DRDO successfully tests range capability of quasi-ballistic missile 'Pralay'

New Delhi, July 29 (IANS) The maximum and minimum range capability of the 'Pralay' missile system were successfully tested by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Odisha over two days, an official said on Tuesday.

The User Evaluation Trials of Pralay, an indigenous solid propellant quasi-ballistic missile employing state-of-the-art guidance and navigation, were carried out from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha on Monday and Tuesday, said the official.

During the tests, the missiles precisely followed the intended trajectory and reached the target point with pinpoint accuracy, meeting all the test objectives, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

All subsystems performed as per expectations, which were verified using test data captured by various tracking sensors deployed by Integrated Test Range (ITR), including instruments deployed on a ship positioned near the designated impact point, it said.

The missile is capable of carrying multiple types of warheads against various targets. The system has been developed by Research Centre Imarat in collaboration with other DRDO labs -- Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Advanced Systems Laboratory, Armament Research and Development Establishment, High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, Research and Development Establishment (Engineers) and ITR, etc.; industry partners -- Bharat Dynamics Limited & Bharat Electronics Limited and many other industries and MSMEs.

The flight tests on both days were witnessed by senior scientists of DRDO, representatives of the users from the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army, as well as industry representatives.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh complimented the DRDO, the Armed Forces and the industry for the successful flight tests.

The missile equipped with modern technologies will give a further technological boost to the Armed Forces against threats, he said.

Secretary, Department of Defence, R&D, and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V. Kamat congratulated the teams, stating that the successful completion of this phase-1 flight tests paves the way for induction of the system into the Armed Forces in the near future.

--IANS

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