India gets ready to test-fire missiles
Mar 23, 2007 - 9:32:43 PM
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Scientists have planned to test two variants of the 'Dhanush'. While one will have a striking range of 250 km, the other will be able to hit targets 500 km away.
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By IANS,
[RxPG] Balasore -, March 23 - Close on the heels of Pakistan's successful test-firing of nuclear capable Hatf VII Babar missile Thursday, India prepares to test fire its two home-grown missiles from a defence base in Orissa in the next few days.
Scientists are all set to test 'Dhanush', the nuclear-capable naval version of the 'Prithvi' short-range ballistic missile - and an air-to-air 'Astra' missile from the Chandipur defence base in the state's coastal district of Balasore, some 230 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar, defence sources said.
Astra is being considered as a new system in India's guided missile development programme. With solid propellant, the missile has a striking range of 25 to 40 kilometres.
While Dhanush is likely to be test-fired Sunday, about four rounds of Astra missile will be tested March 26 and 27, the sources said.
'The Dhanush missile will be tested inside the Bay of Bengal from a ship - INS Rajput positioned nearly 60 km from the Integrated Test Range - at Chandipur and Paradip coast.
The Astra missile will be test-fired from launching complex no. II - of the ITR,' the sources told IANS.
Dhanush, developed and built by the Defence Research and Development Organisation -, has a 250-km striking range and can carry single warhead up to 750 kg.
The missile, which is a part of India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme -, is about 8.53 metres long and 0.9 metre wide besides its launch weight about 4.4 tonnes. It uses liquid propellant.
Scientists have planned to test two variants of the 'Dhanush'. While one will have a striking range of 250 km, the other will be able to hit targets 500 km away.
Similarly, the Astra missile also has been developed by the DRDO. The goal of this test-firing is to provide the Indian Air Force - with a beyond visual range air-to-air missile - to equip the IAF's Mirage 2000, MiG-29, Su-30MKI and the Light Combat Aircraft -.
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