On Saturday, India successfully conducted test firing of its indigenously developed nuclear-capable hypersonic missile ‘Shaurya’ with an attack range of around 1,000 km from a test range in Odisha, defense sources said.
‘Shaurya’, which is the land variant of India’s K-15 missile, has an attack range of 700 km to 1000 km and is capable of carrying payloads of 200 kg t 1000 kg, the sources said.
The tactical surface-to-surface missile took off from a boat attached to the land launcher from Launch Complex 4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) on APJ Abdul Kalam Island around 12.10 p.m. and covered the desired range, they said.
It measures 10 meters long, 74 cm in diameter and weighs 6.2 tons. Its two stages use solid propellants.
Describing the test as successful, sources said the next-generation missile performed a maneuver in the final stages of its flight and struck the point of impact in the Bay of Bengal with precision and accuracy.
A gas generator at the bottom of the boat pushed the missile out. Her first stage then went on and she fell off.
The second stage kicked in after this, said an official with the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
During the test flight, the missile was tracked by various telemetry and radar stations and performed well, he said.
DRDO officials rate Shaurya as one of the 10 best missiles in the world in its class with its high-performance navigation and guidance systems, efficient propulsion systems, sophisticated control technologies and canister launch, ”the sources said.
The missile can be launched from silos and canisters mounted on a truck and fixed to the ground, they said, adding that it can be easily moved. A truck itself can become a launch pad.
“Shaurya” missiles can be stored in places where enemies would not be able to detect them. Also, it cannot be detected by satellite images, the sources said.
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