Balasore: India today test-fired its subsonic cruise nuclear-capable missile Nirbhay with a range of 1000-km from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur off Odisha coast.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) sources said the missile was test-fired at around 1045 hrs from the launch complex of III of the ITR.

Sources said the two-stage missile Nirbhay took a unique trajectory in its entire path to the target.

Being a terrain hugging missile, Nirbhay is difficult to detect by the enemy's radars. The missile keeps on encircling the area of its target for several minutes and then hits the 'bull's eye' at an opportune time, sources said.

The missile is capable of carrying multiple payloads and can engage several targets in a single flight. It could be launched from a surface lorry to a ship, from the air and even from underwater vessels.

The two-stage missile is first thrown vertically by using a booster engine and in the next stage, the second engine takes it to the target.

Nirbhay is equipped with a state of art seeker, that locks on the target to neutralise it most effectively.

The nuclear-capable, missile reaching speeds of 0.6-0.7 Mach and can strike land targets at a distance of up to 1,000 km.

DRDO sources said the missile can loiter and cruise at 0.7 Mach, at altitudes as low as 100 m.

The guidance, control and navigation system of the missile is configured around the indigenously designed Ring Laser Gyroscope (RLG) and MEMS-based Inertial Navigation System (INS) along with GPS.

Agencies