Prithvi 'user's trial' undertaken

BALASORE: India's most sophisticated medium range surface-to-surface missile 'Prithvi' was test fired on Wednesday from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, about 15 km from here.

Mounted on a mobile tatra Transporter Erector Launcher (TEL), the indigenously developed missile was fired at 1004 hours in overcast conditions.

Prithvi has already been inducted into the Army and the test undertaken today involved one of the products picked up at random from the assembly line.

Scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) who, along with personnel of the Indian army, jointly conducted the test, described it as an "user's trial".

The transporter-mounted missile can be taken close to the forward line over any kind of terrain, defence sources said adding it had been designed to deliver advanced conventional warheads deep into enemy territory.

According to a defence analyst, this version of Prithvi's main use would be in destroying troop concentration, crippling air bases and striking at large static installations and headquarters when required.

It is a reliable, rugged and relatively low cost battlefield missile produced in short time.

"It packs sufficient punch to heavily damage forward airfields and disrupt and destroy mechanised forces in their concentration areas held back as reserves," the source said.