicians, Quality Agency and Armed Forces for the successful launch of the two Missiles.