India to Test Dhanush

India to Test Dhanush Ship-Launched Ballistic Missile in First Quarter Of 2012

Posted on: November 25, 2011

India is preparing to carry out another test of its ship-launched Dhanush ballistic missile, as part of a user trial for its navy, in the first quarter of next year.

The 350-km-range missile will be tested from on board an Indian warship, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) sources told Defencenow.com. "Dhanush missile will be tested in the first few months of 2012," sources said.

Dhanush, a nuclear-capable ballistic missile, is already inducted into the naval service.

It is the naval variant of the Prithvi missile, which is one of the five missiles India developed as part of its Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).

The single-stage liquid propellant surface-to-surface missile is primarily used to take out sea and shore-based targets such as surface warships including aircraft carriers, and sea ports respectively.

The missile is capable of carrying 500-kg payload.

The missile's first test in April 2000 had been a failure, but its subsequent tests have been successful.

The missile was tested and tried out by the navy from on board its Sukanya class patrol vessels such as INS Subhadra and INS Suvarna, apart from INS Rajput destroyer in the past.

The missile's successful tests have been carried out in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

India is also in the process of developing a submarine-launched 700-km-range missile codenamed K-15 for deployment on its indigenous under-development nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant and its class of vessels, thereby completing its nuclear triad

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