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Indian army test-fires nuclear-capable Prithvi missile
The army on Friday successfully testfired the surface-to-surface nuclear-capable Prithvi missile, achieving "close to zero circular error probability (CEP) accuracy", an official said.
- IANS
- Published: 23:53 May 23, 2008
Balasore: The army on Friday successfully testfired the surface-to-surface nuclear-capable Prithvi missile, achieving "close to zero circular error probability (CEP) accuracy", an official said.
The missile, with a range of 350 km, was launched from the Interim Test Range in Chandipur, off the Orissa coast.
Prithvi has already been inducted into the army and the launch was carried out as part of an army training programme.
"Taken from a routine production lot, the missile was launched with an improved aided inertial navigation system and achieved single-digit accuracy, reaching close to zero CEP," a defence ministry statement issued in New Delhi said.
Prithvi is the first of the indigenously-built ballistic missiles. One of five missiles being developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, it is capable of carrying a payload of between 500kg and one tonne, including nuclear weapons.
Top army officials and DRDO scientists witnessed the missile launch.
Defence Minister A.K. Antony congratulated the scientific community at the Defence Research and Development Organisation for the successful launch. M. Natarajan, scientific advisor to the defence minister, also congratulated the scientists "and wished them many more glorious achievements", the statement said.
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