India successfully test-fires Prithvi-II ballistic missile

India on Monday successfully test-fired its indigenously developed, nuclear-capable, ballistic missile Prithvi-II from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur on sea in Orissa.

The missile was blasted off from the launch complex number three in the ITR at 8:58 a.m. The missile with a maximum striking range of 350 km is capable of carrying a pay-load of 1,000 kilogram.

The test firing of the surface-to-surface missile is a users trial by the Army's specialised group 'Strategic Force Command (SFC).

With a length of nine metre and one metre diameter, Prithvi-II uses an advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring trajectory.

The entire launch operations were carried out by the Armed Forces and monitored by the scientists of DRDO. The flight test of the Prithvi-II missile met all the mission objectives and was perfect like text book launch.

Prithvi-II Missile has been successfully flight tested number of times as part of the training exercise. Today's launch again proves the reliable flight testing of Prithvi. (ANI)