The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) launched the 800km-range Nirbhay cruise missile from the Odisha test facility in the Bay of Bengal on Monday, but decided to abort the test a few minutes later.
“The missile was fired at 10:30 am from the test facility,” a government official told the Hindustan Times. “But the missile developed a problem and the trial was aborted 8 minutes later,” the official said.
Nirbhay was the 10th missile fired by the DRDO in the past 35 days, an average of one missile every four days. India’s emphasis on the accelerated development and deployment of new age fighting weapons is a response to the mobilization of Chinese troops and support elements in the East Ladakh sector.
People familiar with the matter said that the DRDO would hold another trial in a few months that would pave the way for the full induction of the missile into the Indian military and deployment to the borders.
A limited number of Nirbhay missiles had previously flown to the Chinese border before Monday’s eighth round of firing tests.
Nirbhay is a subsonic missile, flying at a speed of 0.7 Mach, with the ability to skim the sea and hug the terrain that helps the missile stay under enemy radar to avoid detection. The missile has a loitering capability that allows the launch pad to maneuver mid-flight and eventually hit the target. The missile launch is powered by a solid booster rocket developed by DRDO’s Advanced Systems Laboratory, which, unlike liquid propellant, is easier to handle.
Conventional warhead missiles, capable of penetrating deep to hit high-value targets with precision, are launched from mobile platforms.
Mondy’s tests were conducted as part of an effort by the DRDO to accelerate missile development throughout LAC amid clashes with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army at multiple points in East Ladakh.
Officials said scientists needed to analyze the data generated during the tests to determine what adjustments might be necessary to carry out.
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