India successfully conducts night test fire of two Prithvi ballistic missiles

News: India has successfully test fired variants of Prithvi-2 missile from the Interim Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur on the night of 20th November.

Facts:

About Prithvi missiles

• Prithvi missile is a tactical surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) developed by DRDO of India under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP).
•  It is deployed by India’s Strategic Forces Command.
• The Prithvi-I is a short-range, road-mobile, liquid propellant ballistic missile It has a range of 150 km.
• The Prithvi-II is a short-range, road-mobile, liquid-propellant ballistic missile.It has range of 250-350 km.It is capable of carrying 500-1,000 kg of warheads.
• The Prithvi-III is a short-range, road-mobile, ballistic missile. This model is a departure from the liquid propulsion system of the Prithvi-I and II, as it employs a two-stage, solid propellant motor. It has a range of 350-600 km.

Additional Information:

Integrated Guided-Missile Development Programme (IGMDP)

• The IGDMP was conceived by Dr. APJ. Abdul Kalam to enable India attain self-sufficiency in the field of missile technology. It was approved by the government in 1983. DRDO announced completion of IGDMP in 2008.
• The other missiles developed under this programme:

o   Intermediate Range surface to surface ballistic Missile Agni

o   Short range low level surface to air missile Trishul

o   Third Generation Anti-tank missile Nag

o   medium range Surface-to-air missile Akash