Technical glitch: Nirbhay missile aborted mid-path
Balasore, Mar 12 : The maiden trial of the indigenously developed subsonic cruise missile 'Nirbhay', testfired from the
launch complex three of the Integrated Test Range(ITR) from Chandipur on sea, was aborted mid-path following a technical glitch.
The missile was test fired at 1150 hrs this morning after hectic preparation from a mobile launcher.
However, during flight, it had to be terminated within 20 minutes of its launch, when the missile was flying at a height of 4.5 km as it started deviating from the path, Defence sources here said.
The DRDO which had all preparations to test fire the missile for its full range of 1,000 km, said the test flight had to be terminated to ensure 'coastal safety'.
DRDO spokesman Ravi Gupta said the long range cruise missile
was successfully launched after meeting the basic mission objectives successfully. However, after travelling approximately midway, some deviations were observed from its intended course which forced the DRDO to terminate to ensure coastal safety.
Nirbhay missile has good loitering capability, good control
and guidance, high degree of accuracy in terms of impact and very
good stealth features and it is equivalent of Tomhawk, a long-range, subsonic cruise missile, developed by the United States.